post-conference

GREETINGS NCLCA!

It is my sincere pleasure to thank you for attending our annual conference this year. On behalf of our executive board, we hope you: had an amazing conference experience; gained valuable insights and ideas from our robust pre-cons, concurrent sessions, and keynote speaker; leveraged new networking opportunities with fellow members and our exhibitors; are excited to leverage what you’ve learned; and gained two waist sizes from all the good food that was provided!

Moreover, our session presenters, vendor partners, moderators, our local support team, and the Hyatt were all integral to crafting this professional development opportunity. Hosting a national conference is never about the efforts of a single person, especially the conference chair (me) who was running around the hotel like a caffeinated chicken! The incredible teamwork and support provided by our entire board is what makes these annual gatherings so successful. I want to publicly thank them for the amazing job they have done in serving you, our members, and for their tireless dedication to serving the profession.

Additionally, I encourage you to keep abreast of ongoing professional development opportunities that we offer throughout the year. Our webinars (nclca.org/webinars) are an excellent way to learn more about critical topics and issues that affect learning centers. We also highly encourage everyone to contribute insights and research through our electronic newsletter and The Learning Assistance Review (TLAR). You can find information on both opportunities online at (nclca.org/publications). And, remember that all of you have valuable insights to share; from a practitioner’s perspective to full-fledged research that expands our understanding of learning center services and operations that impact student success.

I also pledge that NCLCA will: 

• Continue to foster open communication with our members

• Expand on outreach efforts with graduate students, new professionals, and our international colleagues

• This enables us to be more strategic and intentional about mentoring people into our profession and facilitates purposeful connections with colleagues who struggle with similar issues but on different campuses or in different contexts

• Explore new opportunities to engage in dialogue about critical issues in our profession, particularly through the use of affinity groups

• Establish strategic action steps/plans for building on our inclusivity pledge, especially in practical ways for individual professionals/ members and our profession

As always, please continue to provide us feedback and ideas that will benefit you in your roles and on your respective campuses. Your input is essential for a dynamic organization. 

I am truly humbled to serve you in this capacity.

Sincerely,

Geoff Bailey

NCLCA President