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NATIONAL CAMPUS ACTIVITIES PLANNING CONFERENCE MARCH 24-27, 2022 ~page 24

IN THIS EDITION

• PERMISSION TO PLAY ~page 8 • REBUILDING YOUR CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS POST-PANDEMIC ~page 20 • USING A G.O.A.T. STRATEGY TO RESET YOUR CAMPUS ACTIVITIES PROGRAM ~page 30

FALL 2021 Graphic Competition Winners ~page 11

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CLT Magazine | SPRING 2022

CONTENTS CONTENTS

EDITOR:

HEATHER LA MBERT GRA PHIC D ESIGN ER: KRISTY LAV ELLA THA NKS TO A LL

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FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERIC LAMBERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CO NTRIBUTED TO THIS

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JOIN THE APCA FAMILY

LIFE TREN DS MAGAZIN E.

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PERMISSION TO PLAY | DAWN DARIA, M.ED. ~Co-Founder and Education Director of Flow Circus

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GRAPHIC COMPETITION WINNERS - FALL 2021

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WHAT WERE YOU ENGINEERED TO DO? | ALANA M. HILL ~The Ms. Engineer Way

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VIRTUAL COMMUNITY WORKPLACE

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STALKING AWARENESS | MARISSA F. COHEN ~Founder of the Healing From Emotional Abuse Philosophy

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REBUILDING YOUR CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS POST-PANDEMIC DEL SUGGS, M.S.ED. ~Leadership Program Development

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2022 NATIONAL CAMPUS ACTIVITIES CONFERENCE

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MAKE YOUR MEETINGS FUN AND ENGAGING | DAVE KELLY ~America's Student Leadership Trainer

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USING A G.O.A.T. STRATEGY TO RESET YOUR CAMPUS ACTIVITIES PROGRAM | BILL HARCLEROAD ~Director of Campus Activities & Leadership | SUNY ONEONTA

THE SCHOO LS A N D ASSOCIATES WHO

EDITIO N OF THE CA MPUS

THE

APCA

TRENDS

CAMPUS MAGAZINE

LIFE IS

P U B L I S H E D EA C H S E M EST ER .

S U B M I S S IO N S FOR A RT I C L ES M U ST

BE

EMAILED

TO :

M A R K ET I N G @ A P C A . C O M THE CA MPUS LIFE TREN DS MA G A Z I N E I S A T RA D E MA R K O F T H E A S S O C I AT I O N F O R THE P ROMOTIO N O F CA M P US A CT I V I T I ES .

ALL

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R ES ERV E D . N O A RT I C L ES OR I M A G ES O F A N Y K I N D M A Y B E RE P RI N T E D F RO M TH I S MAGAZIN E WRITTEN

WITHOUT P ER M I S S IO N

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TH E A S S O C I AT IO N FO R TH E P RO M OT I O N

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A CT I V IT I ES . A N YO N E S EE K I N G PERMISSION SHOU LD FORWARD THEIR REQ U EST BY EMA I L TO : I N F O @ A P C A . C O M 8 6 5 . 4 2 9 . 9 1 2 3

34 FINANCIAL KEYS TO STUDENT SUCCESS | DANIELA NGOUNOU ~International Speaker, Coach & Author

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CLT Magazine | SPRING 2022

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ERIC LAMBERT elambert@apca.com

New Beginnings

Most of all, we must be resolved to continue our focus on creating engaged, inclusive campus environments. We need to remember the priority of student success and keep it firmly in sight when providing our student life programming.

These two guiding principles must remain sacrosanct and intact to achieve the positive outcomes our struggling students need.

As we begin a new year, it is appropriate that we take stock of what the pandemic has left us. We are experiencing a continued uncertainty regarding Covid, making planning difficult. Student Affairs departments across the country have suffered a major loss of experience due to resignations and reassignments. Sadly, student apathy is also at an all-time high, fueled by zoom fatigue, virtual classes, and We’re helping to make better student a general disconnect from live interaction leaders, a better world from their efforts, and ultimately better lives for us all. There opportunities. is no higher calling in academe.

We must now take action to address these issues, and I can think of no better way than envisioning and enacting a plan for the future of student life. We must train new advisors and student boards to be flexible with reopening events and changing priorities. We need to assign mentors and facilitate the passing on of the experience that our organization can provide for new professionals.

Let us continue with this in mind.

Eric Lambert

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The APCA family grew this fall!

Join us this spring at the 2022 National Conference in Hershey, PA to get engaged with our community of Student Life Professionals and Quality Performers, Artists, and Speakers.

~Jahsidiq

~Ainsley Costello

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~Comedian Ray Money

~Wyman Winbush

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~Dave Kelly

Fall of 2021 was packed with family members at all three conferences. We hosted husbands and wives, parents and children, and even an entire family of talented artists.

We are an APCA family!

~Eric Lambert

~Isaiah Zach

~Harvey Dunn

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PERMISSION TO PLAY:

Grant It for You and Your Students Dawn Daria M.Ed.

A

~Co-Founder and Education Director of Flow Circus www.FlowCircus.com

s uncertainty remains constant, stress takes on new shapes and intensity. As the new year begins, don’t forget to grant yourself and your students permission to play. Yes, I said play. You might think, “There are too many serious issues to deal with right now.” But, as play researcher Dr. Stuart Brown wrote, “A little bit of ‘nonproductive’ activity can make one enormously more productive and invigorated in other aspects of life.”

The characteristics I listed above are the commonly agreed upon properties of play. I’ve been fortunate enough to build a business around a particular type of play - kinetic play. Kinetic play is physically moving objects around your body by tossing, flipping, spinning, swinging, or otherwise manipulating them in order to master tricks for the fun of it (think juggling, yoyo, or hoop). Yet even with a life focused around play, I sometimes don’t even give myself permission.

What is play, exactly?

What stops us from playing?

Too Busy: Maybe you still have a frequent play

Somewhat challenging to define, most of us know it when we are in it. Think back to when you were a kid riding your bike or playing with your favorite toy.

It didn’t have a purpose, you did it voluntarily, it felt good, and you wanted to keep doing it. You may have also lost track of time and not felt self-conscious - not cared how you looked to others while you played. You were playing, not performing.

practice and if you do - yay for you! But for many of us, somewhere around middle or high school we “got serious” about school and life. We focused on getting productive. Maybe we had work-a-holics in our family or school environments as role models, further ingraining the idea that play is a “waste of time.” However, as Dr. Stuart Brown’s quote notes above, it might be time to rethink this mindset.

Out of Practice: When the pandemic first hit, some

people had a lot of time at home all of a sudden.

I saw articles about people learning to bake and stores running out of jigsaw puzzles. But I also talked to friends that had no idea what to do with themselves. They didn’t know how to play. They had been so busy for their adult lives that they never had the time, energy, or space to figure out what they liked to do or what brings them to life. Believe it or not, play takes practice. We need to exercise that muscle again. Think back to how you liked to play as a kid - that might give you an idea of where to start.

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Costly: Many of your students have to work while

going to school and might think, “who has time or money for play” especially during the pandemic. Sure, many forms of play are expensive. If you have looked at the cost of a ski lift ticket or horseback riding lessons, you know it’s true. But there are plenty of forms of play that don’t have to be time consuming or expensive. For me, taking a walk to the local park and swinging on the swings for a few minutes quickly lifts my spirits.

Uncomfortable: Play can get messy. Whether it’s

Play-Doh under the finger nails, getting frustrated when the juggling balls fall to the ground again, or drawing a blank during an improv game, literally messy and emotionally vulnerable moments happen along with the happy ones. Play is unpredictable, uncontrollable, and imperfect. That might create discomfort for some and keep them away.

