Near the end of last semester, I was asked to visit with the Hall Director team on our campus about professional development. Specifically, I was asked to share information about my involvement in ACPA-College Student Educators International, my professional home since my time in grad school at Western Michigan University.

As the group is relatively small and most of our conversations are just that, conversations, there were no handouts or an ever-exciting PowerPoint. Just me – and what I think turned out to be – some unexpected advice.  Continue reading →

The first installment of the On being well read series of posts included a number of cautions for the aspiring well read professional. At this point I would strongly suggest that you take a moment to review the cautions as the possibility of information overload is about to get real.

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Early in the environmental movement of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, grassroots activists adopted the saying, “Think Globally, Act Locally” as the call to action for volunteers and every-day citizens to begin protecting the earth. While the origin of the phrase itself remains a bit disputed, the expression urged people to consider the health of the planet and to take action in their own communities and cities. In other words, start at home. In part two of On being well read, we will start with what my professional home has to offer.  And now to you ACPA-College Student Educators International…

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To be well read. Early in my career I remember hearing a more seasoned professional remark that a colleague was, “very well read.” The statement was shared with bit of reverence and was most certainly an indication that all good professionals should strive to be “well read.” Now that I have been in the profession for a few years I have more of sense of what it means to be a well read professional and how it helps inform my work.  This post sets the stage.  The posts to follow offer a few specific ideas for how and where you might add to your professional knowledge base by taking time to read/be more connected. But first, to set the stage, a few words of caution…

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