When the Team Leader Lets Go
The hallway was dark and narrow as we wound around the inside of a restaurant towards our table. At any given moment, I expected a Ninja to pop out and scare us…after all, we were having dinner at Ninja New York. My dinner experience was one of many unknown moments I had through the day […]
Swift Kick Wins a Record Breaking Fifth National College Speaking Award
Fourteen years ago, I attended my first APCA conference to pursue my dream of being a professional speaker. Because I was still a senior in college, I had to leave after my evening class and drove ten hours through the night from Chicago to Atlanta. Despite high hopes of crushing it, my first ed session […]
Would You Wear A Superman Costume on Campus?
A few times a week, Mark Wyzenbeek of Auburn, Washington, dresses up in a perfectly hand-crafted Superman costume and goes about his daily routine. He fills up his car with gas. He goes to the local bar. He buys milk. Mark follows a pretty normal routine, except he wears his Superman costume. In his words: […]
4 Techniques to Turn Your Next Event into an Endorphin Party of Happiness
Photo Credit: Premasagar Rose[/caption] A group of 15 adults awkwardly stood in a circle waiting for the instructor’s command to start. I nervously looked over at my mom as this was nothing I’d ever done before…especially with my mom. “Ready? Go!” The whole circle exploded into a rumble of laughter. We started off with a […]
Trader Joes Gave Me A Free Sample And A Life Lesson
Like a Pavlovian dog, any time I enter into Trader Joe’s, I make my way to the free sample counter to see what delicacy they are handing out to the masses. Today was no different, and the savory treat I devoured was a melted cheese pretzel. After washing the pretzel down with another sample of […]
Remember You Weren’t Always This Great
On my way to watch a softball game in Central Park, I rounded a corner, where I was greeted by a dad and his two teenage boys. Based on his equipment and form, it was clear the dad was a life-long runner. His boys…not so much. The mis-match in running experience reminded me of the […]
Using Micro-Actions to Create a Strong Campus Culture
I didn’t know anyone at the school, so I patiently waited in the lobby for the student life advisor to show up. When at first, I thought I was alone, the janitor turned the corner and saw me. He smiled and said, “Hi.” I smiled back. Then a group of two students walked past me […]
4 Ways Your Graduated Student Leaders Can Still Help Your Student Organization
It’s graduation season! How do I know? Because my entire social newsfeed is filled with pictures of the graduating student leaders we’ve connected with over the past four years. A challenge every student activities department faces this time of year is the reminder that their student leaders turn over every two to four years. All […]
Creating Moments of Kindness At New Student Orientation
Ryan Pugliese’s middle school experience was a collection of negative moments, leaving him ostracized with barely anyone he could call a friend. Being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 2 didn’t help, as it made it difficult for him to establish relationships like people normally do. Needless to say, when he graduated from 8th grade, […]
The Value of Campus Traditions and Student Engagement
On a foggy Thursday morning, Ricky K. of Casswell Drive stumbles out his front door with a coffee in one hand and a tiki torch in the other. Slowly, Ricky shuffles his feet towards the curb, soaking in the morning dew. Once at the curb, Ricky takes a deep breath in, while lifting his tiki […]