Why play is important especially for colleges.

Resilience: The discomfort and

messiness that might cause some people to avoid play (count this recovering perfectionist among them) is exactly the space students need to practice failing so they can build resilience. If you have a student not willing to take risks because of a crippling fear of failure, have them learn to juggle.

When we facilitate workshops, we have students drop on purpose, because the dropping can teach them what adjustments they need to make in their throws. We have fun music on and laugh at our own drops to create a space for them to know that dropping is not just okay, but to be embraced. Think about other forms of play that you can incorporate to create a similar space for your students.

Well-Being: Research shows that play has positive

impacts on the body such as creating new neural connections, releasing endorphins, and reducing cortisol. Why don’t we have “play routines” like we do for running, yoga, or other forms of exercise? Dr.

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Stuart Brown observed what happens when adults don’t. “Our work or other responsibilities often demand we set aside play. But when play is denied over the long term, our mood darkens.”

Anxiety and depression rates are rising on college campuses. What if we made play breaks part of the students' routines? Such as campus-wide play breaks after meals, RA-run play breaks on the dorm halls especially during midterms and finals weeks, or create “Play Ambassadors” that run play sessions in different locations around campus.

Engagement: Play engages. In a recent study at the

University of Colorado Denver, Professor Lisa Forbes decided to embody a playful personality, include games and play at the start of her class, and weave in competitions and role-plays into her content to see how a playful approach would affect the student learning experience. Among other benefits, students described, “an experience of high engagement, persistence, and openness to the learning activities...the students were more excited and motivated to engage with the hands-on and interactive nature of play.”

Think about ways to incorporate playful moments into your programming to improve engagement. Maybe it’s starting meetings with a 5 minute warmup game or building playful energizers halfway through meetings.

Connection: Play connects. Dr. Brown observed,

“There’s nothing like true play to promote social cohesion at work. When people play, they become attuned to each other.” We’ve seen it happen repeatedly in workshops we teach. People come in with their shirts literally buttoned up. But once they start playing alongside one another something happens. Their true selves start to show through as they roll up their sleeves. They no longer need to put up a front. In our juggling workshops, they see how their peers react when they drop and they get to celebrate for each other when one succeeds.

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The students in Lisa Forbes’ class described play as creating “a sense of relational safety and a warm, inclusive classroom.” And it “inspired vulnerability and authenticity in front of their peers which was typically difficult for them to do in class.” These are all of the qualities needed for connection - a strong connection to each other and to their campus experience.

Getting Started/Enhancing What You’re Doing Be Okay with Play: In most play activities, students

will have opportunities to develop intrapersonal development, interpersonal competence, and cognitive complexity so you can develop CAS learning and development outcomes for them. Yay! But it’s also important to recognize the value of play for play’s sake. The benefits listed above scratch the surface of describing the positive impact on students. Also keep in mind that there are benefits for you. There’s a reason you got into programming in the first place - rediscover the fun & play in it for yourself.

Broaden the Definition of Play

Play can look like a lot of different things because it turns out we don’t all like to play the same way. In his research, Dr. Brown identified eight different play personalities: • The Joker - play by making other people laugh • The Kinesthete - play by moving their body • The Explorer - play by discovering new things (physically or mentally) • The Competitor - play to win or beat their own personal best • The Director - play by planning, organizing, and executing events/experiences • The Collector - play by gathering and organizing an interesting collection of things or experiences • The Artist/Creator - play by doing activities that involve creating • The Storyteller - play by going on adventures of the imagination - telling, writing, performing, reading, or watching stories This opens up the definition of play doesn’t it? Most people understand that people running around on a soccer field qualifies as play for those players, but

didn’t realize that fully immersing yourself in the story you're reading might provide you with similar benefits for well-being.

Think about how you can develop programming that hits several different personalities. Not all at once, obviously, but over the course of the semester spread out activities so you can appeal to different types.

Look for Partners

Collaboration makes us stronger. Think about the play experience you’re trying to create and potential partners that might be on campus that could help, such as students in the School of Education, Psychology, or Athletics Department.

Maybe there are businesses in the community willing and able to help.

Always be Reflecting: Play teaches us that there is

no perfect - things never go as planned. So look at how it went, what worked, what could be improved upon, and then hit replay (with updates, of course).

One Final Note: Giving students permission to play and practice doing it will send an important message. It tells them that their well-being is important right now. It’s not a “waste of time” to pause, play, recharge, and come back to the thing they’re doing feeling better. It’s a healthy practice that they can make a lifetime habit. And you can help them get started.

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GRAPHIC COMPETITION 1st PLACE WINNERS FALL 2021 HOUSTON, TX.

Bossier Parish Community College Schreiner University 1st place- Print & Event 1st place- T-Shirt & Novelty

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL.

Mohawk Valley Community College

1st place- Event & Print

Niagara County Community College 1st place- T-Shirt

ORLANDO, FL.

Lanier Technical College 1st place- Novelty, Event & T-Shirt

George Mason University 1st place- Print

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What Were You Engineered to Do? Alana M. Hill

~The Ms. Engineer Way www.themsengineerway.com Living a life of impact means understanding who you are and tapping into your passions. It’s a journey - don’t wait until you arrive to start making a difference. Do what you have to do today to get where you’re going tomorrow.

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ometimes getting exactly what you wanted doesn’t look like you think it would. When I got a letter of acceptance to my first-choice college… and news of a scholarship… I was happy, of course, and relieved. But I was also sad because I couldn’t share that moment with my mother. She was taken from me when I was in high school in a way that didn’t allow me to privately grieve or process my loss.

When her death played out publicly, I put my head down and kept pushing, kept moving forward even though I was hurt and broken. I was on a mission that was bigger than me - I was going to be a first-generation college graduate. It was a big deal!

That acceptance letter wasn’t just for me, it was for all of us. For my family and my community.

It’s not lost on me that National First Gen Day, November 8, is also my mother’s birthday. On this day I reflect on how, against all odds, I went to college. I finished college. I built a career! And now I get to help others do the same, against all odds.

Growing up in a single parent family, my father made sure I was safe, but I was not prepared for success. I would have to find my own way to navigate the road ahead. And let me tell you, it was bumpy! I would have to rely on two of my strongest qualities if I was

going to survive - never mind thrive - in college and beyond. However at the time, I didn’t know myself well enough to know what they were.

I struggled in college. I didn’t get the grades I needed. I lost my scholarship. I went home that first summer and worked three jobs at the mall in Houston. I clocked out of one and into another, juggling it all to ensure I could pay my way through school. I did what I had to do at the time to get the future I envisioned.

My most memorable job was at the pet store where I had the unusual accolade of being the highest yielding snake salesperson two months in a row. I put that snake around my neck, and it sold itself!

I wasn’t afraid and that encouraged folks to come closer. However, despite their sales success, the snakes were not my favorite reptiles. The store had a chameleon that I would put on my head, and she would change color to match my hair.

I was fascinated by this ability. Chameleons were so adaptable, changing in response to their environments, but they also knew innately what color they already were. That chameleon knew who it was when nobody was watching. It made me think: who am I when nobody's watching? This was my introduction to the idea of being both authentic and

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adaptable; to be the best version of myself, no matter what curveballs life threw at me.

Being who you truly are is a beautiful, powerful experience. But to be who you are, you have got to know who you are.

Do You Know Who You Are...Yet? The yet is so powerful as it reminds us that we are on a journey of fulfilling our potential. We might not be there… yet. Or we don’t have those skills… yet. But we will. Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, has devoted her career to understanding how we learn.

