WINTER 2016
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Student Storytellers
Dealing with Change in Organizations
The Gratitude Experience
LET’S GO TO THE BEACH, BEACH OR MAYBE TO THE BAY!
Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
M A C mUagaz H inOe
www.macuho.org
A Summer ACUHO-I Internship in Baltimore
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EDITORS NICOLE CLEMSON VICTORIA ROWLANDS
CONTRIBUTORS CONAL CARR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BROOKE CLAYTON BRIAN MEDINA DR. SEAN P. KILLION DEBBIE SCHEIBLER SINCLAIR CEASAR
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A Letter from the President - Brian Medina
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Recognizing the Top Presenters from the MACUHO Annual Conference
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SCHENTEL JONES NATALIE LISTON SARAH MARTIN
Dealing with Change in Organizations
GENICKA VOLTAIRE JOHNNY KOCHER
New Year, New You: Putting Positivity to work in 2016 The Gratitude Experience
TRACY EGGLESTON, JESS LANCIANO SIOBHAN C. SKERRITT
Charting New Waters Let’s Go to the Beach, Beach or maybe to the bay! A Summer ACUHO-I Internship in Baltimore Student Storytellers Finalize How You’ll Recognize MACUHO 2015 Conference Annual Awards Newly elected Executive Board and appointed Leadership Council members Highlights from the MACUHO 2015 Conference at Penn State University WV Regional Coordinators/Personal & Professional Development Committee 3 Reasons Why the Exhibit Hall is a Hidden Professional Development Gem
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joswald@shepherd.edu
Help Us Celebrate 20 Years of Career Placement and Advancement! March 3 & 4, 2015 Crowne Plaza Hotel Reading, PA
Are you a grad or professional looking ARE YOUfor Aa new opportunity? GRAD OR
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A Letter
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Brian Medina
Presi de ntial Privi Lege It is a privilege to serve as your MACUHO President and to kick off our Winter Edition of the MACUHO Magazine. For those of you who attended the Annual Conference at Penn State this past Fall, you experienced my open and vulnerable introduction to the Presidency. I am a firm believer that we are all equals and that despite any titles or roles, we can be in solidarity as we attempt to make our world and our colleges/universities a better place for all. Another exciting announcement at the Annual Conference was the inaugural award for seasoned professionals in our region, dedicated to the legendary Joanne Goldwater. Her service to our field and to the region has demonstrated the best that our leaders have to offer. Also at the Annual Conference, our new Strategic Plan was approved, and so begins our taking words into action over the next 5 years. I have appointed two Task Forces to continue our assessment and work in this regard: Membership and Structure and Conferences and Professional Development. Please provide these groups feedback and support as they represent our membership to improve critical operations within MACUHO. We have also hosted two free Fireside Chats in December and January, with many more to come throughout the Spring and Summer months. These are opportunities for attendees of all levels of experience to come together and discuss our day-to-day work to gather ideas and broaden our perspectives. By now, the Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference (MAPC) registration has opened to job seekers and employers alike. Please check out our MACUHO website for more information on upcoming conferences or engagement opportunities! As President, I have committed to not only provide regular updates about our work, but to push our Association to critically reflect and act upon the best of our collective and innovative efforts together. I will attempt
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to serve as a bridge to the traditions of MACUHO with openness to the opportunities of a better and vibrant future. I implore you to challenge me as an equal, providing mutual benefit to those in our midst, rather than relying on what has ‘always been done.’ Finally, I want to extend a huge thank you to the many mentors and colleagues that have helped me to be the person that I am today. My growth as an adult and as a professional has surely benefited by your patience, wisdom, and leadership, inspiring me to serve the many students and professionals within our region. Best,
Brian Medina
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Dealing with Change in Organizations by Dr. Sean Killion - Temple University Dealing with change in organizations is one of those topics that always seems to interest people usually when they are going through a major change in their lives (personally or professionally) or had an experience during a time that involved major change. This fall at the annual MACUHO Conference, I presented for the first time during the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) session and my interest to present on a topic that I felt our members would be interested in learning more about: Change in Organizations. Dealing with change in organizations is one of those topics that always seems to interest people usually when they are going through a major change in their lives (personally or professionally) or had an experience during a time that involved major change. This fall at the annual MACUHO Conference, I presented for the first time during the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) session and my interest to present on a topic that I felt our members would be interested in learning more about: Change in Organizations. I guess the first question to ask is why is understanding Change in Organizations important? As I discussed during my presentation, understanding change helps us to deal with the inevitable changes that take place in our organizations. Whether they are changes based on leadership, environment, or crisis issues, in many cases, change can be unforeseen and abrupt. For me, I was first exposed to Change in Organizations and the material I presented when I was an undergraduate student at Philadelphia University while creating a local chapter of a national fraternity on campus called Sigma Nu. In the early 1990s, Sigma Nu was embarking on the development of a one-of-a-kind membership education program called LEAD, which is an acronym for Leadership Ethics, Achievement, and Development representing the four core areas of focus for its membership development program. When my fellow founding fathers and I learned that this program would be the cornerstone of focus for our interest group and our support and integration of this program into our group’s activities would determine if we would become an official fraternity, we were sold. It was through this LEAD Program that I learned a great deal about leadership in organizations and how to apply leadership, management, and skill development to the work I was engaged in as a student leader. One of the programs I was exposed to was leading change in organizations and the work of Professor John Kotter from Harvard University. Kotter discusses an Eight Stage Change Process in his book Leading Change that I always found useful when I approached challenges in the student organizations I was involved as an undergraduate not to mention the organizations and associations I’ve been involved since. As Past President of MACUHO, I had time to reflect on this work as well as my reflection on my experience as President of MACUHO back in 2010-2011 for my presentation. During my term as President-Elect and President, I worked on the Association Re-structure Task Force and focused on our efforts to implement the current organizational structure that we now utilize. These efforts were mandated by the previous Strategic Plan. When I look back, I’m comforted by
