‘The spread of ideas from one institution to another is a beneficial and necessary flow, and I hope that I can positively impact my campus by bringing new perspectives gained at the conference to Florida State.”

A session that I attended was about transforming our residence halls to be student-focused. Various methods were discussed, but one of the most important aspects brought up was making sure that intentional lounge and common areas are created for students to gather. This will encourage casual dialogue and friendships to form, simply from placing a lounge area in a highly traveled area of the hall. I have already started to sit in the lounge areas in my buildings at Florida State University, in an effort to encourage students to utilize the space more effectively.

“I would like to attend sessions that will provide me with a well-rounded, balanced view of the conference. Although my interests are concentrated in particular categories, I hope to reach outside of those interests and explore other areas and topics.”

One of my conference goals was to attend programs that were outside of my typical interest areas. One session that I attended was about assessment and using EBI surveys at two different institutions. Although I am not the decision-maker regarding assessment practices at FSU, examining the implications of surveying students and their responses is still an applicable part of how I serve students daily.

“A piece of advice that I would give anyone who is about to attend a conference is VOLUNTEER! The people that you meet while volunteering are great resources and could even be potential mentors someday!”

One of the most rewarding parts of the conference was volunteering! I was able to use a flip camera and record NASPA participants responding to questions about their experiences at the Annual Conference. While doing this, I spoke with two women, both VPSAs, from two institutions very different from my own experiences. One woman gave me a valuable piece of advice, “never say ‘never,’ because as soon as you do, you’ll end up doing exactly what you said you’d never do.” She said she would never enter into a specific sphere of student affairs, but the next year was transitioning to that very area. Keeping an open mind is important, and we must remember not to put barriers up against opportunities that could change our lives.

The NASPA 2010 Annual Conference could be described as a meeting of the minds. The experience I have been given through Golden Key International Honor Society is an opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge foundation, and I am extremely grateful. The NASPA organization is a strong network of professionals from entry-level to vice presidents. While at the conference, I saw a strong commitment to educating others and our students. One of the major topics being discussed now is the potential merge between NASPA and ACPA, and to better educate myself I attended the discussion about the future of the two organizations. Whether these two groups of outstanding student affairs professionals merge or remain separate, knowledgeable professionals who will continue to educate and change the lives of the students whom they impact daily.

See you in Philadelphia for NASPA 2011!

However, it really helped to meet and connect with new folks in a smaller and more intimate space before thousands of student affairs folks descended on Chicago!The workshops were a great way to stay updates on current research and practices in the field.  However, as a grad student, I found them less helpful than meeting and talking to people in the KC’s.  I think when I’m working as a professional and not constantly reading and learning as I am now, I think I will seek out and enjoy the workshops much more.

Volunteering, especially at The Placement Exchange (TPE), was an eye- opening experience.  At TPE, I worked the employer room where I talked with an experienced volunteer who gave me great tips on how to prepare for next year’s TPE.  Walking through the interviewing area helped me realize that TPE is quite intense and I made mental notes to prepare lots of self-care practices for next year.  I also had fun volunteering with as a Social Media Tech, where I signed folks up for twitter and interviewed people about their conference experience.  As can be expected from student affairs folks, most people talked about how they loved reconnecting with old friends and coworkers at NASPA.

Overall, attending my first NASPA conference was a success and an amazing experience.  I met wonderful people who all cared about student success, which affirmed student affairs as my career of choice.  A very big THANK YOU to Golden Key and NASPA, whose generous support made this experience possible.

The volunteer experiences were instrumental to my own personal development at the annual conference. Volunteering at The Placement Exchange really helped me understand the structure of the field more and gave me, literally, a bird’s eye view of the hiring process for entry-level positions. Now, when I’m sitting behind the curtain and checking my mailbox fervently, I will know what to expect from the chaos! Also, my experience with escorting a legacy was unforgettable. Being able to talk with Dr. Mary Edmunds about her experiences in the field and about why she stayed in student affairs despite the challenging times all her life encouraged and motivated me.