She believes strongly in the power of ‘yet’, especially for students, saying it provides: “A path into their future and makes them feel that they are on a learning curve rather than a dead end.”

As we move into each phase of our life, personal and professional, we must create space for ‘yet’.

Goals won’t be achieved without a plan - that’s your roadmap through the ‘yet’ to ‘yes! I got this!’. It will take time and there will be twists and turns in the road, but by allowing yourself some ‘yet’ and recognizing that you are doing today what you need to do for tomorrow, you will get there.

I wasn’t there… yet… but I was growing more confident in my authenticity and adaptability. I leaned into both. I graduated, against all odds. I started a career in oil and gas, against all odds.

The role was demanding and constantly challenging. I was on call - my day would start at 3AM! It wasn’t sustainable but I made it work. I did what I had to do right then to get me where I was going. It didn’t look like I thought it would, but it was success. My responsibilities grew, I was able to make a difference, to influence change. This was a huge realization for me that would shape my future trajectory.

I didn’t want to just feel the winds of change, I wanted to be the change. You are the next wave of change and I want to share one secret of leading change. The key to doing things today for a better tomorrow is to know that you are not doing them just for yourself.

"As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another" Prov. 27:17 Making An Impact My success was not just about me. It helped me to encourage and inspire those around me. To lead change that impacted others for the better.

My guiding principle is the proverb “As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” It’s about the lives that we can impact, each and every day. I know that if I can help somebody, that lights me up! I know that is part of my purpose - it was what I was engineered for.

Great thinkers throughout history have mused on the role of giving over receiving. "The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity" (Leo Tolstoy).

Increasingly, there is compelling scientific data to support the anecdotal evidence that giving is a powerful pathway to personal growth and lasting happiness. Helping others may just be the secret to living a life that is not only happier but also healthier, wealthier, more productive, and meaningful. You and your classmates expect more from a career than fair compensation. You are looking to join transparent organizations where you can quickly make a contribution to meaningful work that makes a difference in society.

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How Do You Give?

Give without expectation, but to be clear - this is not about saying ‘yes’ to everything or giving reluctantly.

Our passion should be the foundation for our giving.

It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving. It is about choosing the right way for us to give - grounded in that sense of knowing who we are, what lights us up - what is our catalyst?

If being in a position to influence change feels a long way off, remember it’s not about waiting until you have “arrived”. It’s about how you serve along the journey. Early in my career as an IT Project Manager, I was a Junior Achievement volunteer at a local underserved elementary school. The kids and I both looked forward to those weekly sessions where they learned about entrepreneurship and business. I realized my sphere of influence was mine to grow, so while I wasn’t a decision maker in the early part of my career, I had proximity to executives that did and used the opportunity to drive change in policies.

This was the first example of seeing how my purpose and position worked hand in hand. When I began to envision my future and the type of change leader I wanted to be, I reflected on how small I felt around such senior managers but how big my impact was by speaking up. I imagined how much more impact I could have if I were elevated in the organization. That’s just what I did; as my sphere of influence grew, my ability to impact change grew as well. I went from volunteering to recruit engineers to championing diversity and inclusion initiatives for women and minorities, even though my role had nothing to do with it. The shared responsibility I felt for the success of others in my life and career was cultivated in those initiatives.

Each time I was led by my catalyst, I found that I had influence that I didn’t anticipate, whether I was on the team or leading the charge.

Getting clear on that catalyst creates a touchstone for our lives. We use it to check our authenticity, but its other great strength is in enabling us to be adaptable. The COVID-19 Pandemic has reminded us how important adaptability is. We have to be able to respond to what is happening around us without losing our sense of self. The struggles we go through in life are calling us to doubledown on our catalysts.

Be the best you, you can be, regardless of what is going on around you. Life is full of change.

Sometimes change happens to us, and sometimes change happens because of us. The last few years have shown us that we can’t control much, but we can control how we show up.

Ask yourself what were you engineered to do? What is it today and what will it be tomorrow? Then get busy doing today what you need for tomorrow.

Alana M. Hill is an international change leadership expert, inspiring future professionals to lead change in themselves and others to create inclusive, resilient, and competitive campuses. She is a passionate energy industry veteran who has paved the way for women leaders, with a focus on women of color. Her personal story demonstrates how students can excel, even in the face of adversity. Throughout her career, Alana has led diverse teams and delivered high-impact workshops all over the world!

Alana is an energizing and relatable keynote speaker, encouraging young adults to overcome adversity, build resilience, and convey empathy. She is the author of What’s Your Catalyst? The Power of Managed Change where she guides her readers to discover how purpose and passion give leaders greater influence and impact on the world around them.

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VIRTUAL COMMUNITY WORKPLACE Attend the National Conference in REAL TIME

(The National Conference will be held in person in Hershey, PA. and live streamed into the Workplace for Virtual Delegates.)

• Access to the archives of all Pivot Your Programs Webinars • Access to hundreds of resources for Advisors and Students • 24/7 networking and engagement with your peers around the country!

What's New in the APCA Virtual Community Workplace?

Questions?

APCA will provide virtual access to our in-person National Campus Activities Planning Conference!

Students and staff unable to travel to the conference can enjoy live streamed showcases, participate in hands-on service projects with APCA Serves!™, and participate in real-time Cooperative Buying to save hundreds or thousands of dollars on your campus activities bookings!

This year, the APCA Virtual Community Workplace features: • Virtual attendance to the Spring National Campus Activities Planning Conference.

Join the Virtual Community Workplace for only $169 per person! Register today at apca.com, or email us at info@apca.com with any questions. We'd be happy to chat, and even take you inside the Workplace and show you around!

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STALKING AWARENESS MARISSA F. COHEN

~Founder of the Healing From Emotional Abuse Philosophy www.MarissaFayeCohen.com

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anuary is Stalking Awareness Month, so I thought it would be fitting to address it, as the number of stalking reports have skyrocketed since 2017. Whether the actual amount of stalking has increased, or TV shows such as YOU brought attention to the dangers of stalking, it is increasingly important that we acknowledge it. On college campuses between 2017 and 2019, stalking reports have increased an average of 65% in the United States.

in detail about the three times I was aggressively stalked, and figured it was because stalking isn’t as dangerous as domestic violence or sexual assault.

In fact, it’s rarely given the same attention as rape or assault by law enforcement or the legal system — people will generally overlook it until something physical happens. However, stalking is extremely psychologically damaging. You don’t feel safe anywhere. Even if they never touched you, you feel unsafe in all areas of your life.

The term stalking, as defined by the Department of Justice, means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety, or the safety of others; or causing the target to suffer substantial emotional distress.

Have you ever experienced anything like that? That subtle feeling that you’re being watched? The tension in the pit of your stomach that something isn’t right? That unconscious need to peer over your shoulder consistently, but you don’t know what you’re looking for? That’s the residue of the psychological impact that stalking has on a person.

Basically, stalking is behaving in a way that makes a target feel unsafe in their surroundings or environment. Stalking occurs when someone repeatedly harasses or threatens a target, causing fear or safety concerns. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), about 1 in 6 women and 1 in 17 men have experienced stalking in their lifetimes, as reported by the CDC. I was chatting with a colleague of mine about harassment and stalking, and how common it is. As I began to speak about experiences I have had with stalking in college and in workplaces, I had this overwhelming sensation that these are not experiences I have discussed much. I rarely speak

When I visit my alma mater, Rowan University, I like to have lunch at the bar in town. I love the food there, but I find myself having this compulsive need to always be looking at the doors or the entrances to the room I’m sitting in. I can’t have anyone sitting behind me or I peer over my shoulder a million times.