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KOTTER’S EIGHT STAGES ARE AS FOLLOWS: • E stablishing a Sense of Urgency • Creating a Guiding Coalition • Developing a Vision and Strategy • Communicating the Change Vision • Empowering Members for Broad Based Action • Generating Short Term Wins • Consolidating Gains and Producing More Change • Anchoring New Approaches in the Culture
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the fact that I utilized many of the steps Kotter explains in his Eight Stage Process for Leading Change during the process of leading this very important change within our organization that has helped us be more efficient, strategic, and forward thinking. We have planned better conferences, launched an important Corporate Partner program, and enhanced our online presence and community just to name a few milestones. I believe strongly that this success was a direct result of the process in which we engaged our members and leaders in leading change. Unfortunately, not all organizations look to best practices to lead change in their organizations and instead fight and resist change. Often these organizations struggle with making progress and get dragged down with inaction and controversy causing some organizations to fail in taking the needed steps to be successful. More often than not, these organizations cease to exist or require new leadership. Prior to the 2015 Annual Conference at Pennsylvania State University, our incoming President, Brian Medina, asked me to serve as a Co-Chair for a new task force that was being charged to look at our Membership, its leadership, and our Organization Structure. The goal is to ensure that our structure is still sound and the structure supports the growth and leadership development of our officers, volunteers and members. My hope is that this group will create new ideas and new information that will help us better prepare the Executive Board and Leadership Council to address the new challenges of our association and its members. As noted earlier, my success as a leader is in large part to the training and development I received as a student leader. Those leadership and skill development programs I attended truly helped me in learning how to be a better leader. As we consider what we need to learn and do to become better leaders in our organizations and on our campus that in turn will help us lead change within our organizations, I think participating in training and education in key. And as it pertains to where you can learn how to be a better leader, finding something to do in MACUHO is always a good step for young and seasoned professionals.
ZE BRON R O S N SPO
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NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: PUTTING POSITIVITY TO WORK IN
by Debbie Scheibler, Rutgers University - Camden and Sinclair Ceasar, Loyola University - Maryland : thesapronextdoor.com
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ew Year’s Resolutions. It seems that everybody’s got one. However, most of us break them within a few weeks into the New Year. Why is that? Is it that we set unattainable goals? Is adhering to our goals
too difficult? Perhaps it’s because they aren’t necessarily fun (I mean, come on, who wants to wake up at 5am or give up bread)? Whatever the reason, many of us quickly lose steam on the resolutions that we set forth for ourselves. As the start of 2016 is upon us, we challenge each of you to set one personal resolution to up the positivity in your life; make this a gift for yourself that can last the whole year long.
CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE
SAY THANK YOU
Much like the trusty old FISH! Philosophy says, YOU make the choice every day for how you will show up. Don’t blame the weather, the economy, or the wrong side of the bed. You choose how you want to experience the world. We suggest and encourage that you choose to be thankful for the air in your lungs, the brains in your head, and the shoes on your feet. Think of the example you can set by wearing a smile and having a great attitude.
Similar to acknowledging the work of those within your office, saying “thank you” to folks you encounter spreads the positivity outside of the office. Say thanks for those who open a door for you, hold the elevator a few extra seconds, or bless you when you sneeze. The key is to be genuine, make eye contact, and let the gratitude sink in.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF OTHERS Nothing makes an employee feel more valued as when they are acknowledged. If you are a supervisor, let your team know that you see their efforts and make note of them when they do an exceptionally good job. We suggest using a variety of methods to show appreciation and to be mindful of personal preferences (verbal, written, writing an album, etc.) Having you role model this gratitude could impact your total office and, if you have a high stress/low morale office, might help change the dynamic of your department to one of appreciation and support.
PRACTICE CIVILITY You’re probably wondering what civility has to do with positivity. In our world today (and that has been made even more evident by the global and local events in recent weeks) we come across disagreements, misunderstandings and anger on almost a daily basis. Civility challenges each of us to honor and respect the difference of others while still maintaining true to ourselves. When you’re faced with something you don’t agree with or don’t understand, we encourage you to approach the conversation with an open-mind and the willingness to listen before reacting. You don’t have to agree, but you should try to seek understanding.
TREAT YO SELF None of this will matter if you don’t take care of yourself. Start a new hobby. Take a class. Join a running club. Learn sign language. Start that blog you’ve been thinking about. Let 2016 be the year where you take some time for yourself each day. It doesn’t have to be long. Even in 30 minutes, you can dramatically improve your stress levels and your health, and it may even open new professional (or side hustle) doors for you.
KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING! Tweet the authors and let us know what you are doing to incorporate positivity into your New Year’s resolution: @DebbieScheibler and @Sinclair_Ceasar
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The Gratitude Experience by Schentel Jones - Resident Director at Delaware State University
I watched as joyous tears rolled down her cheeks. It was a cry of passion, thankfulness, honor and love. Brittney, a resident assistant at Delaware State University, had just participated in an activity that would engender happiness in a way she had never experienced before. Inspired by experiments conducted by researchers of soulpancake.com, I offered a lesson in gratitude, to our outstanding team of resident assistants. The individuals who took part in this training session, learned of a beautiful way to give thanks, boost self-esteem and increase their level of happiness instantly. The RAs were asked to think of someone who inspired, encouraged, made an impact or played an incredible role in their lives. Next, they wrote a one-paged letter to that special someone, thanking them for doing just that. The directions were simple; write freely and openly as if the
person of choice would read it. Their faces lit up as they began to reflect on the impact these special people made in their lives. They were so thrilled and excited to translate their sincere thoughts onto paper, that not a single word
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was spoken. All that was heard was the mellifluous sound of pens scribbling, clicking and tapping on desks. The sounds grew louder, faster and more intense; as they silently poured out their heart. When time was up, the room was full of hands raised high; volunteers ready, willing and anxious to share their letters of gratitude. The first volunteer, Brittney, came forth. The smile she wore at that moment was priceless; it was evident that her level of happiness began to increase simply because she had expressed gratitude. My lovely volunteer began to share her letter with the group but before she could finish, I interrupted; “I have a better idea Brittany, how about you call that special someone you wrote to, and read your letter to them personally”. The look on her face at this moment; also priceless. The audience was in sheer shock; they did not see this one coming. My courageous volunteer grew nervous but bravely continued with the activity. As she dialed in, I dimmed the lights and set the mood using a galaxy star projector to create a more intimate atmosphere. The audience, filled with zeal, anxiously waited in silence to hear what might happen next. On the third ring there was an answer. The RA began, “Hi, I’m in RA training right now and I was asked to write a letter to someone who has impacted my life in a significant way; I chose you, and well, here goes”. She recited one of the most passionate, heartfelt, eloquently written letters I had ever heard. In that moment, she was given an opportunity to tell someone just how incredible they were. As we witnessed this beautiful expression of gratitude, our hearts danced and we were moved
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to tears. The RA wrote to a mentor and in this moment we witnessed the true impact of such a relationship; the mentor who received this phone call was left speechless. This activity was beneficial to all parties involved. On one end, an individual increased her own happiness simply by expressing gratitude. On the other end, one was able to realize the significant impact they made in the life of another. As we continued the activity, we shed more tears and shared more smiles. We witnessed the level of happiness in all participants rise tremendously, right before our eyes. The responses of those on the other end of those phone calls made our hearts melt. Our greatest surprise was when a volunteer wrote to a fellow RA who so happened to be in the audience. The RA was now able to share a beautiful expression of gratitude, face-to-face, with a fellow RA who inspired them and changed their life in a most positive way. The purpose of this activity was to offer the resident assistants a unique way in which they could increase their level of happiness quickly, easily, at any place and at any time. The happiness of our resident assistants is paramount to maintaining vibrant and flourishing residential communities. When RAs are unhappy, they are unable to nourish and maintain the atmospheres that make our living-learning communities so phenomenal. Resident assistants are the powerhouse of their residence halls. The type of environment within the residence hall is usually a product of the RAs daily actions, personality and attitude. As the ‘powerhouse’ resident assistants provide energy, which their resident students feed off of, thus, it is essential for RAs to be happy and able to generate positivity throughout their resident halls. The gratitude experience showed our RAs a simple way to maintain productive and exciting living-learning environments, by increasing their own level of happiness; because as the saying goes “It starts from within”. After a stressful day for example, our resident assistants now know how to get a daily dose
of happy, without the negative side effects. What’s so wonderful about expressing gratitude is that it is quick, clinically proven to be effective, easy, and most importantly, it’s free. In the weeks following, several resident assistants expressed how thankful they were to have taken part in the gratitude experience. Many said it helped to bring life to their existing relationships, others said the gratitude experience enhanced their ability to create thriving communities within their residence halls. A number of resident assistants still use the expression of gratitude to increase their happiness, to this day. Great power lies in the expression of gratitude. Expressing gratitude not only helps us find happiness within ourselves, but it gives us the incredible opportunity to provide happiness for others. We often overlook small gestures such as giving thanks and underestimate the unequivocal impact it can have in our lives. The housing professionals here at Delaware State University openly embrace thankfulness. We understand the true power in showing gratitude and are devoted to creating vibrant and flourishing residential communities, one expression of gratitude at a time.
“EXPRESSING GRATITUDE NOT ONLY HELPS US FIND HAPPINESS WITHIN OURSELVES, BUT IT GIVES US THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE HAPPINESS FOR OTHERS.”
