Getting ready

The whole ASGA team is starting to get into our "national conference" mode. With ASGA's National Student Government Summit about five weeks away, we're already planning, getting materials ready, working on handouts and presentations, and confirming speakers. It might be the largest Student Government conference in the history of the nation.

It's a ton of work and planning to create an event that "looks" well-organized. There is so much planning and work that goes into creating an event that is enjoyable to attendees.

We also want to make it better for returning attendees. We always are incorporating new workshops and new ideas to make the experience better for everyone. ASGA is an organization that is constantly working to improve, with the goal of better-serving our members.

Hope you can make it to this year's national conference. It's not too late to register, although our hotel block is nearly sold out again (we have already added to the block three times). Register at www.asgaonline.com/conferences/national.

An honor to serve...

I've been doing this Student Government training and research "thing" for more than 25 years now. Usually, it's not very glamorous, just a lot of hard work and research. We spend thousands of hours gathering and updating information and contacts for every college and university in America, for example.

But our work makes a difference in the lives of the student leaders and advisors who take advantage of ASGA's resources. Our work is important, and the knowledge of this makes all of the effort worth it.

It is an honor to earn the trust of hundreds of institutions that join ASGA because they believe we can help and serve them. We can help make them better. We take this responsbility seriously. The ASGA sees our role as servants-- servants to the student leaders and advisors who have the courage and foresight to understand that they can improve with a little help from the outside. That's ASGA.

I have the best job in the nation!

Advisors training

Just got back from ASGA's Advisors conference in Miami. We had more attendees for the third year in a row. It was a good time to get to know some new, green advisors and also reconnect with other allies we've worked with for several years. I enjoyed having dinners two nights with our speakers, Chris, Vicky, and Suzette. They're super-smart people and share the vision of ASGA: improving student governments and in the long-run, improving our nation's government.

It was a long drive down and back (five hours each way), but I got home about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night and was able to spend the day with my wife and children.

All in all, it was a great conference and ASGA continued to improve and grow and serve our members better. We learn from every one of the conferences we produce.