That goes back to a boy I dated in college. After we broke up, he would find out where I was, using his fraternity brothers and other Greek Life resources on campus, and then show up. He would have his brothers stand in every corner, or by every exit of this bar, watching me and monitoring everything I did, and who I was there with. He would position himself

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outside of my classrooms after all of my classes, or have his friends outside my classrooms, or outside of the building to watch where I go, and make sure I wasn’t with anyone. He would use his fraternity brothers’ Facebook and Instagram accounts to stalk me and see where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing. I was never one for posting all of my personal information anyway – but it really deterred me from even using social media. When I realized that’s how he was getting his information, I had to ask my friends to cut down on posting or tagging me in things, for fear he’d show up — which he did anyway.

a comical way of saying that you dove deeply into someone’s Facebook page, and that’s totally fine. My concern with it is the act of cyber stalking loses its meaning when it’s watered down like that. Cyber stalking is what Joe does in the TV show YOU. He digs deeply into someone’s social media and connects dots to find out where his targets live, who their friends are, everything about their friends, everything about their families, and every small detail of their lives. He learns everything he can about his target and everything around her, so he can systematically control her and be wherever she is, and fit perfectly into her routine.

I haven’t seen him since I graduated, and he hasn’t seen me in person either. But I still have this unconscious need to see the front door at all times and constantly check over my shoulder when I’m out in public. It’s a PTSD trigger that I cannot shake.

Cyber stalking is not a funny joke. I’ve seen lives completely turned upside down from being cyber stalked for over a decade, with law enforcement and the legal system delegitimizing it. Always watched.

Always intimidated. Being threatened and sent candid pictures of yourself taken from your computer camera while you’re not actively taking pictures. I’ve had several friends who were being watched and then blackmailed with pictures taken from their cameras by someone who hacked into their computers, of them changing, or naked or after a shower, or in bed with someone. And those pictures were used against them. That’s an invasion of privacy, and it’s terrifying! You’ve lost control of the comfort of your home!

The infatuation isn’t really about making the target feel loved and comforted, it’s about attaching themselves to the target’s patterns and routines, in order to gain full control of their life and surroundings. The more they know about the target, the more they can isolate them, and integrate themselves into their routines.

A common misconception that NEEDS to be addressed is that being stalked isn’t romantic or flattering. I wasn’t stalked because I’m cute or have a great personality. I was stalked because a person who is abusive and manipulative worked his way into my routine and did everything in his power to control me. I was stalked because this person was sick.

Because stalking is either romanticized or the validity of it is questioned, we are opening ourselves up to allowing people to target and stalk without consequences. But by recognizing the actual trauma inflicted on those who experience stalking, and by working to make it a legitimate topic of conversation and concern, we can reduce the amount of people who experience it on college campuses, and throughout life.

Anyone who has any social media, I’m sure, knows the term “Facebook Stalked,” or “Cyber Stalked”. It’s

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Imagine being in that position. Imagine being sent pictures of yourself that you didn’t know were taken in compromising situations. Feeling like you’re always being watched and nowhere is safe. I can’t think of anything more terrifying.

To prevent stalking, CDC promotes the importance of early prevention and support efforts, which can include: • Empowering everyone to understand, recognize, and address stalking.

• Recognizing the validity and danger of stalking and responding appropriately by having safety measures and support in place.

• Mobilizing men and boys as allies in prevention efforts.

• Supporting safe environments within relationships, schools, and communities through programs and policies that reduce risk and promote healthy relationships.

Related Speaking Topics for Your Campus: • Stalking, Abuse in Silence: What You Need To Know To Keep Your Campus Safe Stalking reports have increased on college campuses by over 65% since 2017. That increase in reports is a scary revelation for colleges and universities around the country, but it’s difficult to address. In this seminar, we discuss stalking, what it is, and why it’s so dangerous even though you’re not being physically harmed, and better ways to keep campuses safe from stalkers and abusers.

Learning Objectives: What is Stalking, Red Flags, Abusive Relationships, Psychological Aftermath of Stalking, Coping Skills, Resources, How to Reduce Stalking on Campuses • Avoiding Toxic Relationships In this seminar, we cover the 11 Toxic Traits to be aware of that narcissists most commonly portray. They are the "early warning signs" of an abuser, and contribute to toxic relationships.

Learning Objectives: Red Flags, Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships, Leaving Safely, Being A Good Advocate

To recap: stalking is dangerous. It’s a loss of control of your life and your surroundings. It makes a person feel unsafe in their homes, offices, streets, anywhere and everywhere. It can result in physical harm and death, as seen on YOU. It psychologically traumatizes victims for years, and often forever. I can never say that I’m 100% over it. I am still paranoid in public places. I still look over my shoulder. I still like to be sitting facing the front doors or near windows at restaurants. I still wonder if someone is watching me through my phone or computer camera every day.

The chill still runs down my spine when I think about it, and it’s been a few years since I’ve been in contact with any of the people who stalked me.

So, bottom line, before you write-off stalking as a nonviolent crime, just keep in mind that external damage heals, but internal damage doesn’t go away. It stays with you and inside you for a long time.

• 5 Easy Ways to Be More Situationally Aware, and Keep Yourself Safe, Without Isolating and Missing Out on the College Experience In this seminar, we discuss simple ways to keep yourself safe on campus without shutting yourself in your dorm room for 4 years. The college experience is social, and you can balance a social life with being safe. We discuss techniques to keeping yourself and your friend safe while simultaneously enjoying the college experience.

Learning Objectives: Safety Planning Techniques, Red Flags, Escape Plans, Situational Awareness, Consent • The Healing from Emotional Abuse Philosophy: The 3 keys to Overcoming Narcissism In this workshop, we infuse important lessons with activities to help overcome their abuses and experiences. Topics can be customized, but the activities are immediately effective and cannot be customized.

Survivors will leave the workshop feeling empowered, free, and confident.

Learing Objectives: Red Flags, Risk Reduction, Releasing Trauma, Resilience Boosting, Rebuilding Tools, Healthy Relationships, Confidence, Healthy Healing Techniques and Coping Skills

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Rebuiding Your Campus Organizations Post-Pandemic Del Suggs, M.S.Ed.

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~Leadership Program Development www.delsuggs.com

he COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on every student, staff, and faculty member on your campus. Perhaps the effect is most visible among student leaders. While dealing with all the same coronavirus issues as everyone else, they've attended class (maybe virtually), worked a job, handled family issues, and struggled to fulfill their leadership duties.

And for the last 20 months, they've watched something they love-- their club or organization, their student government, their campus activities board-- wither and collapse.

Your student leaders need a little or a lot, of support right now. They need your help in rebuilding their clubs and organizations. You all know it's vital, because we know the importance of student engagement.

As we always say at APCA, Engaged Students are Retained Students.

That means that we've got to work harder to restore those club and organizations that get and keep students engaged. You'll find that your student leaders need help in four distinct areas right now: Leadership skills, Recruitment, Goal Setting, and Time Management.

Relearning to Lead Even your best student leaders have gotten rusty.

When the pandemic hit in the Spring of 2020, most campuses shut down. Classes went virtual. We all

had to learn about Zoom and Teams and all the other virtual means of teaching and meeting.

Your seasoned student leaders had to stay off campus and avoid contact with other students. For the most part, they couldn't have meetings and gather together with other students with similar interests. Even your most tried and true student leaders fell out of practice with their leadership skills.

Now imagine the impact on your emerging leaders.

