I knew I was certifiable – I’d been told that for years.  Did I really need proof?!  I needed to prove to myself that I could do this job; that I have the knowledge and abilities to excel.  I didn’t apply for the CCEP Certification program for my boss or my boss’s boss.  I did it for me.

Three years sounds like so much time.  Three years.  156 weeks.  780 work days.  No problem!   Twelve educational experiences, two professional endeavors, 15 volunteer hours, and 15 answers, to be completed within three years – and I was halfway there.  I received my acceptance to the program, along with my workbook, and was on my way!  I read the workbook cover to cover, penciling in notes along the way.  I was sure I could get this done in half the time!  No problem…

Well, two years into the process and I had it all done except the questions, of which I only had two completed.  I realized that I needed to make time to work on the questions.  At the suggestion of a CCEP in my region, I blocked out time weekly, and went to the local coffee shop, laptop in tow.  I made sure my staff knew that the three hours blocked once per week were non-negotiable.  I was leaving the office to get my skinny caramel latte, and work on my essays.  I asked some colleagues on campus to keep tabs on me, encourage my progress, and motivate me as only they know how.

Long story short, my packets were completed with two weeks to spare.  Relief and trepidation were my companions.  I was finally done, but would the graders agree?  In the end, the graders approved of my submissions, and the “letters” were mine to use.  I had done it, and was proud of my achievement.  I had learned so much along the way, and had made some fantastic friends while volunteering, planning, and serving the Association.

Everyone’s experience is different when working on their CCEP.  There isn’t a right way, except the way that works for you.  Three years is a long time, but it’s worth it!  I did it for me.

Laurin M. Gierman, CCEP, is sales manager, Spartan Hospitality Group at Michigan State University. She was recognized at the ACCED-I 31^st Annual Conference in Orlando for achieving her CCEP designation.  For more information on the CCEP Certification program visit the ACCED-I website.

ACCED-I is proud to be a sponsor of The Women’s Leadership Institute which is the premier program for women leaders across campus. The program is held at a resort-style location to maximize learning and minimize distractions, and is designed for women who aspire to new leadership positions on campus. The institute features a curriculum with an overall focus on building the next generation of leaders in higher education administration and student affairs. This is a wonderful program for women of all ages to come together to learn and network with one another, forming bonds that will last a lifetime.

Join us in Southern California at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel on Nov. 29–Dec. 2 or at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, Florida for a program Dec. 4–7.

Learning outcomes:

• A stronger community of practice among women in the college and university environment
• Personal and professional growth through reflection and both general and concurrent sessions
• Team-building and leadership development
• Empowerment for women to pursue higher level positions in their respective fields

Potential program topics:

• Gender communication
• Negotiating salary
• Techniques for good supervision
• Work/life balance
• Conducting quality searches
• Mentoring
• Financial competency
• Career mapping

Find out more about the Women’s Leadership Institute.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in the 32nd Annual Conference! Share your knowledge and enthusiasm about the profession with your colleagues by presenting a session in Denver.

The ACCED-I Annual Conference is the largest gathering of collegiate conference and events professionals in the world. The conference provides numerous educational opportunities in a variety of program formats: 75-minute special interest sessions, 45-minute mini sessions, and 45-minute roundtable discussions. Attendees come with a wide-range of expertise and experiences. Presentations are focused on the many disciplines in the field of collegiate conferencing and events.
SESSION TRACKS

The Annual Conference program includes a conference AND events focus. Events members are invited to submit session proposals in the traditional tracks but with an events focus. Each session block will include programs specifically tailored for both conferences and events.

To assist in the development of a balanced educational program, please classify your presentation into one of the tracks and target audience. You are encouraged to expand on the ideas listed.
SESSION FORMAT

Special Interest Sessions: 75-minute traditional presentation, which may include designated group discussion time. Sessions should be presented as a flexible model that can be adapted to any institution. However, we will accept a few institutional case studies. If you are submitting a case study, please designate it as such.

Mini Sessions: 45-minute presentation, developed for presentations that do not require the amount of time slated for special interest sessions.

Roundtable Discussions: 45-minute opportunity to trade thoughts, procedures, and strategies with peers on a topic.