The educational sessions I attended did several things for me. First they helped me understand what student affairs practitioners do at their various institutions and how it differs and relates to what I’ve seen at Duke. Second, they provided me with information about student populations and how to better serve them. Third, they helped me to understand part of the purpose of the conference – practitioners sharing and learning from each other to make the entire field better.

Lastly, I really enjoyed meeting new people – from the other NUFP fellows, to student affairs administrators from across the countries, to the legacies, and even Nathan Victoria. It definitely broadened my view of the field, catalyzed my interest and passion for student affairs, and helped me to develop my networking skills.

NASPA was amazing!! The opening ceremony was moving, if you’d like to relive it again, you can click on these links and relive it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtOJ3YQ4OjY, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFf6dR1LlGI&feature=channel. It’s the story of our lives, our profession, the things we have overcome, and where we want to go. We are the hope, we are the change, and through our everyday interactions with students we will help them to grow and develop into the people that they were meant to be. Through volunteering, I was able to interact with many student affairs professionals, and even befriended a few.

Conference Connections was a really helpful session, I learned about NASPA’s values, important people in the field, and met some undergraduates and current student affairs professionals. I am so impressed by the camaraderie that is exhibited in student affairs, and the great amount of humility and humbleness that is shown. Mike Segawa talked about how student affairs people reunite once a year, and they embrace each other as if they had just met the other day. Diana Doyle gave the ABC’s of NASPA: Ask Questions, Become Engaged, and Challenge yourself to meet someone new every day.

I loved going to the sessions, learning about current trends in student affairs and what programs have been implemented at other institutions. One of the challenges I had was walking from building to building, and trying to make it on time to the different sessions scattered across Chicago. It was interesting, seeing a sea of professionals with their NASPA bags all gathered in Chicago. One of the wait staff in a restaurant had asked me about it, and I explained that it was our annual conference for student affairs administrators, or educators that came from all over the world to share their ideas, and to learn more about each other. Our profession has evolved greatly within the last 50 years, and I’m curious as to where we’ll move in the next 50 years. How will this coming generation turn out, how will they change the world? How will we make sure that they have all their needs met, and all the tools at their disposal to create change?

I am so glad that I am able to be a part of the movement, and to live the legacy from the student affairs practitioners that have walked before me. I’ll be a new professional once I graduate in May, and I can’t wait to join the ranks of the student affairs professionals before me. I hope to inspire students and to continue helping students, it’s something that I love, and I hope that you find that too. A job that you love, your niche, whatever it is that you are passionate about. Go for it! The sky is the limit.

As I stated before, three of my conference goals were to network, get more involved in a KC, and expose myself to diverse sessions. I found that networking was extremely easy at both TPE and NASPA. Besides talking to attendees at sessions, I made an effort to talk to people in the hallways of the hotel, in the elevators, and in the lobby area. Saying hello to people and asking what institution they attended or worked at was very simple, and also very effective in breaking the ice and learning more about their professional paths. I reacquainted myself with professionals I met during graduate school Outreach weekends, and also made an effort to talk to individuals who shared career and research interests that were similar to my own. Networking even helped to land me an interview at TPE! Thus, through attending conference sessions and initiating informal conversations, I learned that it is important to be proactive when forming relationships at NASPA. Although the amount of people may seem overwhelming, introducing yourself and starting small conversations in and between sessions can be one of the most influential components of the entire conference. Learning more about others’ professional journeys helped me reflect on my own, and finding connections regarding hometown, institution, etc. made the conference seem much smaller.

I achieved my second conference goal through taking part in the Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community (SLP-KC). In particular, I helped with the Community Fair and also attended a membership meeting. Through taking part in these initiatives, I learned more about the mission of the SLP-KC: to serve as a resource for higher education professionals who have a professional interest in college student leadership training, education, and development.  It was exciting to learn more about upcoming leadership conferences and recognize exemplary programs, researchers, and practitioners during these two events. One of my favorite memories of this involvement was hearing from the President of The Leadership Institute during the membership meeting. As a former Leadershape Cluster Facilitator, it was refreshing to hear the mission of the institution—“Lead with Integrity, Live in Possibility” and think about how this phrase influenced my life and those I mentored throughout the six day retreat. Working with the SLP-KC was another great networking opportunity because I was exposed to the many different types of leadership jobs in student affairs and the various KC volunteer positions. I intend to apply to the SLP-KC leadership team in April, and look forward to continuing my involvement to share best practices and support national and regional efforts to develop student leadership programs.