We often find that it's the sophomore class-- those second year students-- who blossom into the next crop of student leaders.

Instead, this year we had two classes of first-year students. We had the true first-year students, who were just beginning classes. Then we had the second-year students who spent their first year going to class virtually, so they are spending their first year on campus.

You need to provide some remedial leadership development for all of these students. They may have forgotten the basics of meeting management: how to create an agenda; how to run a meeting by parliamentary procedure or consensus; how to inspire their members; and how to keep them engaged. Make sure you give your student leaders, both the returning and emerging leaders-- the training they need to lead. They need a refresher course in basic leadership skills. Whether it comes

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from a professional trainer and speaker, or you do it in-house, make sure you reinforce your student leaders and help restore their abilities.

Rebuilding Engagement How successful were your virtual Activities Fair and Club Expo last year? Compared to previous years, they were likely weak. It's hard enough to recruit new members when you can talk to students face-to-face as they circulate among the various clubs represented at your Club Rush. Even more challenging is trying to convince students to log on to a virtual presentation to learn about a club and get involved.

That means your clubs likely have the fewest members ever. Even those popular clubs have shrunk from attrition and lack of recruitment. Building those numbers back is vital. Student must be engaged to succeed in higher education. Dr. George Kuh of the National Survey on Student Engagement call them “High Impact Practices.” Engagement is vital.

You'll need to get that Club Fair, Club Rush, Club Expo, or whatever you call it on your campus scheduled and happening. Make it special and bigger than ever. Bring in some performers to draw a crowd.

Schedule some novelty acts to hold the crowd. And make sure your student leaders are there to recruit new members.

Once again, provide the training on recruitment skills to your student leaders. Whether you hire an outside speaker to help them brush up on recruiting, or you do it yourself, your students need that focus on getting and retaining new members.

Don't forget to encourage the creation of new clubs, too. You have students who have found new interests when they were isolating off-campus last year. It might be anime, it might be hiking, it might be gaming, or it might be a club for a new career choice like nursing students or business students.

Whether it's restoring the older clubs, or creating new clubs, we need to focus on getting club and organizational enrollment higher.

Goal Setting and Achievement There is one true triangle in club management, three elements that must be present for success. Those three elements are leaders, followers, and goals.

Think about it. You need leaders to hold everything together and keep an organization moving forward.

You obviously need followers, because that comprises your organization. But a club without goals just flounders without direction.

Make sure your student leaders know how to work with their followers to create goals for their organization. I've written about goals before, and we know how important it is to have those SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based. Creating SMART goals helps the club to focus on a purpose, a direction, and develop the skills to succeed both in college and in life.

Organizations also need another type goal, one I call a “BHAG”: a big, hairy audacious goal. A BHAG is a huge goal, not impossible, but one that is even more challenging than a SMART goal. Something outrageous, such as hosting the state or national convention for the club on your campus, or raising more funds for your cause than any other chapter in the country, or just becoming the biggest and most successful club on your campus.

A BHAG has one powerful effect: ispiration. You will find that this huge goal, whether you attain it or not, becomes aspirational. It lifts your student leaders and followers, and give them something bigger than themselves to work to achieve. That's a powerful goal.

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Finding the Time

management trainers to your campus or do this training in-house yourself, your student leaders must have the skill to deal with their time well, and accomplish their goals.

After the past year or more, your student leaders may have lost their compass. Not to imply that they are lost, but they may be struggling with schedules these Give Them a Hand days. We all had those pandemic days that just drifted into one another. Those weeks when we We've all had a tough couple of years. Those of us weren't sure even what day of the week we were who have had a few more trips around the sun may living. be able to dig ourselves out of this hole, but our younger student leaders truly need our help. Make Working and learning virtually sometimes means sure you recognize the challenges your student setting your own schedule. Now that we're back on leaders are facing rebuilding their leadership skills campus, some students are struggling to get everything done. They need some help in what I call and their organizations. the Three Ps: Planning, Priorities, and Procrastination.

Do all you can to rebuild your campus clubs and Everybody has the same 24-hours in their day. Some organizations. Get your students engaged again, people seem to get a lot more accomplished in their because we know that engaged students are retained students. Don't underestimate the impact 24-hours. How does that happen? It comes from planning. Make sure your student leaders understand that campus clubs and organizations have on student success. the basic concept of the To-Do list, and how to put one together. Those of us who teach timemanagement can give them a lot of tips, like Copyright by Del Suggs, M.S.Ed. making tomorrow's To-Do list today. That's right, the Del@DelSuggs.com last item on each day's list should be “make DelSuggs.com tomorrow's list.” Never start your day by creating a 1-800-323-1976 list. It should already be waiting for you.

All rights reserved.

Likewise, make the best use of your time by prioritizing your list. Not everything on that list is equally important. Remember the Pareto Principle: eighty percent of the work takes twenty percent of the time, and twenty percent of the work takes eighty percent of the time. Do the most important things first, because those things will take the most time.

You can do the lessimportant tasks in between the important tasks.

Then there is procrastination-- that remarkable ability to put off doing anything important or productive. To quote my friend Mimi Hearn, “killing time isn't murder, it's suicide.” It's YOUR time that you waste when you procrastinate.

Make sure your student leaders have the tools they to need to accomplish their goals. Learning to deal with procrastination leads to success in college and in life. Again, whether you bring professional time

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JOIN US EVERY THURSDAY AT 2PM (EST) FOR OUR PIVOT YOUR PROGRAMS WEBINARS! Discussions and interviews with leading professionals in the campus life & talent industries regarding programming during and after Covid-19 Missed previous Pivot Your Programs webinars?

Check out all the webinars in the APCA Virtual Community Workplace!

TOPICS INCLUDE: VIRTUAL & LIVE PROGRAMMING IDEAS MARKETING STRATEGIES ONLINE RECRUITMENT VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGIES VIRTUAL DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING ONLINE RESOURCES AND TOOLS INTERVIEWS WITH CAMPUS LIFE PROFESSIONALS INTERVIEWS WITH TALENT AGENCIES VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT Q & A WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND MORE!

ARS BIN E! E W FRE TO E R E A HER K R C CLI GISTE RE AY TOD

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APCA National Campus Activites Conference APCA to Hold In-Person 2022 National Conference in Hershey, PA! The APCA 2022 National Conference will be held on March 24-27 in Hershey, PA at the Hershey Lodge Resort. APCA will host the event IN PERSON. Schools will be able to attend in person or use our virtual platform to participate in real time from their campuses.

The theme of this year’s national conference is Sweet Deals for Student Engagement! The conference will focus on new best practices resulting from our collective experiences over the last academic year and mentoring new professionals to carry the torch of effective student engagement into the future. 2020/2021 was the most challenging time in the history of Student Life programming. The advent of virtual programming has been both a blessing and a curse for our campus staff members.

Innovative programming for online populations has been plagued by technical and logistical issues, despite the best efforts of dedicated student life professionals.

Throughout the process, one thing has become very apparent; everyone is becoming strained by online fatigue. Student connections are best made through in-person, connective events that bring us together. Thankfully, those in-person events seem much closer to safely happening again than they have seemed for a long, long while.

The 2022 APCA National Campus Activities Planning Conference will still feature the APCA core conference elements: Showcases, Exhibit Halls, Cooperative Buying, and Educational Sessions. There will be ample opportunity to find talent and receive massive savings for your budgets to justify the expense of attendance through our Cooperative Buying program.