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THE LISA A. PIERCE VOLUNTEER INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS (VIPS PROGRAM):
Charting New Waters by Natalie Liston
student affairs that I have! -Morghan Hungerford, Salisbury Another Annual Conference has passed and with it another University” wonderful class of up and coming undergraduate students The VIPS programming leaves lasting memories and interested in pursuing higher education. For the past ten connection to have for a lifetime. Many of these individuals years the VIPS program has selected ten to twelve students will continue to stay in contact as they navigate their profesto attend the conference. This year MACUHO sponsored fifsional choices and career. One final quote to highlight the teen undergraduate students interested in Student Affairs connections made: “Well it’s been a whole day since I left as a career. my first ever student affairs conference, and although I only Each class has it’s own distinctive character and this year met them Wednesday, I miss these people!! The three days was no different. The participants were eager learn, ask I spent with them were nothing short of fantastic! I wish questions, remain involved, and give back to the organieach and every one of them all the luck in the world and I zation. One participant said it beautifully when she stated: hope we can stay in touch one way or another. Thank you, “The “Camp Effect” is a force unlike any other. You’ll go away MACUHO VIPs of 2015! for a few days to celebrate -Jonathan Gowin” and learn about a subject/ “IT WAS SUCH A REWARDING At this point as a passion.You’ll spend a lot of professional you may time with other people, the EXPERIENCE TO BE SURROUNDED be asking yourself why majority of whom you’ll be should I care or how meeting for the first time. BY A BUNCH OF STUDENTS MY can I get involved? As You’ll learn together, laugh a professional (and that together, cry together. You’ll AGE WITH THE SAME PASSION FOR includes new professhare experiences that canSTUDENT AFFAIRS THAT I HAVE!” sionals and graduate not be replicated anywhere students too) we have else and the only way to deMorghan Hungerford, Salisbury University an obligation, really a scribe them is by saying “you duty, to our field to enhad to be there”. When it’s courage young talent time to check out and go to pursue Student Affairs. Higher Education is in for big your separate ways, it’ll feel like you’ve know them all along changes in the coming years and we need bright, motiand you’ll wonder what you’ll do without them by your side. vated, and creative minds to help assist in those changes Just trust in time and fate and that all things happen for a and solutions. With that being said, nominate students to reason. We’ll cross paths again soon. apply, help them with their applications, be a VIPS menThank you to Lisa A. Pierce, Mr. Pierce, Natalie Liston, tor- you DO have something to offer, and take care of the Tory Rowlands, Laura Moore, Everyone at MACUHO, and of field you have chosen. There is also one other way you can course, the VIP Class of 2015. - Stephanie Force, Albright Colget involved or contribute: to continue to grow this opporlege” tunity for more applicants to attend (this year we had 80 The VIPS Program is a very special and connecting proapplicants and had to turn away 65 people) or offer more gram. It places students from all over the Mid- Atlantic platforms for undergraduate students to learn we need firegion together for four days to learn, grow, and connect. nancial support. If you are choosing to give to a charity I Each individual is given a mentor to check-in with throughwould recommend giving to the ACUHO-I foundation and out the conference and surrounded by peers who are just specifically name the Lisa A. Pierce Volunteer Incentive Proas passionate as they are about Student Affairs. A second gram for your contribution. participant stated “So glad I had the opportunity to meet Thank you MACUHO for all that you do for the VIPS Prothese awesome people and make some amazing connecgram. It means so much to students and our future. tions! It was such a rewarding experience to be surrounded by a bunch of students my age with the same passion for
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LET’S GO TO THE BEACH, BEACH OR MAYBE TO THE BAY! A Summer ACUHO-I Internship in Baltimore
by Nicole Clemson
T
There’s nothing I’m more thankful for than my family and friends, but I’m really grateful to have been an ACUHO-I intern. While in my first year of a two-year grad program at Wilkes University, my supervisor presented the opportunity of a summer internship. In October 2013, I logged on to the ACUHO-I website and began researching the Housing Internship Program. The website read that it was “one of the most prestigious and competitive internship opportunities available in student affairs”, so naturally I was sold. After all, everything you read online is true. The program presents internship opportunities for positions in a variety of areas of student affairs, including residence life, facilities, conference services, family housing, housing assignments, and food service. “I like all of those things,” I remember thinking. “Especially food”. The internship application fee was about $39, so I called home and asked my mom to pay. She’s the best so she
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agreed, and I posted my resume and generic cover letter. The deadline for the application is usually mid-January, so once registration closes, candidate and host site information is available to all for review. I looked through the posted positions and contacted those that were of interest to me with a more specific cover letter. At the end of January, host institutions can contact candidates for interviews, and the Skype fun began. I still vividly remember Skyping with the University of Anchorage Alaska while they laughed about the moose out their window. (Fun fact: their school actually has a “Moose Safety” link on their website.) Offers are made in mid-February, and I sat by my phone waiting for it to ring all morning on “Offer Day”. When Jessica from Johns Hopkins gave me a call, I couldn’t have been more excited. I was offered the position of Summer Conference Coordinator, working with over sixty groups from around the world. They expected five thousand campus visitors over the course of three months. Best of
