By Autumn Walden, Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO
The 110th AACRAO Annual Meeting starts in less than eight weeks. Over 1,500 people are expected to gather in Seattle, Washington, from March 30 to April 2. According to our 2024 data, about one-third of attendees in Columbus were First-Time Attendees. This is an excellent motivator as we reach new milestones in growing and strengthening our membership. If this Annual Meeting is your first, you are definitely not alone, and if it’s your second, third, fourth, or umpteenth, you may very well remember your first time. I sure do.
I attended the 101st AACRAO Annual Meeting for the first time in 2015. Even though it’s been almost 10 years since then, I vividly remember walking toward the conference center in Baltimore, amazed at how many other people were on the sidewalks, walking in front of, behind, and alongside me. The street was humming with conversation and clicking heels of all varieties. I had never seen so many snappy bowties, sharp blazers, draping shawls, and decorative pins at one event—the conference fashion alone shows a broad range of styles and tastes, surpassed only by the diversity of expertise within our AACRAO community. But don’t take my word for it—you can see for yourself while browsing more than 240 program sessions from experts, practitioners, vendors, and more.
Experience AACRAO
Your first time will be your own, and so many people are waiting to welcome you at the Experience AACRAO event, from Ambassadors to Caucus and Board Members. “Attending Experience AACRAO is like going to a wine tasting,” said Julia Pomerenk, University Registrar and AVP for Student Services and Enrollment Management at the University of Oregon. “Instead of sampling a flight of wine, you will sample professional possibilities. You and colleagues new to AACRAO will be welcomed by colleagues with more AACRAO experience who are happy to connect with you and help you connect with the AACRAO community. Unlike some wine tasting, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. With the ‘Big Bingo Buddy’ in the room, you can take part in some low-risk, networking fun.”
The Welcoming AACRAO Spirit
Your fellow attendees may notice your First-Timer Badge and give you a nod or invite you to chat. (Fellow attendees, this is your not-so-subtle nudge to look out for the First-Timer Badges and say hello.) If you’re more of an introvert or keep-to-yourself type, that’s ok. No matter your inclinations or first-, many-, or any-timer status, our AACRAO team is preparing your experience so that you can personalize it for your career path.
First-Timers
Many- and Any-Timers