Showcases / Cooperative Buying Live Showcases (comedy, music, magic, spoken word, leadership speakers, cultural acts, novelties, esports, and much more!), in-person and virtual engagement, and new, more affordable programming will be featured at the National Conference! The Showcases will also demonstrate CDC compliant audience distancing and sanitizing measures to keep attendees at the events and on their campuses safe.

All schools attending the event will be able to participate in the APCA Cooperative Buying process via our synchronized in-person and virtual Cooperative Buying sessions. No matter how big or small your programming budget may be, APCA schools save thousands of dollars on quality programming for their campuses. Working together in Cooperative Buying is the fun, smart, safe way to bring events and activities to your student body.

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Educational Sessions Get your student life team ready to perform!

APCA will host a wide array of educational seminars for students and student life advisors on relevant topics such as: Leadership Engagement & Assessment DEI Campus Event Production & Promotion Esports Mental Health Organizational Development, Recruitment, & Retention New Professionals Training Would you and your team like to present an Ed Session at the APCA National Conference?

Links to Ed Session Proposals can be found on apca.com, or email info@apca.com for more information.

REGISTER TODAY for the APCA National Conference! Visit us at www.apca.com, or email info@apca.com to connect with the APCA staff.

** New Advisor/Professionals Track! ** The pandemic has yielded unprecedented loss of experience in Student Life and Student Affairs departments across the nation. Retirements, resignations, and reassignments have left the market with a need for immediate mentoring and training for advisors and professionals new to the field.

The APCA National Conference will feature Educational Sessions and mentoring programs designed specifically to address this issue. Attendees will make valuable connections and receive training on key elements of the field such as: • Engagement and Inclusion

Programming Techniques • Running Effective Student Organizations • Leadership Training & Programming • “How To” Training for Assessment

Creation & Implementation • Risk Management & Safety • Best Practices in Live and Virtual Event Planning • Mentoring Programs with Seasoned Professionals!

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Make Your Meetings Fun and Engaging Dave Kelly

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~America's Student Leadership Trainer www.DaveGonzoKelly.com

unning effective meetings is one of the most important aspects of leading a club or organization, student government, programming board, fraternity, sorority, or any other type of group on campus.

Unfortunately, many of the meetings that students run are boring or unproductive. When I present this topic on campus or at conferences, I ask students what makes meetings boring or unproductive. Here are some of the responses: • Lack of participation • One person doing all the talking, in a monotone or boring voice • No agenda • Talking about the same things, over and over again • Does not start or end on time • NOT FUN! These are all legitimate complaints. Continue reading to learn how you can combat these issues while making your meetings productive!

The most important thing that you can do to prepare for a meeting is to create an agenda that includes a lot of opportunities for participation. “But, Dave, I don’t know what should go into an agenda!” You are in luck because I have run more than 1,000 meetings in my lifetime. Here are the basic elements:

Call to Order: This is essentially an announcement

that the meeting is starting. You should do this as close as possible to the scheduled meeting start time, whether you are virtual or in-person. If you consistently start five or ten minutes late, then your members will expect that and show up later and later every time. However, if they know they can count on you to start on time then, hopefully, they will make the effort to get there by the time the meeting starts. You can simply say, “I call this meeting to order.” You may want to simultaneously hit a gavel or gong, or ring a small bell, to emphasize that the meeting has been called to order.

Check for Quorum: Quorum is the number of

members that must be in attendance to conduct business. Your constitution or bylaws should spell this out but if it doesn’t, a quorum generally consists of half of your members. If you do not have a quorum, then you cannot take votes or make decisions. However, you can still talk about upcoming events and discuss any pending business to try to build consensus for a vote at a future meeting. What happens if you start the meeting with quorum, but lose it during the meeting? Then you must immediately adjourn the meeting. You may continue to discuss things as outlined above, but no

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formal business can take place. Anything you did before the loss of quorum still counts, but nothing after.

Approval of the Minutes: The minutes are the

record of your meetings. It is not a word-for-word transcript, but should include a list of the members, advisors, and guests in attendance and any actions taken, such as motions and votes. You can distribute the minutes electronically or post them to a page that members have access to in lieu of handing out copies. When it is time to review the minutes from the previous meeting, ask if there are any changes or corrections to the minutes. If not, the Chair of the meeting can either ask to approve the minutes as submitted by unanimous consent or request a motion and second, followed by a vote. If there are changes and/or corrections, make them, and then follow the same procedure for approval.

Officer Reports: Each officer reports on their area

of responsibility. This is where you begin getting more participation with different voices. You may also ask your Advisor to make a report.

Committee Reports: Now you are really

increasing the participation in the meeting. Have your committees report on their activities, upcoming events and projects, and pass around sign-up sheets. It is OK if they say they have nothing to report, so put them at ease about that.

Of course, if they have nothing to report meeting after meeting, then you may need to have talk with them!

Old Business: This is where you discuss anything

that has been brought up at a previous meeting that has not had a decision or vote made on it.

New Business: New items or ideas of discussion can be brought up here and voted on if your members want to make a decision on the topic. These items can also be deferred to a future meeting where they will be brought up as Old Business.

Announcements: Just as it sounds! Let members

announce upcoming things happening, even if they may not be something the group is planning.

It could be another club they belong to, something SGA is doing, or even just something great happening for them.

Adjournment: This is the end of the meeting and

can be accomplished in one of three different ways: either by someone making a motion and another person seconding to adjourn (not debatable) followed by a vote on adjourning; by the Chair observing that there is no other business to be considered and declaring the meeting to be adjourned; or by reaching a preset time for adjournment. Always try to end on time because people are busy with lots of things on their plate. If you go too far past the scheduled time for the meeting to adjourn (if it is not a preset, automatic adjournment), then you will start to lose their focus and attention and make them upset that you are going over time.

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“Okay, that covers some of the issues you mentioned above, what about ways to make the meeting fun or get participation from members that are not officers or committee chairs?”

Glad you asked. Here are some of my favorite ideas: • Play music: Have upbeat, energetic music playing as people are coming into the meeting. This gets people excited and avoids that awkward silence before the meeting when everyone is looking at their phones. Check to make sure that the tunes are the radio-friendly versions, so you don’t risk offending anyone.

• Assign greeters: Ask a couple of members to greet members as they come into the meeting or join the virtual call. I suggest asking new members to do this. It gets them involved, they get to meet other members, and it gives them a reason to show up. You can rotate this responsibility or make it an ongoing role.

• Have icebreakers: These are great to get people to interact with others that they do not know and an awesome way to bring new members into the fold. Mix it up with some that require moving around, just answering a question, or asking your members for ideas from other groups they belong to, camps they have gone to, etc.

• Record the meeting: This is easy to do if you are virtual or hybrid by using the recording option in the platform. If you are fully in-person, I suggest that you continue to record your meetings for members who cannot make it to campus or have a conflict that keeps them from attending live. You don’t have to get fancy – a cell phone recording will help to keep them engaged. You could also have a second meeting later in the week, possibly at another time, and do it virtually for these members. This is a great responsibility to assign to the vice-president as they many times do not have clearly defined duties.

• Invocation, funny story, this day in history: Depending upon the makeup of your group, you may want to do these before you get into the business of

the meeting. An invocation is a prayer, a funny story that could come from a source such as “Chicken Soup for the Soul”, or you could go to the History Channel website to find interesting things that happened on that day in history. You could do all of these or use other ideas. Ask non-officers to do this to increase the engagement of all members.

• Celebrate birthdays or big accomplishments: People love when a big deal is made for their birthday, an award they may have won, or some other recognition. What do you do for birthdays that happen when school is not in session? Celebrate those at the first meeting when you come back from a break or observe half-birthdays. I have an August birthday, and in high school, my friends would celebrate the half-way date in February.