My third goal was to expose myself to diverse conference sessions. This goal was the most difficult to achieve because there were so many different programs I wanted to attend and such a limited amount of time to do so. I had to be very intentional in the programs I chose, and make sure that I challenged myself to attend sessions about topics that would help to increase my knowledge as a practitioner and researcher. One of my favorite sessions I attended was Using the Learning Partnerships Model to Build Student Engagement. This program explored Baxter Magolda’s Learning Partnerships Model (2004) to increase student engagement in the co-curricular environment. I decided to attend this program because the term learning outcomes is such a buzz word in student affairs. I wanted to learn more about how to create an outcomes-based framework to facilitate engaging learning experiences for students. My major takeaway from this session was the importance of reflective exercises within the journey of co-curricular education. Both verbal and written reflection is very important to allow students to become more aware of their personal learning process, while also making meaning of their experiences. I have learned about Baxter Magolda’s model in my theory classes, but hearing about it in practice helped me identify how I hope to utilize it in my personal practice.

Moreover, my volunteer experience was one of my favorite parts of NASPA. In particular, volunteering during the Community Fair as a Social Media Tech challenged me to better understand the purpose of Twitter and other social media sources in the student affairs community. Although I am a Facebook fanatic, I have been hesitant to join Twitter because I didn’t understand its purpose. After joining it for the purpose of this scholarship and teaching others about the site throughout the Community Fair, I have a better understanding of its effectiveness in the student affairs field. It is important that the field utilizes this technology to stay current, while also recognizing that it can be used to see what the needs of campus constituents are. In addition, I also enjoyed recording different conference participants’ experiences on the flip cameras. I continued to form relationships with students, faculty, and staff through asking them simple questions and learning about their stories. Because of this volunteer experience, I plan to continue to volunteer at future regional/national conferences. I enjoy giving back and helping with logistics, while also getting to know others outside of the formal sessions.

Overall, NASPA has been an inspirational experience. Through meeting other professionals and attending sessions, I have further reflected on how theory and practice strengthen my ability to work with diverse students, alumni, administrators, and other university constituents. As an entry level practitioner, I am inspired to see my own potential to give back to this field. I am inspired to utilize the support network I have built through my NASPA experience to become a more confident and competent leader, educator, and scholar. I am excited to go to Philadelphia next year to continue to build my support network, and continue to learn about ways I can give back to this field that has given so much to me.

First off, I want to say that it was great meeting many of you at the conference! It’s always nice to meet the individual behind the email or blog post As I reflect on my experience at the conference, two weeks after the conclusion of the event, I’m increasingly realizing what an amazing opportunity it represented. I’ll be the first to admit that I had no idea that NASPA existed until a few months ago – and now I have attended the organization’s national conference! I’m very fortunate to have a wonderful mentor who introduced me to NASPA and the possibility of turning the work I’m doing at Occidental College into a career.

I traveled to Chicago without assumptions or expectations; I simply wanted to meet other students interested in Student Affairs, make connections with professionals, and most of all, learn everything I could about NASPA and Student Affairs overall. The conference proved to be an eye-opening, overwhelming, and ultimately exciting experience. I was not prepared for 12+ hours of lectures, receptions and networking events in a single day, trying to learn all the NASPA lingo, or hearing the phrase “Learning Outcomes” on an hourly basis! But once I got over the “culture shock,” so to speak, I came to appreciate the conference’s invaluable opportunities for professional development. The undergraduate pre-conference provided me with first-hand information on graduate school and the realities of the field, and I enjoyed the conference sessions, in particular the sessions on developing social justice allies and on the problematic nature of “colorblind” policies. The exceptional lineup of guest speakers, particularly Condolezza Rice (who knew she had such a great sense of humor?), Jean Twenge, and Andrew Jolivette, provided another highlight. And while I was somewhat dubious of volunteering as Social Media Tech, the experience ultimately allowed me to meet other undergrads and student affairs professionals, as well as improve my (admittedly meager) twitter skills. In short, I left Chicago with new friends and professional contacts, exciting programming ideas, and a far greater understanding of the diverse possibilities within Student Affairs.

