Five full-time staff members and 11 student employees enhanced team-building, facilities management, and programming skills while networking with students and staff from Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana at the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Region 12 Conference last weekend at Texas A&M University-Commerce on November 2-4, 2012.
- Students and full-time staff at the ACUI Conference closing banquet. Several students bid in an auction that supported scholarship programs for students pursuing Student Affairs/Student Union careers.
Each student attendee participated and completed the Student Leadership Track by attending 4 out of 5 specially designated sessions. Sessions were on everything from building management and programming to leadership development and work-life balance. Staff Members Robbie Hopper presented an educational session on intelligent lighting. Staff Members Mari Martinez and Denise Villarreal gave an educational session on developing and maintaining a wedding and special event program in a campus environment.
The conference served Region 12–Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mexico–of ACUI. For the past several years UTSA has staffed several leadership team and conference team positions. Interim UC Director Herb Ganey serves as the Region 12 business manager, and Jared Jones planned last year’s regional conference and assisted with registration at this year’s conference.
“The regional conference provides our staff with a unique opportunity to network with others who do what we do around the region,” Ganey said. “Our students were energized and learned more about the purpose of the student union environment–which is creating a place for community on campus.”