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From left to right: Whitney Taylor, internship supervisor; Nicole Clemson, intern; Teal Golden, intern; Jessica Kupper, internship supervisor all, JHU had hired two conference coordinators and one conference services intern, so I would have a co-hort. Research whether or not the school you’re applying to has more than one intern, because you may want an adventure buddy! My experience developed me in so many ways. First, I realized there’s no time for a learning curve. As a temporary worker, you’re expected to jump right in on day one, so research beforehand is necessary. Review campus maps, employee names and positions, and any available job manuals prior to arrival. Second, I learned that campus cultures are very different, and you have to make an effort to learn it. As a new community member, you have to listen more than you speak. Third, I realized the importance and setting goals for the limited time you have. I remember thinking that summer should have gotten a speeding ticket for flying by so fast, so plan ahead. Set job related smart goals for yourself with timelines for project completion. Push yourself to set up meetings with others on campus, including those other departments or administrative leaders and executives. Every campus’s greatest assets are its people. Also, don’t forget to also explore the area! My group of interns created the “Baltimore Bucket List” of every restaurant, museum, historic site, or landmark we wanted to visit. This is a good time to also say that some of these internships pay pretty well, so you may have a little extra in the bank for adventures! Last, just absorb everything you can. Get to know procedures and protocols so that you can bring best practices back to your previous or future institutions. Observe what current student issues are facing that school, and reflect on how you’d suggest overcoming those challenges if you were faced with them. Test your abilities in ways you haven’t before. How are your supervisory, financial management, program implementation and execution, or communication skills? My charm city summer threw me for a loop. And not just a little one, but a 10,000 foot drop from the sky kind of loop. The last item on my summer Baltimore bucket list was to skydive over the bay. With a Skydive Baltimore Groupon, I found myself in a 90mph freefall of a lifetime. Additionally, my internship threw me for a loop by convincing me to leave what was familiar behind. I had attended high school, college, and grad school all in wonderful NEPA, and I could have stayed and worked in the area I knew best. In fact,
prior to my internship I leaned toward interviewing for my first professional position close to home. Being in Baltimore presented the opportunity for a “test run” in a new location. Since Charm City’s charm is irresistible, I ended up working at MICA in the heart of the city, just one mile down the road from JHU. Think about where you may want to go next, and ACUHO-I may just take you exactly where you need to go.
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Recognizing the Top Presenters from the MACUHO Annual Conference by Sarah Martin & Genicka Voltaire
There would be no annual conference without the presenters and programs they use to enlighten us. This year we had 51 presentations to choose from as we learned about best practices and made connections with colleagues across the region. This year we heard a keynote address by Kevin O’Connell on using Social Media to engage our students. We also heard from Meeghan Hollis of The
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, our Expert in Residence for Residence Education; and Nancy Young of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, our Expert in Residence for Housing. One of the greatest things that the Program Committee gets to do is recognize our top evaluated programs.
Our Best 30-minute Presentation Award Winner received an engraved plaque and registration to next year’s annual conference in Hershey. The presentation was: • “ Succeeding in your Job Search” by David Clurman of University of Maryland, Baltimore County The Best Presentation by a New Professional Award is awarded to someone who has not presented before at a regional or national level (excluding SSLI). The winner must present more than 80% of the session. The winner received a plaque and registration to next year’s annual conference at Hershey. The presentation was: • “ We Didn’t Start the Riot” by Michael Morris of Villanova University
• “Navigating the Confidence Gap” by Victoria Farris of St. Peter’s University and Capria Berry of Vassar College • “ Service, Comfort, or Emotional Support?: The Evolution of Disability Law and Campus Housing” by Denise Davidson and Mark Bauman of Bloomsburg University of PA • “ Beyond the Checklist – Staff Training for Compassionate Compliance” by Jana Jacobson by True to Life Training and Aly Sehl of Millersville University • “ Truth Tellers: Move Up or Move On (and why you should always be searching)” by Debbie Schiebler of Rutgers-Camden and Shigeo Iwamiya from Rutgers-Newark • “ Shame, Vulnerability & Privilege” by Victoria Farris of St. Peter’s University • “ Sustainability and Programming in the Residence Halls” by Jay Lohman of Lebanon Valley College • “ Irreconcilable Differences? Can Student Development and Customer Service Coexist?” by Denise Davidson and Mark Bauman of Bloomsburg University of PA • “ Should I Do this OARR that? A Framework to Help RAs Navigate the Seas of Protocols” by Julie Mule of Lafayette College
Our last award goes to our Region’s Best Presentation. The Region’s Best Award provides incentive for quality programs and recognizes superior presenters who are not eligible for the Best Presentation by a New Professional. The chosen Region’s Best Program will be submitted to be presented at the next ACUHO-I Conference in Seattle, WA next July as “MACUHO’s Region’s Best” The ACUHO-I Foundation will contribute a scholarship to be used towards registration, transportation, and room costs for the presenters to attend and present at the ACUHO-I conference and MACUHO will supplement additional costs to attend the conference. The MACUHO’s Region’s Best Award was chosen from our top 10 presentations: • “Strategic Planning Process” by Joanne Goldwater of St. Mary’s College of MD • “ Becoming Bilingual, Learning to Speak Operations Language!” by Crystal Lopez of Caldwell University
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This year, the MACUHO’s Region’s Best Award went to: • “ Truth Tellers: Move Up or Move On (and why you should always be searching)” by Debbie Schiebler of Rutgers-Camden and Shigeo Iwamiya from Rutgers-Newark
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Student Storytellers INTRODUCTION Student Storytellers is a new initiative from the REC Committee to provide our organization with inspirational and motivational stories about student staff members from across the region. It is our goal to provide recognition of these incredible individuals through their own words or the words of others, and by sharing their story we all benefit from their positive and encouraging experiences. By sharing stories, we build connection and become a closer MACUHO family. Stories will be shared on our blog site, on social media, or in future editions of the MACUHO Magazine, depending on what is selected on the story submission form. Please take some time to share an inspirational story through our online submission form located on the MACUHO website REC Committee page, or feel free to contact the REC Committee by email at rec@macuho.org. Johnny Kocher Residence Life Specialist West Virginia University REC Committee Co-Chair
