by Sarah Harris, Senior Associate Registrar, University of Iowa
In 2002, I attended my first ̽»¨Â¥ Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of participants and the variety of sessions my first year, but I benefitted so much that I continued to go to the conferences to meet and network with my counterparts at other institutions.
By far my favorite sessions to attend were the roundtables for the freewheeling discussions that get to the heart of the topics. In 2007, I took the next step and I volunteered to be a facilitator--introducing the presenter(s) and reminding attendees to silence cell phones/mobile devices and to submit their session evaluations. By facilitating, I expanded my networking acquaintances and visibility, and then I was asked by board member Glenn Munson to become a member of a Professional Activity Committee (PAC), which I did. After a year on the committee, I became vice-chair, then chair for two years. I was hooked! I wanted to expand my volunteering with ̽»¨Â¥, and when asked to become a Program Committee Coordinator, I jumped at the opportunity. Baltimore is my third and final year serving as a coordinator. Next I'll be finding a new committee on which I can volunteer and continue to grow professionally and contribute to our organization!
If you'd like to volunteer, your level of involvement in ̽»¨Â¥ is entirely up to you. You can stay engaged as a facilitator, work behind the scenes as an author, or join a committee. Whatever level you choose, volunteers are greatly appreciated! And you will not regret it!
For more information about facilitating, click here.
First time attendees can .
If you'd like to write for ̽»¨Â¥, or have other questions about volunteering, email connect@aacrao.org.