• Do service projects: Meetings are a great place to engage members in doing community service!

Try simple, easy to do things such as craft projects, making doggie tug toys, assembly projects (such as toiletry kits or sandwiches), or writing notes, cards, and letters to military service people, first responders, or nursing home residents.

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“So, we can do other stuff than the basic agenda and what is in parliamentary procedure?”

Absolutely! This is your meeting. It is a student-run organization, and it should be fun. As long as you are not violating school policy (such as hazing) or breaking laws, you can make your meeting reflect your group’s personality and customs. Use parliamentary procedure to keep things on track, to save you from redundant discussions, and for when you must take serious actions, such as spending money or even removing someone from office. Make the meetings so enjoyable that members are afraid to miss them!

Your meetings are going to be the place where most of your members will engage with your group.

Make them as fun and engaging as possible, while still getting things done, and you will have a great group of satisfied members that you are able to keep through the whole year!

Dave Kelly is a professional speaker, trainer, author, and coach. He has spoken over 600 times for more than 300 different colleges and universities, both in-person and virtually. He is the founder and National Coordinator of APCA Serves™ and was the 2019 APCA Campus Speaker of the Year.

He can be reached by email at DaveKelly@GonzoSpeaks.com or by phone at (404) 403-1481.

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Using a G.O.A.T. Strategy to Reset Your Campus Activities Program Bill Harcleroad

~Director of Campus Activities & Leadership | SUNY ONEONTA

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UNY Oneonta’s mission is to “nurture a community where students grow intellectually, thrive socially and live purposefully.” Our vision is “to become the exemplar residential community, providing relevant educational experiences in and outside of the classroom.” I have been incredibly fortunate to have inherited and build upon a strong activities program. That, and a strong division of Student Development, not only helped fulfill those statements but, in some ways, helped form how we think of ourselves here at SUNY Oneonta. The cocurricular has always been part of the “Oneonta experience.”

Our history of strong cocurricular engagement helped us to pivot to virtual and hybrid programs when the pandemic hit. We continued to see our “outside the (virtual) classroom” experience as part of what makes Oneonta stand out in the higher ed space. This manifested itself in programming from across the campus but also in significant financial and logistical support from the college itself (and, yes, I know how fortunate that makes me).

Getting the word that we could return to in-person activities for Fall 2021 was certainly exciting news.

It also came with apprehension that we might have lost momentum. Could we pick up where we left off? Was the magic gone?

We had several challenges: 1. Almost all of the students moving onto campus (as we only require first-year and sophomores to live on campus) have no history of attending in-person incredible events sponsored by A/C, the Activities Council.

2. Many clubs and organizations languished over the last 3 semesters so we would need to over-program to provide as robust a calendar as we have had in the past.

3. New protocols limiting space usage and types of events.

4. Overcoming anxiety about being in large(r) groups.

5. The majority of the Activities Council had never run in-person events.

Using a Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) strategy helped us to confront these challenges. Having tried and true performers meant that some of our senior student influencers (RAs, OLs) had likely seen them and could recommend them. This also assisted with event production as we had worked with these performers before, leaving little surprise. This strategy, although useful, did not apply to all events. We did not use this strategy for our large fall weekend event, a music series, and movies. Many were G.O.A.T.s. Last year’s Activities Council (A/C) was presented data on all performers they had hosted over the last five years and asked to rank them in various categories to produce a desired program.

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Here is how our G.O.A.T. semester looked: {G.O.A.T.s are designated with an "X"} OPENING WEEKEND This was an incredible opportunity to not only connect to our first-year students but also to our sophomores as we had added a “year 2 all about you” to our orientation program which drew approximately 500 sophomores back early.

• Quad Party with make and take activities X • Weekend Movie: F9: The Fast Saga • Sailesh the Hypnotist X – to be fair this is something we do every year (except for 2020). NOBODY else can fill a venue on a Friday night like Sailesh can!

• Saturday Spectacular: 1. Color Dance Party 2. Ben Seidman Magic X – another annual favorite 3. Outdoor screening of F9: The Fast Saga MONDAYS Mondays, in our programming model, almost always have A/C events with every other Monday being a comedian branded as Chuck’s Comedy Club (we host most of these events in the Waterfront of the Charles W. Hunt College Union). Mondays also saw us hosting a monthly up-and-coming music series, the Collective Tour, which was a joint series hosted by different campuses across the country.

• An Evening with Josh Peck X • Ken Nwadike Jr: The Power of Positive Human Interaction X • Chuck's Comedy Club: Chico Bean from Wild 'n Out X • The Great Dubois: The World's Most Unique Two-Person Circus Show X • Chuck's Comedy Club: Kelly Kellz X • CI Collective Tour: Olivia Lunny • Mills Distinguished Lecture: Dashka Slater, author of The 57 Bus (our campus common read for 2021) • Chuck's Comedy Club: Eric O'Shea X

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• CI Collective Tour: DoubleCamp • Chuck's Comedy Club: Francisco Ramos X • Jeffrey Marsh, Non-binary Actor & Activist X – this was canceled due to, understandable, reluctance of performer to fly as the date got closer.

• Chuck's Comedy Club: LeClerc Andre X • CI Collective Tour: Lisa Heller TUESDAYS We have weekly Tuesday Trivia X. This used to be a team trivia format, but we liked the individual format we used when remote and now offer this as hybrid program with most people in person and others on Microsoft Teams all playing via Kahoot for gift cards to our campus store.

WEDNESDAYS Our Poetry Slam Association hosts a slam every other Wednesday and there are often plays and other events happening so A/C fills in the gaps.

• Red Dragon Rhythms: A Night of Student Voices • Random Acts of Poetry Day • The Vocal Illusions of Lynn Trefzger X • The Evasons Mentalist Duo X • Show Up or STFU which is our concert selection process to encourage participation in the decision making.

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WEEKENDS We have at least 2 events each Friday and Saturday night. We show movies at 6:30 & 9 PM and A/C fills in any gaps along with our partners in Residential/Community Life. We also show the movies at 1, 6:30, & 9 PM on Sundays.

• First Red Day of the semester X – We • encourage our entire community to wear Red on Fridays so the first Friday of the semester is a kick-off with giveaways to support that goal. We have different levels of prizes and the more school spirit you show the better prizes you can earn.

• Casino Night X • Meet me on Main – the City of Oneonta • created these weekly events where Main Street becomes pedestrian only and • entertainment is offered to draw people back downtown. We sponsored the final weekend of the series once classes were back in session.

• Laser Tag and Giant Games X • Caribbean Night • Sal Vulcano and Special Guest doing Live Stand-Up Comedy – traditionally our Labor Day weekend event would be a musical • concert but we just weren’t ready for that. We did, however, feel that we could have a largescale comedian with the audience capped at 2000 (50% capacity of arena) seated and masked.

• Late Night Skate and Laser Tag at Interskate 88 X – BIGGEST ONE EVER! • Jonathan Burns Physical Comedy and Contortionist X • BINGO X – we have always had a BINGO night but decided, like with Trivia, that we liked some of the changes brought about while doing it remotely so this was a hybrid version with electronic cards and people meeting in small groups throughout one of our academic building or remote joining us via Teams.

• Late Night Paint X • Archery Tag (and board games) X • Disney's Fantasia under the stars • The Little Mermen – this was for Family Weekend which was canceled so the event was as well.

