How to survive the ACPA National Convention as an international attendee!

Greetings from Maynooth University, Ireland. I attended the ACPA National Convention in Boston from March 6^th through 9^th this year, and I would like to share my experiences and thoughts on attending a large-scale US conference as an international delegate. I am sharing my top tips for ‘surviving’ the ACPA National Convention as an international attendee – you’re going to need them because chances are Convention is MUCH BIGGER than any Student Affairs conference you have ever attended before.

One organiser estimated that there were nearly 3,000 delegates attending the 95^th National Convention over the four-day period. To give you some context, an average 300 people attend our national Student Affairs Ireland annual conferences here in Ireland. The European First Year Experience (EFYE) Network met in Cork Institute of Technology, Cork this summer and attracted just over 450 people from across Europe and Ireland (and even some US folks).

Size really did matter when it came to Convention because it meant everything was on a larger scale than I was used to. It felt like I was attending a concert for the opening and closing ceremonies…outgoing ACPA President’s, Jamie Washington’s, excellent singing definitely helped. Similarly, the Marketplace, directly after the opening address was overwhelming and I wouldn’t recommend going alone. But as the Ed sessions began to take place, and we split into smaller rooms, I finally began to find my rhythm.

Picture: Global Reception

Here are some thoughts I had after returning home and reflecting on the Convention. I hope they will be helpful to you if you are considering attending ACPA National Convention for the first time as an international attendee:

1. Mind your language
   ​One thing I consistently noticed across all keynotes and Ed sessions was the use of U.S. dominant terminology and acronyms, despite ACPA being an international organisation. Not once did a presenter in any of the sessions I attended explain any of their terminology, so I spent the first couple of days coming up to speed with U.S. Higher Ed language and terminology. Once I caught up though, I enjoyed the sessions a lot more, and I didn’t feel as lost. I would recommend you ‘brush up’ on your U.S. terminology before travelling to Convention so that you can participate and benefit from the sessions straight away. The same goes for University structures and processes. I found the following websites very helpful:
   • https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/08/15/us-higher-education-glossary
   • https://www.usf.edu/atle/documents/handout-higher-education-glossary.pdf
   • https://educationusa.state.gov/experience-studying-usa/us-educational-system/glossary#S
2. Nice to (e-)meet you
   It sounds strange given that I was in a room with 3,999 others but at times, I found the Convention to be a lonely place as an international attendee. I ate most of my meals alone for the first few days because I didn’t know anyone else. To combat this, you could reach out to colleagues in U.S. institutions prior to Convention asking them to e-introduce you to any of their colleagues that are planning to attend. These connections could also be made through the Commission’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
3. Say yes to the invite
   Linked to this, I would recommend saying YES to every invitation you get to grab coffee/lunch/dinner. Once I made it known that I was attending on my own, others were kind enough to invite me to tag alone to dinner, including the lovely people from IASAS. The Global Reception organised by the Commission on Monday evening is also a must for your schedule! Meeting new people from across the U.S. was the highlight of my Convention.
4. Jetlaaaaaaag
   That said, I think you have to listen to your body - if you are jetlagged, get some rest. The Convention schedule is so busy you could attend activities from 8A.M. right through to the small hours of the morning if you wanted to. Jetlag and tiredness compounded my feelings of being ‘lost in translation’ and overwhelmed by the scale of the Convention during the first few days.  If I am lucky enough to travel to another Convention, I will try and arrive a couple of days ahead of schedule to get over my jetlag.
5. Speak Up

Picture: IASAS Dinner

And finally, my biggest regret of ACPA Convention 2019 - not submitting a program proposal to present in Boston! As international attendees, we have a unique perspective that people want to hear. The Commission invites program proposals for sponsored sessions each year, so there is no excuse: http://www.myacpa.org/convention-programs#List%20of%20Sponsored%20Programs

Bio of Caitriona McGrattan

Caitriona McGrattan works in area of educational engagement in the Office of the Dean of Teaching & Learning at Maynooth University, Ireland. Caitriona has 10+ year’s experience in student support and engagement roles in a number of Irish Higher Education institutions including Dublin Business School, Trinity College Dublin and presently at Maynooth University. She holds a BA from the University of Limerick, a Postgraduate Diploma from University College Cork and a Masters from Dublin Institute of Technology. She is currently a part-time doctoral student at TU Dublin. These personal and professional experiences have inspired her doctoral research into the student engagement in the second year at Irish Universities. Her other research interests include measuring Student Success, Higher Education Policy, student volunteerism, student transitions and the Second Year Experience.