Dear Readers,
In less than two weeks, many of us will gather in Seattle—old friends reconnecting, new faces and ideas sparking new conversations. There’s something timeless about our annual meeting tradition, now in its 110th year. While our daily work can feel solitary, we choose to join and form groups to be part of something much bigger. Whether you attend in person or follow updates from afar, sharing knowledge and experience lifts us and our profession forward and upward.
"Group" comes from an old word of many origins for a cluster or knot—people bound by purpose. " Join" has Latin roots in “iungere,” to unite, to bring pieces together. "Gather" traces back to Old English, meaning to assemble, collect, and bring close.
Here, we share about our individual parts and collective whole: an honorary membership award winner, a new senior fellow and FERPA authority, registrars embracing intensive group learning, and advocates shaping policy on Capitol Hill. We highlight career services innovations, fraud prevention discussions, and opportunities to recruit and meet new team and committee members. Remember, you are never alone in this industry. Your conversations, insights, and connections ripple outward in seen and unseen ways.
With appreciation,
Autumn Walden
Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO
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