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Story 1 “I grew up in Columbus, Ohio with my mom. It was just the two of us, so things weren’t always easy, but deep down, I always felt privileged. Since we had each other, nothing seemed insurmountable. Two weeks into my freshman year at WVU, my mom was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease and everything I knew turned upside down. “Real adulthood” hit me like a ton of bricks and trying to balance being a provider, care-taker, and college student felt like a never-ending amateur hour. I’m not ashamed to admit that I struggled with just about everything that came my way. At the end of the day though, however
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School Fundraising Made Easy and Simple Visit MyFavoriteStudent.com or Call toll free: 877-244-5694
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“Do for a few what you wish you could do for many.” difficult things became, I still had what mattered most. When I became an RA at Bennett Tower, I found my second family in my boss and coworkers. Very few people are as lucky, and it struck me that this was my chance to make a difference. Whether it’s making blankets for the homeless shelter or fundraising for medical research, I feel as though it is our responsibility to advocate for those who cannot do so for themselves. There’s an expression I love that says “Do for a few what you wish you could do for many.” The fact is that everyone deserves someone who cares about them and I am all too honored to have the opportunity to try and give that back to the community who gave me so much.” Hannah Bowman Resident Assistant West Virginia University Bennett Tower
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Story 2 “One of my most cherished memories of being in the military while being in Student Life was two years ago when I returned from six weeks of military duty in Oklahoma. A lot had changed at West Virginia University while I was gone and I was sure my RAs had continued with business as usual not giving me a second thought halfway across the country. How much could students really care? However, when I walked into Bennett Tower at 11:30pm after the 15 hour drive from Ft Sill and my RAs ran to me and gave me hugs telling me how glad they were that I was back I, with tears in my eyes, knew I was home and that these RAs were my family. After hours of catching up I went to bed that night thinking how I had no clue how
much they appreciated what I did for them through my military service and how much I had missed all of them.” “The strength of every soldier is the support they receive from their family and friends and the strength I felt from my RAs that day motivates me to this day. Be sure on this Veterans Day to take a moment to thank a Veteran coworker or Veteran student on campus, you will never know how far a simple “thank you” will go.” Johnny Kocher Residence Life Specialist, West Virginia University 1st Lieutenant, 1/201st Field Artillery
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Finalize How You’ll Recognize by Nicole Clemson, REC Committee Chair International Hall Staff Appreciation Day, sometimes referred to as RA Appreciation Day, is fast approaching! The official date is set for Wednesday, February 17th. As you begin to plan how you’ll celebrate the hard work of your staff, here are ten quick ideas from REC Committee and my own experience. NOTE COLLECTION: Provide others from your campus community the opportunity to write a message to a student staff member. Set-up a table on RA Appreciation Day in a Student Center or high-traffic area, and encourage students to write a quick note to their RA. Sort the notes and deliver them later that day.
REALLY HIT HOME: Perhaps one of the nicest things a supervisor has ever done for me was writing a note home to my mom about all I had accomplished that year. Consider writing a letter about what your staff member has done well this year and why you’re happy to have them on your team. A basic template can be used with one customizable paragraph that includes the staff member’s individual experiences and accomplishments. Mail the letters home to parents or guardians prior to RA Appreciation Day, therefore also encouraging family and friends to celebrate the occasion. ROOM SERVICE: Don’t abuse your master key privileges, but deliver a surprise to your staff member’s residence. Consider a packet of seeds for nurturing a community to grow, Starbursts because they’re a star, chocolate gold coins because they’re “worth their weight in gold”, mints for their comMINTment to the job, or lifesavers gummies for being real life savers. Check out the MACUHO REC Committee’s Pinterest board for more punny gifts!
SOMETHING TO HANG ON THE FRIDGE: Make a simple Certificate of Recognition with the student staff member’s name and the date of the award. To take this one step further, develop staff superlatives like “Most Resilient” or “Program All-Star” that highlight the individual’s strength.
DEC THE HALLS: Organize a door decorating competition in the residence halls by encouraging members of a building or floor community to decorate their RA’s door with notes, streamers, balloons, pictures, or other materials. The participants who create the best decorated door could win a pizza party or ice cream social!
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GET SOCIAL: Advertise the celebration on your campus by posting on any or all of your social media accounts. Outreach to other departments to see if they’d also be willing to share your post. If your institution has a main account with an even greater following, check to see if a post of appreciation can be made there as well. HANGOUT!: Spend time together on the day you celebrate. Organize a meal, staff meeting, or more casual gathering to say thank you in person. This is also a nice time to give out certificates of recognition, superlatives, or small prizes. You could even host a swag raffle for your staff. MAKE IT A MOVIE: Create a video thank you for your staff to email or view in a meeting. Re-write the lyrics to a popular song and have your professional staff sing or rap. You can always feature campus mascots or other recognizable faces from around your campus, too. Bonus points if you can get the institution President, Vice President, Dean, or other administrators to participate! “LOOK, THAT’S ME!”: I don’t know why, but seeing your name on the school website is pretty cool. Consider launching a “Meet the Staff” webpage that includes staff member photos. For schools with smaller staffs, it may be possible to also include a short bio for each of your staff members. Include the link to this page in your social media posts or as a QR on printed posters.
