by Becca Gray
This post is part of a series by VPS/AVPS staff sharing learnings and reflections from the CACUSS conference they attended in June 2023. Becca is the Transition Programs Coordinator of Student Engagement and Learning at UBC Okanagan.
In the work we do as student affairs professionals, rarely do we do anything alone. It is when we come together to support one another, brainstorming and sharing ideas as a team, and examining ways to advance programs that make us successful and fulfilled in the work we do. CACUSS conferences are like those highly collaborative, change-making, positively explosive team meetings. You have the opportunity to come together, share your experience and insights while also learning and hearing from so many other incredible individuals. While there are many different opportunities to attend conferences based more specifically on the work we do in student affairs, CACUSS conferences provides a highly valuable space for student affairs professionals to come together across a variety of different focus areas.
It is powerful and inspiring to be in spaces surrounded by people who share the same values, but also share such different and diverse experiences. It is a fantastic way to learn and challenge yourself, while expanding your perspectives and understanding. I am a big fan of collaboration, and it is a key value that guides me personally and professionally. CACUSS conferences provide an opportunity to connect and begin collaborative conversations in such intentional ways.
This year at the CACUSS23 conference, I had the incredible opportunity to facilitate a Knowledge Exchange alongside my colleague to highlight how we collaborated to build out pre-arrival transition programming for new undergraduate students at two different institutions. While it was quite daunting to consider standing in front of other professionals, many who have decades of experience compared to me, I was also so grateful for the opportunity to share my work and passion with others. To me, that is what makes CACUSS conferences so valuable, they provide a unique opportunity to come together, connect, and collaborate in ways that you might never expect.
As I continue to reflect on my CACUSS experience and consider all the ways it has benefited my professional practice, there are three things I continue to be grateful for. I am so grateful for my supervisors, as they are the ones that encouraged me to present and demonstrated incredible support in order for me to get the most out of this experience. As a result of their support, I experienced what collaboration looks like in action during conferences. I continue to be so thankful for everyone I got to connect with; the time we spent together in discussion, chatting during breaks, and excitedly sharing stories and ideas will always be so valuable to me. Finally, I am so grateful I was presenting with my colleague, Trent from University of Toronto, who believes in and values collaboration as much as I do. Not only did Trent support me as I dealt with all the nerves of presenting at a conference for the first time, but he is an incredible support and collaborator in my professional practice.
I would encourage everyone, especially those of you who are young professionals, to get involved in Community of Practices, attend CACUSS conferences, and stay engaged in the organization. It is truly incredible the impact that this organization can have at any stage of your career in student affairs. As so much of the work that we do is relational, it is incredibly valuable to have connections across Canada. Take the opportunity to reach out to someone through CACUSS or challenge yourself to find a way to connect with someone else who you might not otherwise meet in your daily work. CACUSS conferences are a fantastic opportunity for new connections which may allow you to collaborate in valuable ways.