2017 NACADA Annual Conference Reminders!

NACADA Annual Conference Reminders!

• Registration opens Tuesday, October 10, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in Washington Avenue Lobby on Level 1 of America's Center. Pick up your registration materials as soon as you can. Wednesday, October 11, registration is open 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and will continue throughout the conference.
  
• Travel Information - Taxis are available from the airport to various hotel locations near America's Center as well as to the conference site. Additionally, NACADA and GO BEST Express Airport Shuttle have partnered together to provide convenient shared ride shuttle service to/from the airport and local hotels. Visit the Travel Information page on the website for booking instructions and other transportation options. Rental Car discounts are available through AVIS. You must reference NACADA's Avis Discount code - J097937 to receive the special rate. Call AVIS at (800) 331-1600. Visit the conference travel information webpage for additional details on shuttle service, car rental, and other ground transportation information available for you.
  
• Plan your schedule with the Interactive Schedule Planner which now includes features that allow you to search by track and/or keyword when building your personalized schedule. You can view Online Session Materials submitted by presenters at the Handouts Link. Presenters are asked to submit their handouts prior to, or no later than one week following the conference.
  
• Mobile App  - Thanks to K-State Global Campus for sponsoring the mobile app for all attendees again this year! Be sure to download the new mobile app at http://guidebook.com/g/nacada17 to gain instant access via your mobile device to the conference schedule, list of presenters, maps, and much more. The app will provide you with updates throughout the conference. Be sure to use the Connect feature to check in as an attendee and interact with others! The app is the quickest way to fill out the evaluations for each session.
  
• Volunteer! Our volunteer coordinators would love to hear from you. There is still time to sign up to be a volunteer for a concurrent session. You need to commit to attending the session you sign up for! Visit the volunteer signup links on the annual conference main page at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Events/Annual-Conference.aspx. Contact Tyler Phelps (japhelp@siue.edu ) with any questions. Expectations: do a headcount, hand out and gather evaluation forms, return evaluations to the evaluation desk...that is it!
  
• Blues and Q Welcome Reception - The Welcome Reception will be held at America's Center on the entire 2nd level, Wednesday, October 11, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.; the reception is free to all paid participants. The reception will feature music, photo booths, strolling magicians, and wonderful St. Louis barbeque! While there, take an opportunity to visit with NACADA conference exhibitors, the Silent Auction, and the NACADA Publications booth as well! There will be a drink ticket for a complimentary drink waiting for you. This reception is always a great opportunity to network with others.
  
• Open Discussions - Join us for one or more of the Open Discussions to be offered during the conference. Discussions will be centered upon selected topics voted on by the membership. All discussions will be held in Hall 1. Topics and times will be available in the mobile app and the addendum. These discussions will be facilitated by a NACADA leader but the participants will drive the discussion. Come join us for these lively discussions prepared to share your ideas and to network.
  
• Tech Labs - The Technology in Advising Commission will be conducting Tech Labs at this year's conference. The labs will be 25-minute skill building demonstrations, and topics have been selected with all skill levels in mind. The labs will be held in America's Ballroom Prefunction area during the following scheduled times:
• Thursday: 2:00-4:00 pm
• Friday: 10:00 am-12:15 pm
• Saturday: 8:30-10:15 am
  
• Wellness Events - This year yoga classes will be offered in the 230 Prefunction area of the convention center and chair massages in the exhibit area, Level 2 Atrium. Visit the Wellness Events section of the conference website for details.
  
• An Addendum will be in your tote bag; be sure to read it for updates after the program was printed. Don't be caught sitting in an empty room waiting for a session to begin that has been cancelled!
  
• Internet in meeting space - Wi-fi is available in the meeting space. The wireless network you will connect to is SSID: NACADA Annual Conference  Password: STL2017! Please be mindful of bandwidth use on your device. Due to the number of participants using the wireless network, we ask that you avoid video streaming or large downloads. Please download the app prior to coming.
  
• Spirit Day is Thursday, October, 12! You are invited to show your school spirit by wearing a t-shirt, polo, or Rugby shirt to represent your institution.
  
