ACA/APSA Professional Development Day 2011

“Mapping a Sustainable Future”

The 2011 Academic Counselors Association/Association of Professionals in Student Affairs Professional Development Day was held on Thursday, February 17^th in the Student Activities Center.  Members from both ACA and APSA attended an opening breakfast, several hour-long breakout sessions, a lunch keynote speaker, and a closing happy hour at the AT&T Conference Center, all of which were organized by a committee comprised of members from both organizations.  Our special sponsor for this important event was the University Federal Credit Union.   

PDD Planning Committee Co-chairs: Justin Brady (Office of the Dean of Students Leadership & Ethics Institute), Ana Dison (Engineering Program), Jeanette Hooker (University Unions), and Jennifer McHam (College of Education Student Division)

Ana, Jennifer, Justin & Jeanette

Centerpieces for the breakfast and lunch tables, created by the conference food committee, were made of food donations that were later donated to the Capital Area Food Bank.  In all, the committee collected 177 pounds of food and $71.00 in monetary donations.

donations for the Capital Area Food Bank

The lunch keynote speaker was Steve Kraal, Senior Associate Vice President for Campus Planning and Facilities Management. 

breakfast...

lunch...

& keynote speaker - Steve Kraal 

Presenters from across campus shared information on a variety of student topics and cutting edge research. 

A very special thanks to the PDD Planning Committee, all of the presenters, members of ACA & APSA, and the University Federal Credit Union who ALL made this event a wonderful success.

Member Spotlight: Sarah Kitten

2010-2011 ACA Treasurer

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

College(s) Attended: UT-Austin

Degree(s) Earned: BA (Major: Hispanic Linguistics) 2002, MEd (Higher Ed. Admin) 2005

Title: Academic Advising Coordinator- Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

What are your hobbies? Gardening, Feng Shui, Sudoku

What was your favorite childhood toy? Kickball

What is your current position at UT? Briefly explain:  Academic Advising Coordinator—I am the Undergraduate Coordinator for the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics (ASE).  In addition to regular advising, I handle the course schedule, curriculum changes, department scholarships, study abroad, FIG mentorship, prospective student visits, and on and on.  I supervise one full-time staff and two part-time staff to help me with advising the 600 undergrads we have in our department while I am working on administrative duties.
Have you had any jobs prior to your current job at UT?  If so, what were they? I had the standard high school jobs since I turned 16—telemarketer (summer), movie theater (summer), Blockbuster video (summer/early college).  When I was a sophomore at UT, I started working for the College of Liberal Arts as a Peer Advisor.  I had this job until I graduated at which point I was hired as a full-time Academic Advisor for the College of Liberal Arts Dean’s Office.  I worked in the Dean’s Office until 2006 when I started at my current job in ASE.

Member Spotlight: Courtney Lockhart

2010-2011 ACA Program Chair

Hometown: College Station, TX

College(s) Attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Degree(s) earned: Bachelor of Arts with majors in Anthropology and Linguistics

Title:  Senior Academic Advisor- College of Liberal Arts

What are your hobbies?  I love spending time with my family and friends, trying new eateries, working on crossword puzzles, traveling, and reading. Some people also know me to be a beer connoisseur.

What was your favorite childhood toy?  Probably my collection of Barbie’s and action figures. I loved creating characters and making up their whole life stories. Oh, my giant National Geographic atlas was a favorite, too.

Member Spotlight: Andrea Poag

2010-2011 ACA President

Hometown:  Lexington, North Carolina (Pork BBQ Capital of the World)

College(s) Attended:  Undergraduate- High Point University; Masters:-Texas State University-San Marcos

Degree(s) earned: Undergraduate-Sports Management;  Masters in Education, emphasis in Sports Management

Title: Academic Advising Coordinator- College of Communication

What are your hobbies?  Photography, Biking and fishing (not that I get to fish much but I love it)

What was your favorite childhood toy?  My four-wheeler – not really a toy but it was what I spent the most time playing on as a child who grew up in the country.

February 2011 ACA General Meeting

The February 9, 2011 ACA General Meeting, sponsored by the Academic Counselors Association, featured presentations on the following topics:

The SERU (Student Experience in the Research University) Survey: 2010 Results and the 2011 Launch - presented by  Dr. Gale Stuart, Director of Assessment for Student Affairs and Lauren Ratliff, Research Associate, Office of the President
http://www.utexas.edu/seru/

New Student Orientation 2011 - presented by Cristi Biggs, Assistant Dean of Students http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/nss/

This was our first meeting held in the Student Activities Center Legislative Assembly Room.

Member Spotlight: Alexia Apollo

2010-2011 ACA Public Relations Coordinator

Hometown:  Daisetta, TX

College(s) Attended: St. Edward's University and Texas State University

Degree(s) earned: B.A. in Psychology (SEU) and M.A. in Professional Counseling, emphasis in Student Affairs (Texas State)

Title:  Assistant Academic Advisor-- School of Undergraduate Studies

What are your hobbies? I love any opportunity to be creative: cooking, decorating and designing, making/building things with my hands, photography, etc.  I also enjoy being active: yoga, roller-skating, hiking trails, most sports that involve a ball, etc.

Member Spotlight: Brad Popiolek

2010-2011 ACA Public Relations Coordinator

Hometown:  Bel Air, Maryland

College(s) Attended: University of South Carolina (BA), Florida State University (MS)

Degree(s) earned:  BA – Public Relations, MS – Higher Education Administration

Title:  Assistant Academic Advisor-- School of Undergraduate Studies

Running, yoga, biking, watching college football