Benefits of Presenting

• Enhance your professional visibility

• Gain valuable knowledge

• Shape the future of your profession

• Network with your colleagues

• Share your own knowledge and solutions

• Earn credit toward your CCEP Certification

Submit a proposal today! Proposals are due July 22, 2011

The Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International consists of over 1,500 campus professionals who design, market, coordinate and plan conferences and special events on the campuses of colleges and universities around the world.  Since 1980, ACCED-I has increased the visibility and enhanced the stature of the collegiate conference and events profession.

There are numerous membership benefits available to members of ACCED-I, including:

• Subscribe to the ACCED-I (members only) LISTSERV and learn from the experiences of over 1,000 colleagues of this active electronic discussion forum.
• Receive access to the online ACCED-I Membership Directory and expand your professional networking base.
• Enjoy reading ACCED-I Connections, ACCED-I’s informative newsletter, and keep up-to-date on current trends, association business, and regional news.
• Become certified! We offer both individual professional (Collegiate Conference and Events Professional (CCEP) Certification program) and institutional programs (One-Stop Shop Certification program).
• Access an extensive resource library of information including sample contracts, job descriptions, mission statements, marketing plans, conference sessions, and books and periodicals on conference and event planning.
• Attend the Annual Conference at the discounted member rate. This conference attracts 500-600 of your colleagues. Engage in thought provoking general sessions, nuts and bolts concurrent sessions, interactive roundtable discussions, experience unparalleled networking opportunities, and explore exhibits showcasing products and services of value to you.
• Increase revenues and visibility with a link on the ACCED-I website and the opportunity to market your facilities at industry trade shows.
• Advance your career with the ACCED-I CareerCenter, the premiere source for connecting professionals with positions in collegiate conference and events management. Job seekers can search jobs and advertise their resume to employers free of charge.

One of the most important reasons professional associations exist is to facilitate the exchange of information among their members. Information concerning operational details can be especially valuable, and the purpose of the current ACCED-I Benchmarking Project is to facilitate the gathering and exchange of data for decision making.

Benchmarking can be significant to ACCED-I members on two levels. First, it’s important for members to have a system for identifying and tracking key pieces of information about their own operations so they can compare their own results from year to year (“internal benchmarking”). At a minimum, information to be tracked should enable the member to assess progress on established goals and objectives. Second, “external benchmarking” is important because it allows members to compare their operations to those of their peers and thereby answer critical questions regarding operations, the allocation of resources, and outcomes.

Some of the questions in the surveys are included more for internal decision making than for external benchmarking. For example, one question asks you to rate the levels of service provided to your operation by various campus service providers. While it may not be of much value for you to compare your campus to other campuses on this question, it could be valuable to analyze the answers to this question for your own campus. The data will allow you, over time, to look at trends for the various service providers (i.e. is an individual provider providing consistently good, or bad, service from year to year or is that provider gradually getting better or worse?) Having this type of information available can be of significant value as you plan intervention strategies.

While the surveys undoubtedly ask for information not currently tracked by some members, they hopefully will serve as a stimulus for members to examine information they are currently tracking and information they could/should be tracking in the future.

The Project consists of two separate surveys. The first one does not contain information which most members consider to be “confidential,” and members who complete it will have full access to all responses of all participants. The results will only be available to survey participants. The second survey contains confidential information such as rates and salaries, and the responses from the second survey will only be shared in aggregate views to protect confidentiality. Participants must complete the first survey prior to moving on to the second survey, and survey results will only be shared with survey participants.

Residence hall rooms smelling a little “sweaty” from that soccer camp that just left? Want to freshen it up for the business conference checking in tomorrow? Try some of these tips found in Higher Ed Morning.

1. Use drawer liners to give clothes a gentle scent.
2. Invest in a mobile laundry basket with wheels to help make washing clothes less of a chore, which means student won’t put it off so long.
3. Wipe up spills immediately with sponges designed to also remove the lingering odors in the air.
4. Put a box of baking soda, which will absorb odors, in the corner of the room and change the box monthly.
5. Include a house plant, such as a Cosmos Daisy or a Lemon Balm, as a natural air freshener.