• Commission/Interest Group Fair and Continental Breakfast will be held Friday, October 13, from 7:15-8:30 am in Hall 1. Each Commission and Interest Group will have an informational table.
  
• The Poster Session will be on Thursday, October 12, from 7:15-8:15 am in Hall 1. Visit a wide array of informative poster presentations and engage in discussions with the poster presenter(s) in their poster.
  
• Lunch - Lunches are on your own. Au Bon Pain, in the Plaza Lobby, 1st floor, will have a lunch menu available with seating if you would like to stay in the center and use the lunchtime to network with fellow members, or you can view the Explore St. Louis portion of the conference webpage, select "Things to Do" then the Dining link.
  
• Dinner sign-up information will be available at the Hospitality Desk.
  
• Shuttles - A complimentary shuttle will be running Wednesday, October 11th, from 5:30-9:30 pm for the following hotels: Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch, Hyatt Regency at the Arch, Hilton Downtown at the Arch, and City Place Hotel.
  
• Complimentary shuttles will be running to and from the Convention Center to Ballpark Village Thursday and Friday evenings. Take advantage of a free ride to enjoy this area of St. Louis. The Arch is only a block from the Village as well. On Friday evening, there is a complimentary shuttle running to and from the Convention Center to the City Museum. If you have not seen the Museum, it is well worth the very reasonable entry fee to visit. Come prepared. You will want to be wearing comfortable clothing that you can crawl in and slide down the 2-story slide.
  
• The Ballpark Village shuttles will stop near the Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch, Hyatt Regency at the Arch, Hilton Downtown at the Arch, the Hampton, and City Place Hotel. Please ask the driver when you get on the shuttle.
  
• Saturday, October 14th - Plan to stay for the duration of the conference and enjoy the last day. We have a great day planned for you, excellent sessions, and a place to store your luggage to make the last day less stressful. You can check out of the hotel; the Program Committee will be running a luggage depot in Room 106 from 7:30 am-11:45 am (only on Saturday), so you won't have to miss a single session. NOTE: all luggage has to be out of the room by 11:45 am. Luggage left after this time will be unattended.
  
• St. Louis Welcome Letter! The 2017 Program Committee would like to welcome you to St. Louis with and are excited for a successful conference! Please be sure to read the Welcome Letter in its entirety for a host of great information! https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Portals/0/Events/Annual Conference/2017/Documents/2017 St Louis.pdf
   
• A Participant List of the 2017 St. Louis Annual Conference registered participants is available at: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Events-Programs/Events/Annual-Conference/participants.aspx.
  
• Please Note: NACADA does not offer NBCC credits associated with the Annual Conference but can complete a session attendance verification form upon request. Stop by the conference registration desk to pick-up a form for completion if needed.
  
• Be sure to use the hashtag #NACADA17.

We look forward to seeing you in St. Louis!

The Midwest Regions Annual Conference Committee
NACADA Executive Office

Want to nominate someone for a NACADA Region 3 Award?

Hello, Region 3 Members:

Is there someone you have thought about nominating for a NACADA Region 3 Award? Get started now and beat the crunch of compiling the nomination packet before the application deadline (11/1/17). You can find the criteria and link to apply here.

One important note, applicants/nominees must be members of NACADA (except for applicants for Excellence in Advising - Advising Administrators). Non-members will not be considered; make sure your nominee becomes a member before submitting the nomination/application.

Our region historically has had strong applicants. With the changes in the awards process (one award granted per category), we anticipate the competition to be increased this year.

*If you are interested in being a reader for the Region 3 2018 awards, contact Jenn Jones (jjones84@fairmontstate.edu) to be added to the committee.

Best,
Jenn

NACADA Graduate Student Regional Conference Scholarship Recipient Testimony

NACADA Graduate Student Regional Conference Scholarship Recipient Testimony

Madeline Anderson, M.Ed.

Academic Advisor

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

As a graduate student, becoming a member of NACADA was one of the best decisions I could have made towards my professional development. From connecting to professionals in the field to offering me opportunities to present at two regional conferences, my membership has rewarded me in more ways than I can count. Receiving a Graduate Student Regional Conference Scholarship from the Association not only supported my professional aspirations, but further demonstrated to me that NACADA is committed to supporting its members, even at the student level.

