Reflecting on the ACPA Convention

Reflecting on the ACPA Convention

Aubree Hughart

All year, I have been looking forward to the ACPA Convention. I went to my first ACPA Convention in Nashville in 2020 as a graduate student and thanks to the sponsorship of my wonderful academic advisor at Bowling Green State University, Dr. Ellen Broido. I will be forever thankful for stepping out of my comfort zone to attend the Commission for Student Involvement (CSI) social event, because I made some wonderful professional connections that helped me later get involved as an ACPA CSI volunteer. 

Each year, the CSI hosts roundtable conversations at the annual ACPA Convention. We also host an informational table to learn more about CSI involvement and an open meeting to share updates about the CSI year in review. In our new, virtual setting, the CSI worked diligently to create online spaces to have these conversations and network with professionals in student involvement across the county. 

As a volunteer with the CSI Volunteerism/Service-Learning team, I had the pleasure of working with Tempris Daniels and Shavon Hutchinson to create proactive and engaging dialogues about our functional area at Convention via the roundtable space. Over the course of the spring semester, we finetuned our ideas for the roundtable and settled on focusing on three timely topics: alternative breaks, assessment and tracking of service hours, and virtual service and engagement opportunities. 

On the afternoon of Monday, March 8, our team came together to host the CSI V/S-L roundtable event. We had a great turnout of over 30 participants and enjoyed having the opportunity to network with new professionals, friends from ACPA Conventions past, and fellow CSI members. We shared commonalities, discussed shared challenges, and provided support to one another. 

In the alternative breaks breakout room, which I moderated, several professionals discussed the impact COVID-19 had on service trip opportunities and institutions nationwide. We talked about burnout and how to engage even the most involved students who are feeling Zoom fatigue after living in a pandemic for over a year. While it was so helpful to vent to people doing the same work as I am currently doing at my institution, the best part of the roundtable discussion was feeling supported by my fellow professionals. Each time someone shared a challenge they were facing at their institution, another participant shared a similar story with a possible solution or new outlook. 

During the open meeting on Friday, March 12, the CSI leadership team showcased the work of the Commission throughout the year. We highlighted the roles of the leadership team and recognized the volunteers who implemented educational webinars, networking hangout events, article exchanges, and other programming and networking opportunities throughout the year. Additionally, we took time to honor our CSI award recipients for the year and look forward to the future of the CSI. 

As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, I was looking forward to ACPA 2021 since I attended the 2020 Convention in Nashville. With COVID-19 changing our usual plans, I was a little nervous that I would not have the same experience or be as excited about ACPA as I was the year before. While things were definitely different, I can wholeheartedly say that my experience working with and being a member of the CSI has enhanced my ACPA membership and bettered my 2021 Convention. I am thankful for the time I had to network with professionals, lead a roundtable discussion, and attend a variety of events that truly reinforced that ACPA and the CSI are my professional home. 

If you have not got a chance to participate in our CSI events at the ACPA Convention, I encourage you to go back and watch the recordings in the eShow platform if you have a chance! These recordings will be available until April 2, 2021.