Happy Spring! Spring is that time of year when we are renewed with a sense of purpose and enthusiasm. A perfect time for a Professional Development focused issue. This issue has news regarding Election Results; Field Trips to other Schools; Professional Colleagues receiving Special Awards and Attention; a Focus Article on one Colleagues Climb in the Profession; a Look at Culture Shock, it’s impact and our role; and a return to a long standing issue of power and politics in Financial Aid. We hope that this issue provides some useful information and background to help motivate you professionally.

Professional Development comes in many forms and not every option is appealing to every person. We all have different learning styles and preferences. Each of us has our own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps the best starting point is knowing yourself and doing those things that interest you and provide the most enjoyment. It is important to find something in your profession that makes you want to get up each and every day with a renewed sense of energy. We can’t do that for you in a single issue of the newsletter. We do hope that after reading this issue that you will be motivated to do your best at whatever you choose to do.

When I first read about Carolyn Pritchett, I was excited in several ways. First, you get the sense that Carolyn loves what she does. Second, it is clear that her efforts were appreciated in a big way. The recognition from the circus and the radio station were exciting but couldn’t possibly match the appreciation shown by the lives she touched in her own office. Congratulations to a professional hero for excelling and rising to the occasion and being a role model for others.

The interview with Ernestine Whiting depicts another path of professional development. Perhaps the most important point that she makes is using her professional association involvement as an “opportunity to learn her profession”. Each of you has the “opportunity to learn” your profession by participating more fully in its’ activities. Recently, I had dinner with Ernestine and other professional colleagues in DC on the occasion of a visit from one of our mutual professional friends – Art Jackson, Vice President of Student Affairs at Westfield State College. It was our mutual involvement in association “opportunities” that made it possible for this diverse group to gather as friends and share a meal outside the realm of the various “business” roles we each perform. We are there for each other regardless of where our business takes us. It is perhaps the most important and rewarding side effect of becoming professionally involved. We encourage you to seek out your “opportunities to learn” and network for life.

Personally, I would like to thank Bob Foultz for his faith in my dedication and ability to deliver an unbiased newsletter to the membership. It has been a wonderful opportunity to serve you as your newsletter editor so far this year. As I look ahead to the next issue, it will be my final issue as a new editor takes over for 2004-05. As asked in every issue to date, let me know if there is anything that you would like to see in the final “Transition” issue. As I reflect upon the year so far, I am reminded of our charge for the newsletter this year. There were three primary requests:

Hopefully, you have found this to be the case. If not, shame on you for not providing your input when the opportunity was offered. If so, thank you for participating in the process and providing your input when asked. Finally, thank you for this “opportunity to learn” more about my profession.

As I look ahead to the final issue for this term, my only request is that each of you consider sharing your “opportunities to learn” with your colleagues. We’ll publish them in the next issue, but only if you submit them. As always, our contributors to this issue are listed at the end of the newsletter. Perhaps, next issue, you will join them. Thank you for your support.

Reminder:
Article Guidelines: Full articles should be no longer than two typed pages single spaced. It is requested that all submissions be provided in 10 pt size with Arial font type.

All articles submitted for publication will be reviewed by the Editorial staff. Submissions should be of a professional interest to the association and not include marketing and/or advertising of products, services, websites or personnel.

Please submit all feature articles to Maria Izquierdo-Whitaker at izqui_m@jhu.edu with a cc. to Gary Spoales at Gary.A.Spoales@bankofamerica.com and Gretchen Bonfardine at gbonfardine@amsa.com.