Going into graduate school, I was hired for an assistantship with little to no advising responsibilities, even though advising was one of my major reasons for seeking further education. Through various internship experiences I was able to explore my advising interests but I knew that getting involved in an organization aimed at supporting and developing the profession would help me determine whether or not advising was the best fit for me. I made it a goal to present at the first regional conference, and with the help of my supervisor and an advising colleague, I was able to accomplish that goal. In the April of 2016, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I fell in love with NACADA.

Before the Region III conference in 2016, I had attended two student affairs conferences and found that while I learned a lot from both, I was missing the lessons that a conference focused on advising and student academic success could teach me. After being surrounded by people who were passionate about the same thing I was, I was hooked.

In the Fall of 2017, I used the majority of my professional development funds and my own personal funds to attend the Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. There I was able to reconnect with people I met in Chattanooga and regain some the same enthusiasm I had for advising when I left the Regional conference. When the conference concluded, I felt more assured in my decision to pursue Academic Advising as a profession and went into the job search season with determination to find the advising position for me.

Feeling inspired from many of the presentations I saw while in Atlanta and driven to further develop my presentation skills, I connected with a close colleague to create a presentation. At this point, I had little to no professional development funds and little that I could personally put forth, especially with job search in full swing. Feeling a bit defeated and frustrated that my goal of presenting again would be stunted due to lack of financial support, I received an email from NACADA about conference scholarships.

I admit now that I was extremely skeptical that I would receive a scholarship. I honestly did not feel that I did much to warrant such a generous gift and did not feel that my chances were very high at all. My professor and colleagues, on the other hand, saw the potential in me and knew how much passion I had for advising as well as for NACADA. They saw how much I lit up when I talked about my presentation ideas and how much I enjoyed talking about how much the conferences meant to me. While my mentors pushed me to reach my fullest potential, NACADA supported me in the process of exploring my dream profession and ultimately finding my fit. I am forever thankful for the opportunities NACADA has provided me and appreciate the ones who believed in me to receive the gift of a Graduate Student Regional Conference Scholarship.  

#WEARENACADA #WEAREFAMILY #WEAREINCLUSIVE

#WEARENACADA #WEAREFAMILY #WEAREINCLUSIVE

Dear NACADA Members,

As always, NACADA continues to be fully committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome and embrace all who bring diverse backgrounds, ideas, identities, and opinions to the Association. We are proud of the continuing engagement of all members as we work diligently to provide the most effective professional support possible. The NACADA Board of Directors, all NACADA Leaders, and the NACADA Executive Office assure you that our conference in St. Louis in October will uphold our core values of inclusiveness, diversity, and engagement for all participants from across the globe. We further assure you that we are committed to the safety and well-being of all our over 3,000 participants and visitors to St. Louis.

The recently announced NAACP "travel advisory" for the state of Missouri and the protest related to the Stockley verdict announced in St. Louis last week are reflections of our need to collectively work toward building diverse and inclusive communities in our neighborhoods and on our campuses. Our successful work as advisors depends upon our commitment and ability to do so.

We value the participation of our attendees in an inclusive and vibrant professional development culture that supports all of our members. We will network and learn together how we can all best support our students across the world as they may deal with a culture that does not support inclusivity in higher education. For over 40 years, NACADA has been committed to student success in our institutions regardless of where they may be located.

For those who cannot join us this year at Annual Conference, we know that your commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and our Association is as strong and powerful as those who will be able to attend.

With total commitment to NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising and our students,

Dana Zahorik                         Amy Sannes                         Charlie Nutt
NACADA President               NACADA President-Elect      NACADA Executive Director

Debbie Mercer                                             Lori S. White
Dean of the College of Education                NACADA 2017 Conference Keynote Speaker
Kansas State University                               Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Washington University in St. Louis

Stay Connected with Region 3!

Stay Connected with Region 3 by following us on these social media sites!

Interested in writing for the Region 3 Blog?

Interested in writing for the Region 3 Blog?

Do you have an interest in writing? Submitting an article for publication? Sharing your reflections and helpful tips on planning a successful State Drive-In? Or do you want to turn your Annual or Region presentation into an article?  A great way to get your feet wet in publication is by writing for a blog. The Region 3 Blog is a place for current NACADA Region 3 Members to share their expertise in a specific topic, subject area, or reflect on NACADA events. 