The highlight of the conference for me was getting involved with the Men and Masculinities Knowledge Community. I met the co-chairs of the KC at networking event during the undergraduate pre-conference. Masculinities studies is my area of academic interest, and I immediately connected with the leadership team. Apparently I made a very good impression, because the next day they asked me to write two articles for their April newsletter, a personal reflection on the conference and a summary of the “Masculinities Week” I organized at Occidental. I sent in the articles last week, and it goes without saying that I’m honored by the opportunity to contribute to their newsletter!

In conclusion, I returned to Occidental with a sense of having fit into the NASPA community. It was incredibly gratifying to be surrounded by people who both understood and appreciated the work I am doing here at Oxy, and in many cases were making similar strides on their own campuses. I have also never seen a community where people are so genuinely excited by the sociology major; the age old question “so what are you going to do with that?” never once came up! The conference came at a critical period in my life. As a dedicated student leader, I am eager to ensure that my efforts in academics and activism will not end upon graduation. I now see NASPA as an outlet for transforming my passion for social justice into a career, and I hope that the 2010 Annual Conference will not be my last.

I am glad to report that I met my conference goals relating to learning, participation in workshops/programs/events, volunteering and meeting as many NASPA participants and contributors as possible. After attending the Conference, I feel well informed about the pressing issues in Student Affairs, some of which I found quite eye opening – student safety issues on campus, on-campus challenges still faced by underrepresented groups, and more. In addition, I have learned about some outstanding practices that I can bring back to my campus, especially ones pertaining to budgeting and student persistence. I especially enjoyed participating in the “Meal with a Mentor” program, where I received invaluable insight from an experienced Higher Education Administrator, Dr. Paul Thayer (Colorado State). I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Thayer and NASPA for this excellent opportunity! Furthermore, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the Conference’s featured speakers, especially Dr. Rice. I cannot wait to see the speaker list for the 2011 Conference in Philadelphia.

I also enjoyed volunteering at the Conference because it provided an avenue to meet NASPA staff members, other Golden Key / NASPA Conference Award recipients and other Conference participants. Yes indeed, I was one of the “social media techs” wearing a white lab coat informing you about NASPA on Twitter. Thanks to everyone that Tweeted during the Conference, we were ecstatic to see such an influx of Tweets from members on the NASPA Twitter Page. Please keep tagging “#NASPA10” at the end of your messages (as you see relevant to NASPA) so your Tweets will continue to appear on the NASPA page.

Although Student Affairs practitioners sometimes feel isolated in their efforts, NASPA provides opportunities practitioners to come together and collectively “Be the Movement.” Through my diverse experiences at the Conference, my commitment to the field of higher education has been heightened. I feel refreshed, refueled, and retooled and am ready to join ‘the Movement.’ Thank you NASPA, this conference has been an invaluable experience.

NASPA gave me the tools, knowledge and network to be successful, but my grandmother taught me the value of education and gave me a family that unconditionally supports me which keeps me going.

One of the learning outcomes for NUFP fellows is the ability to identify and develop personal, academic, and career goals – well, I’ve come to realize how much they work hand in hand and the necessity of each to achieve any goal. After my grandmother’s passing, it was the most beautiful sight to see extended relatives, former neighbors, and friends come to my hometown to celebrate the life of my grandmother. This illustrated how she built meaningful relationships in her life that span the nation and oversees. I felt the formation of just that at NASPA – met individuals that shared my passion and we created the foundation for long lasting friendships. It was instantly did I feel connected to peers who were determined to do the same thing as me – make a difference. These friends were kind enough to send me supportive and heartwarming messages when they heard the news about my family. It’s their thoughtfulness I am thankful for to have met them at NAPSA and I look forward to maintaining these relationships personally and professionally.

