President’s Update: Busy time of year for IACAC!!

Our organization is busier than ever. Several committees have been putting in long hours working to make this professional association one of the best. As IACAC President, I have the privilege of sharing with you some of the highlights of their work and invite you to marvel with me at our accomplishments to date:

• The Mentorship Committee is putting the finishing touches on our first ever Middle Management Seminar, scheduled to take place at Elmhurst College on June 9 & 10. Register now since the program is limited to only 50 people. Part of the funding for this project is from a NACAC Imagine Grant. Kudos to Committee Chairs Annie Kremer (Northwestern University), Nate Bargar (Illinois State University), and their committee members.

• The Summer Institute Committee is finalizing details on their program “There’s No Place Like Macomb” – scheduled for July 25-27 at Western Illinois University. WIU counselors: Shawn Wochner, Audrey Penman and Jamie Staggs and their committee will be opening up registration during the Annual Conference in May.

• Over 300 counselors took part in professional development opportunities offered at the seven District Seminars, which took place throughout the state between March 4th and March 18th, under the leadership of DeVone Eurales, Knox College and Frank DuBois, Lewis University and organized by on-site committees .

• The Ad Hoc Committee on Board Structure has submitted their first draft of a new structure for the IACAC Executive Board. I encourage you to participate in the Town Hall Meeting on Friday morning of the Annual Conference (May 6) to hear from the committee and offer your input to help shape the future leadership of your organization.

• The College Awareness and Preparation (CAP) Committee is busy planning for a second Camp College program at Bradley University in Peoria on July 11-13. Details for the upcoming Camp College program are available on their webpage. The deadline for students to apply is Friday, April 15, 2011.

• The Bus O’Fun Counselor Tour scheduled for July 24-29 IS FULL!! Congrats to Mike Dunker (Crystal Lake South H.S.) – tour organizer.

• And finally, the Media Communications Committee, in conjunction with our webmaster Dan Saavedra, has begun the arduous and exciting process of re-designing the IACAC website. Once complete, you see a much more user friendly website which will easily highlight all the wonderful opportunities available to the IACAC  membership.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Itasca in May as we come together and “go the extra mile for students” and each other.

Carin Smith
Lawrence University
IACAC President