If you would like to write for the Region 3 Blog or have a piece already written, please email pmillard@uncc.edu to coordinate next steps. 

If you have never written a blog article before, please review these helpful links below: 

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-blog-post-simple-formula-ht

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-12-dos-and-donts-of-writing-a-blog

State Liaison nominations for North Carolina and Tennessee

State Liaison nominations for North Carolina and Tennessee 

Nominations will be accepted for the North Carolina and Tennessee State Liaison positions now through July 26, 2017.  Individuals interested in running for this position must be a current NACADA member from the state which they would represent.  Send a platform statement and a picture to suanne.early@uky.edu by the deadline.  Be sure to include full contact information.  After the nomination period closes the candidates' information will be posted to the Region 3 election website.  Region 3 members in these states will receive an election email with voting information in early August.  

Expectations:  This position is a two-year term beginning after the 2017 annual conference. Candidates must be a NACADA member, actively participate in Steering Committee meetings, and attend the Region Conference.  Attendance at the Annual Conference is strongly encouraged. Responsibilities include supporting and representing NACADA, Region 3, and the home state, promoting professional development at the state level, maintaining communication with state members, and encouraging and supporting state level activities.

For more information, please contact Suanne Early at suanne.early@uky.edu. 

Region Awards, Grants, and Scholarships are open!

To apply for a region award or nominate one your colleagues, follow this link: Region Awards

Reflections on Planning a State Drive-In

Reflections on Planning a State Drive-In 

By Eric B. Miller, Advising Manager, Middle Tennessee State University 

The “oh crap” moment. You’re familiar, I’m sure. Maybe you had one recently. Maybe you thought you left the iron on, or that you advised a student on something that would severely delay their graduation. We’ve all had them. Let me tell you a story about my most recent “oh crap” moment.

I was in Atlanta for the National Conference in October 2016. It was a Friday afternoon and the conference was in full swing. A colleague and I had recently agreed to host the Tennessee State Drive In and were meeting with the State Liaison for more information. When we agreed to host I knew it wouldn’t be an easy task. I had never planned a conference but I did work in Student Activities after graduate school and figured I could dust the cobwebs off those old skills. We could pull this off I thought. Until this meeting. Whatever event planning skills I gained working in Student Activities all those years ago were seemingly lost. I could feel my eyes glazing over as we reviewed every little detail needed to make this a successful event. And then it happened. Oh crap, I thought. I’ve completely gotten myself over my head. All I could think about were the dozens of unread emails and voicemails accumulating back in the office. Or how registration was about to start for the next semester and I was going to be face-to-face with students eight hours a day for the next month and a half. How I could manage this without sacrificing my regular professional and personal duties?

Want to know the answer?

It sounds simple, but I was saved by a top-notch committee. Our event was a resounding success. We had an outstanding keynote speaker, we beat our attendance projections, and we had well reviewed presentations. How did we accomplish this? Because we had an unbelievable group of people that simply went to work. And while it doesn’t take a genius to realize that “more hands make for light work”, the power of a well-rounded and willing committee cannot be overstated. Need a design for your save the date? Or an estimate for food or for printing programs? How about someone to ensure you’re not running afoul of your budget, or a team of volunteers to coordinate the program proposal process? These tasks would have buried me or my co-chair if it were just the two of us. But it wasn’t just the two of us. We consulted with NACADA who sent us a very helpful guide for State Drive Ins. We established six subcommittees led by one or two people who did a tremendous job taking charge of their committee. We held frequent committee meetings to report progress and troubleshoot potential problems. And we experienced wide support from senior campus leadership. The outcome of all this collaboration resulted in a terrific event.

Work-by-Committee can sometimes lead to a frustrating experience with disastrous results. It can also be a great way to break an iceberg-sized task into manageable cubes. And when the right team members are involved in can turn a classic “oh crap” moment into an accomplishment you can be proud of.

If you want to reach out to Eric Miller at Middle Tennessee State University, please email him at EricB.Miller@mtsu.edu.