Connecting Extraordinary People

By Molly Button, Eastern Illinois University

I am closing in on my first year as an admissions counselor and I could not be more excited about what is to come. This year’s conference theme was Be Extraordinary, and my experience at conference was just that—extraordinary! During one of the sessions, the speaker described his presentation that was filled with data and statistics as trying to take a drink of water out of a fire hose and I can promise that this phrase embodied my overall experience at conference.

I was aware ahead of time that networking and social events at conference are just as important as attending the daily sessions. Being a newcomer, it can be daunting to immerse yourself into a group like IACAC, but because of the first timer’s opportunities and the countless smiling faces, I was able to meet a lot of fun like-minded individuals. I want to give a shout to Omar Solomon, who encouraged me to break out of my shell and volunteered me to judge the epic lip-sync contest. Without his support, I would have taken on the role of a wallflower, experiencing conference like a fly on the wall.

Leaving the conference in Itasca, I dreaded the monotonous 3 hour drive down I-57, but in reality, the time allowed for sincere reflection. During conference, everyone is doing their best to take in copious amounts of information, so I was able to sort out some of my thoughts and make connections between different sessions and speakers. But what is most extraordinary about IACAC is everyone’s thirst for knowledge, support for education, and unrelenting passion for this field.

I cannot wait to attend conference again in the future. Thank you to everyone who has in one way or another mentored us newbies and helped plan this extraordinary event.