Ian Crone, Director, Student Union, and President, Association of College Unions International
Professional staff members at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville demonstrate what it means to be a Volunteer as they serve and lead their respective higher education associations. Whether publishing, presenting educational sessions at conferences, or serving in regional or international leadership roles, Student Life staff make meaningful contributions to their vocations while raising the profile of the university and division. Volunteer leadership results in expanded professional and personal networks, valuable development opportunities and exposure to new places, new ideas and new ways of thinking; all of which benefit our students here on Rocky Top.
Serving in higher education professional associations yields powerful benefits for the staff volunteer. Relationships with colleagues from peer and aspirant institutions across the region and the world, exposure to best practices throughout the student affairs industry, and a valuable forum to compare notes and gain insights in order to improve programs to name a few. For some, this rich network of association colleagues creates an extended community for encouragement, processing shared challenges, or new ways of thinking.
Just as volunteer service in the community helps undergraduates to learn and grow, volunteer leadership roles facilitate valuable learning experiences for UT staff. Student Life staff who present or publish are challenged to master and convey cutting edge concepts. Planning and promoting educational conferences, managing not-for-profit association budgets, and leading peers creates valuable learning experiences that augment the professional development gained on campus and can be reinvested in the UT community.
Visiting other institutions and stepping foot into new environments can bear creative solutions to space constraints or challenges. And the focus that many professional associations have on competency development results in skills, knowledge, and ideas reflecting the bleeding edge of innovation.
As staff from the Division of Student Life serve in volunteer leadership roles in their respective professional associations, the investments they make yield significant results for UT and our students on campus.