Each year, AACRAO's most engaged members come together for an in-person leadership development convening. This invite-only event is an opportunity for AACRAO's Board Members, Caucus Chairs, Committee Chairs, Community Facilitators, Volunteers, and other
member leaders to gather together and collaborate on the topics that matter the most to you, our members. This year, we gathered first-person feedback from a few of our attendees about their experiences and why they attended. Continue reading
to see what makes AACRAO's Leadership Meeting such a special event.
The AACRAO Leadership meeting was eye-opening. It allowed me to understand why so many AACRAO members step up to serve and belong to such an amazing organization. The passion, knowledge, information sharing, and networking in one room epitomize what I have always believed AACRAO represents. Witnessing this firsthand reinforced my commitment to our mission and inspired me to contribute even more actively.
I am eager to take the insights and connections I gained from the meeting and apply them to my work. The experience has renewed my enthusiasm for our collective goals and strengthened my resolve to support and advance the initiatives that make AACRAO such a valuable community. The dedication and energy of everyone involved were truly inspiring, and I am excited to implement the innovative ideas and strategies discussed.
Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their expertise and dedication. I look forward to continuing our work together, fostering a collaborative environment, and making a lasting impact on the future of higher education. The AACRAO community is truly remarkable, and I am proud to be a part of it.
- Dr. Kimberly Sanders, AVP Enrollment Management, Prairie View A&M University
The 2024 AACRAO Leadership meeting was my first AACRAO leadership meeting, and it was an amazing experience. I am lucky in Washington State to have peers from 33 other community and technical colleges that I often get to collaborate and advocate with, but to be given the opportunity to do that same thing at a national level was a unique experience. To be in a room surrounded by peers from two-year, four-year, and graduate institutions who share similar experiences and are focused on lifting each other up and finding solutions was inspiring and motivating.
Needless to say, I left the meeting energized to not only bring back what I experienced and learned to my work, college, and state but to also expand how I support AACRAO's mission and vision beyond my current role as a Co-Chair of Volunteers for the 2025 AACRAO Seattle Annual Meeting by volunteering to serve on the Community College Focus Committee. I chose this committee because I heard loud and clear at the leadership meeting that AACRAO is dedicated to supporting community colleges and their unique viewpoints and experiences. However, I recognize that also means that those of us at community colleges have a reciprocal obligation to be engaged and share our voices. Serving on this committee is one way I can do that.
I cannot thank AACRAO enough for including me in the 2024 Annual Leadership Meeting and giving me the opportunity to contribute and build relationships at a national level. I also felt a bit like I was getting to sneak a look at the wizard behind the curtain.
- Chantel Black, Director of Admissions and Registration/Registrar, Spokane Community College, Spokane, Washington
The AACRAO leadership meeting is an annual convergence meeting for leaders in higher education. The meeting is normally held in a dynamic environment where all members collaborate and share their insights. The major takeaways from this meeting can be summarized below:
Leadership and Professional Development
Professional development is a key component of the leadership meeting. Experienced leaders share their journeys offering advice on navigating the complexities of higher education. Moreover, this year's leadership meeting focused on the psychology of change. Discussions about the importance of identifying shared objectives and facilitating cross-organizational process design to break down the existing silos in organizations were held.
Networking and Collaboration
The leadership meeting provides opportunities for networking and collaboration. Attendees connect with peers in higher education from all parts of the country and share experiences, thoughts, challenges, and solutions. I think about it as a free therapy session; it is so comforting to know that we are all in the same boat, trying to resolve the same problems (maybe in different ways). The leadership meeting is the place to meet new faces and peers. Another important takeaway from the leadership meeting is unwinding with colleagues, sharing problems, and finding solutions. One of the most important takeaways is that you get to know your colleagues outside the work setting; you get to know people from a personal perspective.
Focus on Public Policy
The leadership meeting provides a good opportunity to learn more about federal laws, legislative proposals currently under study, and policy and regulatory matters impacting higher education.
- Hala Abou Arraj, Registrar, Idaho State University, VP International Education AACRAO
We invite all of our members to get involved with their membership through a variety of channels. Whether you are interested in joining a committee, caucus, or workgroup or writing in one of our various publications, like AACRAO's College & University Journal, SEMQ, or Connect, we encourage you to reach out.