Advancement

ACPA provides professional support throughout your career with opportunities for all levels of college student educators. Through our professional development offerings, mentoring program, and job search tools, ACPA has everything you need to advance in your career.

Year-Round Professional Development Offerings

Career Services Webcast Series - The Career Services Webcast Series provides quality career development opportunities for student affair professionals, aspiring faculty and graduate students. These 90-minute live streaming Webcasts are designed by experienced practitioners and senior scholars within their content areas. Covering cutting edge and timely topics in higher education career development, each Webcast will feature presentation materials, live discussion with the presenter(s), a moderator, and opportunities to interact with the presenter(s) to pose questions or make comments.

Next Generation Conference - Next Gen is a unique opportunity for approximately 100 undergraduate students to learn about careers in student affairs. Participants will meet and learn from current graduate students, graduate preparation program faculty, and seasoned student affairs professionals who work at a variety of colleges and universities. This is a great way to explore the profession and gather information you need to plan your future.

Phyllis L. Mable New Professionals Institute - Approximately 55% of ACPA members currently identify as entry-level professionals, and 40% have less than five years of experience in Student Affairs work. The American College Personnel Association (ACPA) has created the Phyllis L. Mable New Professionals Institute to address the knowledge and skills emerging professionals desire as they collectively serve thousands of collegians on a daily basis. The Institute is named in honor of the late Ms. Mable, a highly respected leader in Student Affairs for the past four decades. She served as Vice President for Student Affairs at Longwood University (Virginia), and Executive Director of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. Phyllis Mable served as ACPA President from 1979-80. The Institute will include several mentoring opportunities and one-on-one interactions with resident faculty and small group facilitators.

Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute - The Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute is an educational program for those desiring to strengthen their skills and understand changing campus dynamics in order to advance in the profession. The Institute, named for Donna Bourassa, Ed.D. former Associate Executive Director of ACPA, is a successful professional development resource to hundreds of colleagues in the student affairs profession.

Senior Student Affairs Officer Symposium - This symposium will delve into the most current issues facing Senior Student Affairs Officers: Title IX, Bullying, and Threat Assessment. New federal regulations and guidelines in addition to recent events on many of our campuses compel us to be knowledgeable about these three topics. Gain further understanding about the issues from national experts and share your perspectives with fellow colleagues. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss and collaborate with guest presenters. Also, with fellow SSAOs define and develop your approach to effective prevention and response strategies. SSAOs are welcome to bring members of their staff, campus legal counsel, and anyone you deem appropriate.