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by Tim Miller (millertm@gwu.edu)

For the first time in my career, I attended both NASPA and ACPA in the same year.  I know there are many perspectives about the two organizations and who belongs where and who each one serves in our field.  This is a debate and discussion that will probably go on for years into the future.  There is even debate about the value of each organization and I have always wondered about this myself.  What I found after attending the two conferences was that both organizations had an equal but very different meaning and value to me. ...continue reading "Two National Conferences – Two Different Experiences"

Seven CSE staff members offer reflections on their experiences at the Virginia Student Services Conference, held in Wintergreen, VA on November 15-17, 2017.

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by Tim Miller (millertm@gwu.edu)

The first time I went to Wintergreen for the Virginia Student Services Conference (VSSC) was in the fall of 1998.  I was a full time staff member in the student union at James Madison University as well as a part-time graduate student and I was given the opportunity to go to the conference as part of my Master’s Program.  I attended in ’98 and ’99 and really connected with the feel of the conference and being “On the Mountain” with colleagues from across VA.  I remember the fun of staying in that environment and everything I was able to learn from people who had been in the field for a very long time.

Several years ago, I decided to bring a team from GW - or “the invaders from the North” as I called us.  I was immediately reminded why I loved VSSC once I got off the main roads and was driving on Route 29 through central Virginia and then once we started up the mountain I knew it was a good idea to return to VSSC.  We have brought a good mix of people every year since (aside from one year when we missed the conference).

VSSC gives people a chance to take a break, present to incredibly receptive and supportive colleagues, network with individuals from the area, and find ways to grow outside of our DC bubble.  I hope we will continue to be a part of VSSC for years to come and more GW community members can find their home there as well.

...continue reading "VSSC: New Ideas, Skills, and Relationships"

by Tim Miller (millertm@gwu.edu)
The Store at the George Washington University

We continue to learn more about food insecurity and homelessness and how they affect the lives of our college students. This piece, Faces of Hunger in America by Mehnaz Ladha, helps identify how hunger impacts the youngest in our society and can hold them back from their potential. Her well-researched piece includes perspectives for a variety of universities who are working to support students living with food insecurity - including GW. Mehnaz examines this issue from a breadth of perspectives and shines a light on the issue and helps us consider how we can all take action to support these students. This is an important read for anyone working on this issue on their campus.