Academically, it was my grandmother and parents who instilled the value of higher education in me. With the inspiration of mentors, I found my way to student affairs. NASPA offered an array of educational sessions and roundtables. The ones I attended were mostly about spirituality in higher education because as a college student I’m in search of balancing a way of worship and the instinct to intellectualize. I think this is a common and an important issue that college students face. I listened to the challenges administrators faced who identified as very religious, spiritual, in search, and non believers in relation to their work with students who maybe on their own journey of answering those questions. As I continuously strive to do well in my undergraduate and soon graduate school career I’ll look to faith for strength, purpose, and source of passion in helping others.

After NUFP pre-con the opening video on the first official day of the conference was so powerful and moving it almost brought me to tears. Words highlighted like justice, advocacy, progress, diversity, and power of one are just a few that from history we learn to better serve students and shape the future. My grandmother lived through some of the most pivotal moments of recent history and had to fight for her rights as a woman of color, an immigrant to this country, and a person of faith to provide opportunity of her children and grandchildren. By keeping her stories of struggle, hardships, and triumph with me, it is like what the Romans said, “We… rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us” (Romans 5;3-5). I live the legacy of my grandmother and move to be part of a profession that is my true calling.

These were my first thoughts as I finally made it to the big city. Coming from a small town and a state where the largest city is technically a “district” in some cities; this was quite the adventure I was about to have. I met the other Sodexo scholarship winners and even a few SALT scholarship winners and something clicked in my mind. After meeting these individuals I knew instantly that each one of them had a drive, the motivation, inspiration, and ability to bring change in this world.

I wasn’t wrong on these thoughts as I met the other NUFP Fellows and knew that these students were without a doubt striving to achieve excellence. After meeting several other NUFP Fellows and exchanging business cards and other information, it seemed that I wasn’t alone in what I wanted to do. I knew that from this experience I had gained a network of supporters and they too had gained a supporter in which that unless God himself tried to stop one of us, we would push through to completing our goals.

Reflecting back I could never have imagined what this conference or experience was going to be like for me. It was amazing to meet vice-presidents, Deans of students, coordinators, Directors, etc. who were committed to helping their students. From the most laid back sessions to the more serious ones concerning drug and alcohol or retention, I learned a lot that inspires me to enter the field of Student Affairs.

While at the conference we were required to volunteer and that didn’t seem like a problem to me as I enjoy volunteering. It’s my personal belief that in today’s society, people have a hard time helping others. The people who I helped were grateful in having an extra hand to take a load of work that would otherwise be for them. I take from this experience that in Student Affairs, I should never be afraid to help those who could use assistance.

You know, envy is a funny thing. I was envious at the conference but a mentor told me “to get motivated, not mad or envious.” Seeing all the individuals from their respective institutions made me realize their commitment to serving their students. Coming from an institution that wasn’t very well represented there, it made me realize that to better serve my students, I need outside help. This organization and conference is where it’s at.

Overall, the learning outcomes from the sessions were the same, not that it was a problem; better serving students. I felt empowered at the end of each session to go back and get to work in finding out what students want and need in order to better succeed. I’m ready to take on the world and do whatever I need to help students succeed while they’re in college.

On a final note, thank you NASPA for an exciting conference and adventure in the “Windy City.” I can’t thank my mentors (Yeah I picked up some more along the way), Nathan Victoria, and the University of Oklahoma for assisting me in attending this conference. The networking, the motivation and inspiration, the friends and support that I’ve made from this experience and lastly, the goal to graduate and attend graduate school for Adult and Higher Education. I’ve always said “never be afraid to take that first step forward.” NASPA you’re holding the doors of opportunity and I’m going full speed towards my goal and dreams. Thank you.

[Editor’s Note] Lee Longhorn is a NUFP Fellow at the University of Oklahoma-Norman where he studies Native American Studies and Journalism-Professional Writing. He’s a four-year member of the “Pride of Oklahoma” Marching Band and a two-year section leader. Lee is an American Indian from the Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, and Absentee Shawnee Tribes of Oklahoma. Lee will apply to graduate school at Oregon State, Syracuse, or Oklahoma State. Lee’s mentor is Heather Shotton. Dr. Shotton chairs the Indigenous Peoples Knowledge Community.