The last 18 months have been nothing short of a marathon in the lessons of patience and resilience. The tectonic shift from in-person classes to virtual learning and the cutting of professional development budgets has resulted in many advisors having to make choices between pursuing their own professional goals and managing the day-to-day obligations of work and family. As we now start to look towards returning to some semblance of ‘normal’ perhaps there is space to reconsider professional development and engagement on a different level.
NACADA, the Global Community of Academic Advising provides a host of opportunities for advising professionals to connect and learn from one another through a network of like-minded individuals who all work to support students through their higher education journeys. As an association that relies heavily on the expertise and dedication of volunteers, there are a vast number of opportunities for advisors to expand and grow their leadership skills by getting involved. And the best part of starting on this journey is that it doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment or require a special set of skills in order to succeed. In fact, if you have only a few hours a month that you could dedicate to your own professional growth, then NACADA might just be a great way for you to start investing in yourself.
The Region 8 steering committee is an active and engaged group of advisors who work together to provide professional development activities across the region. Your Region 8 steering committee is currently seeking new members to join the committee and engage in activities such as conference planning, helping to facilitate the R8 Monthly Talks, supporting the Region Awards & Scholarship program, and engaging in supporting the Learning Partnership program. We are also seeking new ideas and feedback from members on initiatives that we can introduce that will help support the needs of our members.
We are looking for members to fulfill the following roles in the Region 8 steering committee:
- Provincial Liaison for BC
- Provincial Liaison for Alberta
- State Liaisons for Alaska
- State Liaisons for Idaho
- State Liaisons for Montana
- State Liaisons for Washington
- Communications Coordinator
- Two-Year College Liaison
- Awards & Scholarship Chair ( Brand New Role)
Below is some general information about the province/state liaison position, expectations of steering committee members, and the nomination process and timeline.
State/Province Liaisons: will facilitate communication between allied organizations (state/province and campus organizations) and the region, help plan and coordinate outreach and/or professional development opportunities for their state/province/territory, and serve on Region 8 steering committee sub-committees (i.e. Awards Committee, Scholarship Committee).
Awards Chair: This is a new addition to the steering committee and the Awards Chair will be responsible for overseeing the awards and scholarship program for Region 8. Working closely with the communications coordinator, the Awards & Scholarships Chair will promote these programs, recruit volunteers to evaluate nomination packets, and preside over the final award & scholarship winners. The Awards & Scholarships Chair will also facilitate the recognition of awardees through a variety of media and at the Region conference.
Communications Coordinator: The communications coordinator works closely with the entire steering committee to manage and update the content for the Region 8 website (in conjunction with the Executive Office liaison), and also manages the Region 8 social media channels.
Two-Year College Liaison: The two-year college/institution liaison works closely with the province/state/territory liaisons to promote outreach to two-year colleges/institutions throughout the region. The goal of this position is to promote professional development and engagement opportunities for this demographic.
These are great opportunities for anyone interested in taking on an excellent leadership position within a province/state, the region, and with NACADA. No previous experience is required, in fact, this is an excellent first leadership opportunity for those of you who have been looking for a way to become more involved in NACADA and make Region 8 even greater!
Time Commitment: Steering Committee Meeting once a month (one hour) and 2-8 hours a month serving on sub-committees or event planning/outreach (depends on what project/sub-committee member is working on). Steering committee members serve a two-year term, with the option of serving a second two-year term. Attendance at regional and state/province conferences is encouraged but not required.
Nomination Process and Timeline: If you would like to run for any of these positions, please email your Region 8 Chair, Shea Ellingham (sellingham@mtroyal.ca) your name, photo (jpeg preferred), institution, email, phone number, and a brief (about 200 words) statement about your background and why you are interested in serving in the position by December 1, 2021. Your photo and personal statement will be posted on the voting website. Voting (online) will take place in January, winners will be notified in early February, and the newly elected members will join the Steering Committee at the regional conference in May 2022 (either in person or via Zoom).
NACADA Region 8 
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