 This
is truly an exciting time to be a member of NSEE. We just concluded our
largest annual conference in the past five years, inspired by the wisdom
of David and Alice Kolb, excited by the unique contribution to experiential
education by Inspirational Media and energized by the individual sessions
and networking that took place in Orlando. Read the Conference Report
in this edition of the Quarterly to learn how you can access notes and
slides from many conference sessions, including the Kolbs’ keynote!
In
addition to great annual conferences, NSEE is moving on a number of initiatives
that add value to membership and fulfill its mission to advocate for the
transformative impact of experiential education. For example:
The six regional
networks are more active than ever, all under excellent leadership. Those
regional coordinators are working with the Board to develop programming
that is local and accessible to members throughout the year.
SIG’s
and Regions are building WIKI’s to enable members to
provide and receive information relevant to your career specialty in “real
time”. Check these out through the NSEE website.
The Experiential
Education Academy will be offering workshops around the country in 2009.
Watch the website and your email for announcements of workshops at the
University of New Haven, the University of Colorado-Denver and other locations.
The
new Peer Consulting program will be piloted at two institutions in the
spring of 2009, in anticipation of a rollout to members in the fall. This
program will provide a resource to help you design, evaluate and improve
the experiential education programs on your campus through a self-study
tool and a visit by a team of expert colleagues.
And, of course, planning
for the 2009 Annual Conference in Dallas on October 28-30 is already under
way. The theme for the conference is Informing
and Expanding Experiential Education: Looking Deep in the Heart of NSEE.
A wonderful way to add value to the learning of others and contribute
to your own career development is to present a session at the conference.
The deadline for submitting a proposal is January 30, 2009 and the form
for doing that is on the NSEE website. These sessions are the “heart” of
our conferences, so please submit one on your own or with colleagues.
The
NSEE Board of Directors is also developing a strategic plan to move the
organization successfully into the future. Because NSEE is a membership-based
organization, any effective plan has to reflect the needs of its members.
I encourage you to complete the member survey by following the link you
received in your email recently. I also encourage you to drop an email
message or give a call to me or any other Board member with suggestions
for things NSEE can be doing to increase the value of membership. Thanks
to everyone for your involvement in NSEE and your continued dedication
to experiential education.
Sincerely,
Albert Cabral, President
NSEE Board of Directors
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