YOUR OWN TOP TEN!: Make your very own top ten list for each of your staff members. Recognize ten accomplishments, overcome obstacles, talents, or skills that make them a valuable staff member. Work smarter not harder, and utilize some of the templates REC Committee has already created for you. Check out our committee page on the MACUHO website for our resources. If you’re looking for something special, you can also email rec@macuho.org. Use the hashtag #MACUHORAsROCK to share thoughts and pictures! Best of luck in your celebrations, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
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MACUHO 2015 CONFERENCE ANNUAL AWARD RECIPIENTS: Commitment to Social Justice Award: Casey Coleman, Montclair State University The David Butler Distinguished Service Award: Olan Garrett, University of Maryland, College Park James Hurd Outstanding Service Award: Steven Couras, Stevens Institute of Technology Ann Webster New Professional Award: Genika Voltaire, Montclair State University Mid-Level Professional Award: Steven Couras, Stevens Institute of Technology Joanne Goldwater Distinguished Senior Level Professional Award: David Clurman, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Excellence in Operations Award: Jan Mason, Penn State University The Vendor of the Year Award: Adirondack Solutions
MACUHO 2015 CONFERENCE ANNUAL PROGRAM AWARDS: The Region’s Best Award: Truth Tellers: Move Up or Move On (and why you should always be searching) Shigeo Iwamiya, Rutgers University – Newark & Debbie Scheibler, Rutgers University – Camden. Best Presentation by a New Professional Award: We Didn’t Start the Riot - Michael Morris, Villanova University Best 30-Minute Program: Succeeding in Your Job Search! David Clurman, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
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EXECUTIVE BOARD & LEADERSHIP COUNCIL 2015-2016: Brian Medina - Frostburg State University - President Olan Garrett - University of Maryland - Vice-President / President Elect Brooke Clayton - Lehigh University - Past President Aly Sehl - Millersville University - Secretary Jenn Thorpe - Chestnut Hill College - Treasurer Jackyln Gentile - University of Maryland - College Park - Director, Membership Development Conal Carr- Penn State University - Director, Business Operations and Communication Natalie Liston - Bucknell University - Director, Strategic Initiatives Rosemary Padilla - Rutgers University – Newark - Director, Training and Development Debbie Schiebler - Rutgers University – Camden - Director, Annual Programs Dillon Eppenstein - Philadelphia University - Director, Information Technology Curtis Chan - Rutgers University - New Brunswick – Diversity Committee Chair Liz Tuturice - Penn State University – Diversity Committee Chair Sarah Yencha - Lafayette College - Host Chair 2016 Chris Ottey - Lehigh University – Host Chair 2016 Jan Mason - Penn State University - Housing & Facilities Operations Chair Gina Kiefer - Alvernia University - Personal and Professional Development Chair Nick McConnell - York College of Pennsylvania - Personal and Professional Development Chair Sarah Martin - Marymount University – Program Chair Genicka Voltaire - Montclair State University - Program Chair Johnny Kocher - West Virginia University - Recognition, Education, Connections Chair Nicole Clemson - Maryland Institute College of Art - Recognition, Education, Connections Chair Tory Rowlands - Rutgers University – Newark - Recruitment and Retention Chair Latoya Haynes - University of Maryland - Regional Coordinator Katie Buehner - Frostburg State University - Regional Coordinator Jovin Fernandez - Drew University - New Jersey Regional Coordinator Donald Brennan - Alvernia University - PA-Northeast Regional Coordinator Michael Mullin - Temple University - PA-Southeast Regional Coordinator Michael Diesner - Lebanon Valley College - PA-Central Regional Coordinator Tiffany Hughes - West Virginia University - PA-West Regional Coordinator Jess Lanciano - Shepherd University - West Virginia Regional Coordinator Tracey Eggleston - Marshall University - West Virginia - Regional Coordinator Laura Tan - University of Maryland - Archivist Carolyn Pitcairn - Gannon University - Strategic Planning Coordinator Chris Willis - LaRoche College - Exhibits & Displays Coordinator Siobhan Skerritt - Temple University - Sponsorship Coordinator Jess Lanciano - Shepherd University - Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference Chair Jim Clagg - Marshall University - Webmaster Nick Gramiccioni - William Paterson University - Systems Analyst Steven Couras - Stevens Institute of Technology - Social Media Coordinator
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PHOTOS FROM THE MACUHO ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY!
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PHOTOS FROM THE MACUHO ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY!
“I HAD AN AMAZING SUMMER AT STEVENSWORKINGFORRESIDENCELIFE ANDLOWERCAMPUSAREAOFFICE.”
