ACPA 2013 National Convention

ACPA 2013: Inspiring Communities of Well-being

Learning Domains:

Leadership	Social Advocacy and Justice	Education	Assessment and Evaluation	Personal Development
X		X		X

Description:

In March 2013 I attended a national ACPA convention: Inspiring Communities of Wellbeing, in Las Vegas, Nevada California. ACPA stands for the American College Personnel Association, one of the oldest and largest leading professional organizations in the student affairs profession. The core values of ACPA reflect holistic student development, embracement of diversity, professional development, and an exchange of relevant and practical knowledge. I took the opportunity to attend the ACPA convention in order to enhance my development as a new student affairs professional as well as gain relevant knowledge to inform my daily practice. This entry describes my experience at the conference as it relates to serving as a volunteer for ACPA, attending insightful sessions, and networking with other professionals in the field.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT: identify (knowledge) 3-4 practical strategies in enhancing international student education the can be shared with other professional staff at Saddleback College

SWiBAT: effectively serve as a volunteer during the ACPA convention by relaying helpful information to the convention attendees 

SWiBAT: increase professional network by developing connections with 5 or more other student affairs professional (at least 3 who currently work in International Student Affairs). 

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO # 1	Identified 5 or more practical strategies in enhancing international student education the can be shared with other professional staff at Saddleback College	I identified 3-4 practical strategies in enhancing international student education the can be shared with other professional staff at Saddleback College	I identified 2 practical strategies in enhancing international student   education the can be shared with other professional staff at Saddleback College	I identified 1 or fewer practical strategies in enhancing international student   education the can be shared with other professional staff at Saddleback College
SLO # 2	Effectively served as a volunteer during the ACPA convention by relaying helpful information to the convention attendees	Served as a volunteer during the ACPA convention by relaying some helpful information to the convention attendees	Served as a volunteer during the ACPA convention, but did not  relay any helpful information to the convention attendees	Did not serve as a volunteer during the   ACPA convention
SLO #3	Developed connections with more than 5 other student affairs professional (at least 3 in International Student Affairs)	Developed connections with 5-4 other student affairs professional (at least 3 in International Student Affairs	Developed connections with 2-3 other student affairs professional (at least 1 in International Student Affairs)	Developed 1 or fewer connections with other student affairs professional

Evidence:

 ACPA Promising Practice: Career Services for International Students-session follow-up e-mail

Reflection:

I had a positive experience attending the ACPA convention that allowed me to gain new professional and personal knowledge that relates to the field of Student Affairs (SA).  I had a chance to attend a few sessions that address professional and personal development for new SA professional. For instance, I attended a session on strength- based interviewing that I found very helpful in preparing for the job search process after graduate school. Another session that I found highly beneficial was Job-One-Transition Issues for new Professionals in Student Affairs.  During this session, I had a chance to meet other graduate students in similar programs such as the MSHE program at California State University Fullerton and learn from their experiences that relate to finding a job or being their first professional job. This session also served as an opportunity for me to develop more professional connections by engaging in discussion topics with other graduate students. In addition to attending sessions on professional enhancement, I also identified several sessions at the convention that pertain to my professional role in the International Student Affairs. I particular enjoyed a session about career services for international students because it covered strategies on how support students on F-1 student visas with employment options.  The session presenter shared her insight on the issue by providing practical suggestions/resources that I identified as relevant to my work at Saddleback College. For example, Going Global is an online database with all U.S. employers who sponsor students on H1-B work visas. Another suggestion that I took away is that it is important to establish relationships with employers who support international student completing Optional Practical Training (OPT), as these very same employers may be open to sponsoring students once they are ready to apply for a work visa. In addition to gaining practical knowledge from this session, I was able to expand my professional network by joining a new linkedin group revolving around this topic.  Another point that I found helpful from a session on study aboard programs is that incorporating Chickering and Reisser’s (2003) theory of 7 vectors can be helpful when assisting students in a host culture by fostering opportunities that allow them to engage in and learn from new experiences.  Lastly when it comes to my experience volunteering at the convention, I feel as though I made an effective contribution by providing my assistance at the Career Central (C3) venue. Although I was not directly involved in C3 itself, I was responsible for guiding attendees to the appropriate areas, such as the conference registration, C3 orientation, interviewing sessions, and other relevant areas. Overall, the ACPA convention was very informative for my professional knowledge and engaging in respect to my personal development.