IPDS 2010 (a.k.a. Networking in Indiana)

Yesterday I returned home from the Association of College Union International's (ACUI) Indiana Professional Development Seminar (IPDS). This is basically a type of orientation for new professionals in higher education, specifically those of us who work in and with college unions. I have to say the expereince was not only amazing, but far exceeded my expectations.

We were part of a class of about 50 participants from around the country. The seminar was about five days, and we covered a wide range of topics from career development to sustainability to collaborations between operations and programmers. The program was hosted at Indiana University, which is a beautiful campus in Bloomington. Four of us from FSU attended: Mike, Lori, Ian, and myself.

Most participants stayed in the hotel located in the Indiana Memorial Union. However, Mike, Lori, and I were part of 12 people who did not get rooms and had to stay further into town. (Ian got lucky and was upgraded to one at the last minute.) While this may seem like an inconvenience, it turned out to be a really nice walk to and from the hotel. It also made for a great running path in the mornings.

All in all, I have to say I really enjoyed the connections I made with other professionals. While networking is often a goal of most conferences and experiences, this time I really felt connected to the people there. We also seemed to make friends really well with the delegation from the University of Delaware. Who knew? I also connected with a number of people who have jobs similar to mine, and now we can connect, commiserate, and celebrate together. I can only hope that we will truly have a new network of people on which to rely as we navigate our careers in higher education.

I also felt like I really was able to take away much from our sessions and the experience as a whole. I gained a number of good ideas, tips, and tricks from the faculty and my peers. It was a great re-energizer (despite the fact that I am exhausted from travel). We also were able to learn much from the University of Indiana, and we were even able to tour a local brewery, Upland Brewing Co., to learn about their sustainability efforts and do a beer tasting! I was also able to have a geek moment when I had time to visit the Kinsey Institute. Amazing.

The most surprising thing was I now have a desire to learn more about ACUI and possibly get more involved with the association. (ACUI also hosted the Women's Leadership Institute I attended last December.) Luckily, the regional conference is going to be hosted at FSU this fall. So that will make things pretty easy!