By Connie S. Newsome, Ed.D., MPA, Director of Registrar Services, Campbell University School of Law, V-P AT LARGE, AACRAO Board of Directors Board Secretary, National Network of Law School Officers
Beloved AACRAO family, I hope your summer is off to a great start and providing more moments for respite and to catch up on life. While you enjoy the season, we ask you to consider how you can impact your colleagues via a session presentation at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington.
Getting Started
Whether you are new to AACRAO or have been engaging with the organization for decades, the “Call for Proposals” email has been sent; the community of volunteers and staff who attempt to ensure a well-rounded and diverse program of offerings need your voice via session proposals. The link takes you to the page that provides initial information on presentation formats, but in summary and for those of us who may be on the fence about submitting a proposal, a presentation can be a 50 or 75 breakout session, a panel discussion, or you can facilitate discussion via a roundtable or “stop and share” format. The page also provides guidelines for submission as well as suggested topics; however, these suggested topics are not all-inclusive of the topics or areas of the content we can engage with during the annual meeting.
Share your Why
Each of us had our own journey into the field of higher education administration and we each have our own reasons for remaining. The same principle applies to our attendance at the AACRAO Annual Meeting, with a great majority of us positively impacted by attending. During our journey in this field, we have gained knowledge of principles, procedures, processes, best practices, leadership nuggets, management wisdom, and building relationships within institutional cultures and norms, which can be imparted to our colleagues.
Dispel the Myths
The most common misperception about presenting is that you cannot submit a proposal if you have only attended one conference or you are not otherwise involved. NOT SO, BELOVEDS. I will share a bit of my own journey shortly, but for now, I can say that I have repeatedly observed that those who attended once and decided to present the next year…knocked it out of the park. They may have been nervous, but guess what, those colleagues presented through the butterflies because they felt that what they had to share could benefit someone else. The second most common is that introverts cannot/will not present. NOT SO, BELOVEDS. Introverts present just as well as extroverts…we just need time with ourselves at the end of the day to rejuvenate before engaging again the next day. AACRAO Family, as alluded to earlier, if you do not want to present individually, your initial experience with presenting can be collaborative by partnering with another, or you can be part of a panel discussion. You would be surprised at how easily one opens up when among like-minded others during a panel or roundtable discussion. You have only to reach out via a Caucus, Committee, or colleague at your institution.
Journey into Service
As promised, I will share my journey into presenting at an annual meeting, which led to my eventual involvement with the organization. Not known for brevity, I will be as summative as possible. When I started my current position, I joined the National Network of Law School Officers (NNLSO). Collectively, we attend AACRAO’s annual meetings. During my first annual meeting, one ambivert locked elbows with this introvert and quickly made me feel like I’d been part of the group for years. Determined to make good use of my institution’s money, I attended sessions facilitated by both NNLSO members and non-NNLSO members. I attended events for first-time attendees. Throughout the conference, I interacted when approached or as necessary, but I always felt welcomed. I so enjoyed my time that the following year, an NNLSO colleague and I decided to submit a session proposal. It was accepted. I was very nervous, but I got through it, in part due to the presence of my colleague and the NNLSO family. The next year, I co-presented with an NNLSO colleague on a topic that was not partial to law school processes only. It was standing room only and resulted in a journal article. Deciding to make the most of my professional development, I joined the Board of Directors for the NNLSO. After my first term, I think I self-nominated to serve a second term, and my involvement in various roles has continued to present. During that time, I was nominated to serve on AACRAO’s Nominations and Elections Committee. Lo and behold, when the votes were tallied, I was elected to serve as Vice-Chair Elect for N&E. I was humbled and nervous but, most of all, honored. My service to AACRAO has progressed from there. I have numerous takeaways from my years and presentations with AACRAO thus far, but my main takeaway is that when you desire to make a difference and represent, you always have people supporting you, being the wind at your back, who you may not know or feel, and that is OK. The important point is that you know they are there, and therefore, you are not alone.
Wrap it Up
On a concluding note, I implore you to tune in or watch the recording of AACRAO’s upcoming webinar on tips and tricks for submitting a session proposal. The deadline for submission is September 16, 2024. I hope this article has encouraged you to submit or at least consider it. Take good care of yourself, and here’s hoping to attend a session presented by you.