• Bubble Soccer and Board Games X • Fright Fest Trip to Six Flags Great Escape X – MOST ATTENDEES EVER • Donna Washington Storyteller: Ghost Stories X • Chris Fleming Ghost Hunter • Broadway Trip: The Lion King X ish (we had a trip every semester through fall 2019) • Dragons After Dark (series held in Residence Halls on select weekend dates with various themes decided by hall government) STUDY DAY/STRESS FREE ZONE For our big end of semester event we used our all-time favorite theme of “Stressed is just Desserts spelled backwards” and featured many of our favorite activities along with favorite desserts.

• Gingerbread House building with Gingerbread Cookies • Jackbox Games with Dessert Bars • Paint & Sip with Dessert Bars • Make Your Own Stress Balls with Brownies • Dragon’s Lair XXL (Video games on big screens) with Pie and Ice Cream • Holiday Arts & Crafts with Decorate your own Cupcakes • Cartoon Room with Cereal • Karaoke with Fresh Fruit and Chocolate Fondue • Salon Room with Pudding Bar • Oxygen Bar, Architectural Signs, and DIY Zen Gardens with Argo Tea Bar • BINGO (until 8) and then Trivia with Fresh baked cookies • Bubble Wrap Room with Pound Cake

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Here are some numbers which indicate that we achieved many of our goals: • 4383 students (83% of enrolled) attended at least one event with the average being a little over 8 events per person. 35,841 total check-ins • Average event rating: 4.65 out 5 stars • Why attended (could select more than one):

Content appealed to me: 72%

Told it was required: .5%

Nothing else to do: 15%

Attended before: 6%

Told it would be good: 21% • This program was worth my time to attend: 94% chose Yes • All students pay fees which fund social programs. Was this program a good use of that money?: 95% chose Yes • I would attend this event again: 94% chose Yes So, did it work? It’s too early to say for sure, and we continued our other events to experiences strategy as well, but there are many positive signs and it sure felt good to welcome people back to our “IncREDible Events.”

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Financial Keys To Student Success Daniela Ngounou

~International Speaker, Coach & Author www.danielangounou.com

It is without a doubt that money is the number 1 reason for college student dropouts and has been for a long period of time. Unfortunately, most students do not know how to handle their finances to succeed during college and prepare themselves for a bright future. Oftentimes, students’ bad money habits are created during their college years because it is the first time most of them get to be “on their own”.

Although money is a huge burden to many students, it doesn’t have to be the case forever.

I am on a mission to empower as many students as possible to understand personal finance. As you have probably heard, knowledge is power. Once you apply these financial keys, you will be ahead of most our society, which will catapult you to success during college and beyond.

Assess Your Current State

Before jumping into action, you must first analyze your current situation. Where do your finances stand as of today? Do you have a current job, allowance, loans, expenses, etc.? I suggest creating an excel spreadsheet starting with two simple columns: Income and Expenses. After you have all your income and expenses (I recommend listing them as monthly income and monthly expense), find the difference between the two figures by subtracting the expenses from the income amount. This is called your “cashflow”; the amount of money you have left after your monthly expenses. This number may be positive, zero, or even negative depending on your situation. Whatever it is, just be honest with yourself, this is the first step to financial success! It is also important to list out your money goals at this step so you can have an idea of where you want to be. Some questions that may be helpful to ask yourself are: • “How much money do I want to have saved right after graduation?”

• “What are some purchases I would like to make in the next 3 years?”

• “Who is someone that I want to be more like when it pertains to personal finance?”

CLT Magazine | SPRING 2022

Consider Creating a Source of Income

This step looks different for every student because it all depends on your cash flow from the previous step, as well as, in my opinion, what year of college you are in. I always advise first-year college students to avoid overloading themselves with jobs or too many activities until they know and understand their class workload and what works for them. Usually 2 months in, or even after finishing first semester, most students form a routine that works for them and understand what they can or cannot handle. After that time period, I recommend considering working a job or creating a source of income that will mesh well with your schedule. Here are some great ideas for students: babysitting, help desk operator, tutor, brand ambassador, dog sitter/walker, research assistant, or part time work in a field related to what you are going to school for!

Create and Stick to a Budget

Budgeting might sound like too much of an “adult” word. But unfortunately, most adults do not budget which is why most of them are in a financial funk. Don’t become one of them!

Create this habit now and you will be so pleased with how budgeting can bless you now and in the future! To make it simple, a budget is a financial plan that you set for yourself for guidance on how to use your money. This can be easily done in excel. Or, if you are more of a digital person, there are many apps that will help you with this. Consider starting by using a very simple rule called the 50/30/20 rule. This rule explains that 50% of your income should go to necessary expenses, such as rent, food, mandatory books & supplies, etc. This is money that you must spend in order to live safely and go to school. The next bucket is the 30% for your “nice to have” items. These items could be decor you may want for your room, new clothing that you do not necessarily need, going out with friends, gifts, and things along

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that line. Lastly, you are to save 20% of your income. Saving is a huge part of personal finance because it can really help when the unexpected happens and it is the key to building wealth! If your necessary expenses account for less than 50% or if your “nice to have” items accounts for less than 30% of your income, great! Put the rest in the savings bucket.

Saving & Retirement Planning

The 20% budget I talked about earlier is going to be for short-term savings as well as investments and retirement planning. You might be wondering, “Why would I think about retirement planning in college?” The answer to that is the earlier, the better! I recommend anyone interested in creating wealth to have a 3-month emergency fund saved (that is not touched unless necessary) in a checking account, and the rest of their savings to go into a financial vehicle that will produce some form of a return. A high yielding savings account is a good place to start. Another idea is to invest in mutual or index funds. These are a great way to invest without having to stress too much about what is going on in the market.

Another necessary piece to your savings bucket is retirement planning. You do not have to be employed to start a retirement account.

You can create something called an individual retirement account (IRA) and contribute to it for your future. Also, get a life insurance plan!

This is something that is best to do at a younger age and can give you tax advantages as well. While I cannot go into full detail in this article, I recommend that you look into getting a whole life insurance policy with cash dividends with a mutual funded insurance company. This will allow you to enjoy the power of compound interest because the earlier you start, the more time money has to multiply for your benefit.

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CLT Magazine | SPRING 2022

Understand Taxes

Taxes are another one of those things that are unavoidable and is vital to have an understanding of how they work. You may have never filed your own taxes up to this point, or maybe you had a parent do it for you.

Regardless of where you fall in that spectrum, it is important you start understanding what they are and how they work. This can be as simple as a YouTube search. If you have a job and are getting a paycheck, you are paying taxes and will have to file them at the end of the year. I challenge you to do it yourself and seek professional help so you can be empowered.

Work on your Credit

Credit is a huge deal in our society. In order to buy a house, a car, or any big purchase that will require a loan, it is very important to have good credit. A credit score is basically a grade that tells other people how good you are at borrowing money and paying it off on time. So now that you know how important it is, let me help you bring it up! A major way to drastically increase your credit score is to become an authorized user on someone else’s credit card that already has good credit. This is a good opportunity to ask your parents or a close family member to help you get a head start. Another way you can work on your credit is by getting a credit card. There are many student credit cards on the market that help students with this. Just make sure not to abuse it! A great rule of thumb is to only spend as much as you have in cash and pay it off every month so you do not accrue any unnecessary interest.

Take Action!

Now that you have learned some of the major keys to financial success, take action! Do not allow money to be a problem for you during college. You are here to discover yourself and get ready for the real world. Money shouldn’t stop you from your dreams, it only helps you when you know how to handle it. Share this article with someone else and ask them to be your accountability buddy! Also, connect with me, I would love to help break this down even more in a workshop and provide resources to ensure success! Cheers to a bright financial future!

CLT Magazine | SPRING 2022

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