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WV Regional Coordinators by Tracy Eggleston, WV Regional Coordinator and Jess Lanciano, REC Committee Chair Hello from your WV Regional Coordinators, Tracey Eggleston and Jess Lanciano. We are so happy to be your regional coordinators and for the upcoming year. In November we had our first “Chat and Chew” and it was FABULOUS! A few of us joined in over the phone with lunch in hand and had a great conversation about budget cuts and how our institutions/departments were handling it. We also talked about other issues on our campuses and asked for input. Notes from this meeting can be found on the MACUHO website under GROUPS>REGIONS>WV>WV SHARED DRIVE. For the upcoming year we are planning to have “Chat and Chews” on the 2nd Tuesday of Every Month! Our next session will be February 9, 2016. Topics have not been decided and will be based on what you want to talk about. Let us know by posting in the regions page or by emailing myself or Jess. We want to talk about things that are relevant to you. eggleston3@marshall. edu or joswald@shepherd.edu. Happy New Year! Sincerely, Tracey M. Eggleston
Personal & Professional Development Comittee by Nicole Clemson, REC Committee Chair The Personal and Professional Development committee held its case study competition during the annual conference. The participating teams presented a plan to implement gender neutral housing to the board at a small-private Jesuit university. This case study was created by Nicole Clemson (Maryland Institute College of Art). The winning team members were Tony Sampson (Marshall University) and Amanda
Slichter (Lehigh University). PPD would also like to recognize the judges who took the time to view the presentations and provide feedback to the case study participants: Brian Medina, Debbie Scheibler, Rosemary Padilla, and Joshua Hettrick, NEACUHO President. Thank you to all committee members and participants for your contributions.
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3 Reasons Why the Exhibit Hall is a Hidden Professional Development Gem by Siobhan C. Skerritt
For a first year conference attendee, the exhibit hall can be overwhelming. You walk from booth to booth meeting vendors, entering raffles, and probably wondering how any of what they do pertains to you. If you’re a graduate student or an entry level professional, you might recognize the names of these companies, but you feel there’s no need to speak to them because you don’t make financial decisions. No matter who you are in your organization, meeting our exhibitors and understanding how their partnership with MACUHO and our individual institutions is important to anyone who wants to climb the housing ladder. Why? I’m glad you asked.
These 3 great reasons will help you understand why this is a priceless experience.
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WITHOUT THEM, MACUHO COULDN’T BE NEARLY AS SUCCESSFUL. MACUHO is a region which does not charge dues to their members. We charge for the conferences, but there is no annual membership fee. This is because of our Corporate Partner Program, Exhibitors, and Conference Sponsors. We have corporations who commit to our organization to help us provide for our members. From MAPC to the annual conference, their contributions help us provide these abundant opportunities. This is more than a financial commitment. When I took the position as the Sponsorship Coordinator, Past President Jenn Thorpe helped me understand why she and her team worked hard to launch the program back in 2012. She told me, “I believe our exhibitor and corporate partners are an invaluable part of the MACUHO experience. Forming relationships with them may someday come in handy on your campus; and if you never need their services, they are professional contacts who are
invested in us because of our part in MACUHO. They, too, work challenging jobs and the personal connections made at conferences make all of our work more rewarding.” This is evident in their interactions. Many of the people at these companies have seen many people grow as professionals. They chat about anything from how the tables are holding up in the new residence hall to how the new position is going. They know what MACUHO is and who were. They know our passion, our student’s needs, and want to us to grow as a whole. They are committed to what we are about as a collective.
WE NEED THEM AND THEY NEED US. It wasn’t until my second year at the annual conference at Valley Forge that I even understood what a exhibitors was. I remember Chad Henning and Debbie Scheibler running around to get the luncheon ready and giving the exhibitors everything they needed for their booths. I knew they were important to MACUHO because they helped us
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be financially successful (which I’ll talk about later) but as a Resident Director, I wasn’t even aware who my institution partnered with. When my Director of Maintenance of Operations showed up, he asked if I wanted to learn about why we work with certain vendors. I had no idea I would be exposed to understanding the dialogue and thought behind choosing furniture and systems to not only enhance the student experience, but also makes our jobs easier. He had me use what I knew about my building and student trends to understand why these products were even created for the college environment. Going from booth to booth, sitting on furniture, and navigating through user friendly systems made me appreciate why we need these companies.
VENDORS WANT TO SEE US GROW AND STAY CONNECTED Higher Education is a growing field and finding quality products and services to help with the growing demands of our students isn’t an easy thing to do. But it’s not just to the job of Directors, Deans, and operations team to help find what’s best for the institution. For example, at the 2015 conference at Penn State, I connected a graduate student with an exhibitor to explain issues we had during opening and asked her to collect information on their product to bring back to our department. After the meeting, she was able to talk about the product and recognize how her skill set allowed her evaluate their product and how it could help us be more efficient in our process. The exhibitor recognized her potential, connected
her with other vendors who could with what she felt our others needs were, and encouraged her to join committees in MACUHO. After 15 minutes at their booth, she was rejuvenated as a professional. For some of us, it makes no sense. Why are they invested in our success? The vendors want to make connections and teach us about products which may be able to help our institution and department improve. It’s not just about a sale. They want you to remember them even if you move to another region or out of the field. They know the goal is to grow professionally. If we grow, they grow. It’s a team effort. It’s really that simple. At the 2016 Annual Conference, make the most out of the Exhibit Hall experience. Your position in your organization shouldn’t hinder you from all the knowledge you can gain. They know more about our region and the institutions than you can imagine and five minutes can help you in more ways than you think. Say hi, thank you, grab a business card, and keep in touch. You won’t regret it. Thanks, Siobhan Skerritt Temple University, Office of University Housing & Residential Life
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