Fall Newsletter                                                                  September 2010

In this issue...

PT from PT:

Presidential Thoughts from Phil Trout

Happy September!

This is my favorite time of the year, with the excitement, energy and positive spirit of the beginning of a new school year.  I hope that the summer months provided each of you with the opportunity to rest and relax - and recharge.

Can it really be four months since our fantastic MIDWest Conference in Minneapolis?!  My heartfelt thanks to the members of the Professional Development Committee and all the conference presenters, participants, and volunteers for a truly enriching experience!

I am happy to report that since the spring conference, MACAC has been busy with a number of projects and activities. Here are just a few of the highlights:

• MACAC launched the third year of the Leadership Development Program with a kick-off event in June. The nine participants include high school and college professionals, all of whom have been paired with an experienced mentor.
• The tri-chairs of our National College Fair Committee (Sabrina Tapps-Fee, Lisa Burnham, and Mary Sue Walker) attended a two-day training at NACAC in July, along with Katie Voller-Berdan, who is the NACAC NCF Chair.  In addition, our Presidential group (Kerri Carlson, Rachelle Hernandez, and I) attended the Leadership Development Institute in Dallas in late July, along with NACAC Board members Kris Getting Roach, Jill Apple and Katie Voller-Berdan.  (Check out photos from the event below!)

• 23 new college admission counselors participated in the Admission Counselor Institute in August on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College.
• The first of our four MACAC Board meetings took place on August 5 at the Twin Cities Graduate Center of St. Cloud State University.  Highlights included partnership roundtable discussions (moderated by MACAC past presidents) among various committee chairs, providing brainstorming opportunities for collaboration in programming and activities. The Board also agreed to send a financial contribution to the guidance department at Wadena-Deer Creek High School, which was destroyed by a tornado in late June.

The board meeting concluded with “Phil’s Top 5," a listing of some priorities and goals for the coming year, based on a theme of "good governance":
1. Manuals: A goal for MACAC in 2010-11 is to publish both a Finance and Budget Manual and a Policies and Procedures Manual.
2. Goal setting with partnerships and collaboration: The goal to provide committee chairs the opportunity to pursue activities and events from a common framework.
3. Charitable Giving: MACAC is a 501c3 not-for-private organization, and we need to start encouraging members to “donate now” to MACAC on the website and do more grant writing for committees.
4. WebEx: We now have this great new capability and cost-saving opportunity for committees and the board to do our business more efficiently.
5. Strategic Priorities: We will work as a board to find ways to incorporate the 2010 Strategic Priorities document into the work of our committees and the overall organization. Let's dream big!

Finally, for those attending the NACAC Conference in St. Louis, I want to extend a special invitation to join us for the MACAC membership meeting (and party!) on Thursday, Sept. 30, from 4:45-6:15 PM in the Renaissance Grand Majestic Ballroom H.  Our past president and chief Assembly delegate, Kerri Carlson, will be presenting on the business of the 2010 Assembly, and our president-elect, Rachelle Hernandez, promises an entertaining social event!

Please know that it is a great honor for me to serve as your President this year.  I welcome your comments and feedback -- I look forward to the opportunity to work with you in 2010-2011.

Best wishes,

Phil Trout
MACAC President

phil.trout@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

SPOTLIGHT ON...

Alex Klute, University of North Dakota

Q: What is a typical day like for you, Alex?

A: What I like about being a regional rep is that there really isn’t a typical day.  It’s different every single day.  Depending on the time of year, I may be out on the road for the week, visiting high schools, at a meeting, dialing in to a conference call or laying in bed until 10 AM answering emails on my laptop.  I can’t imagine how hard it would be to go back to a “typical” 9 to 5 job!

Q: What do you enjoy most about being a member of both MACAC and MnAcc?  What is your involvement in each organization?

A: Being involved in both MnACC and MACAC allows there to be a sort of “bridge” between the two organizations.  In MnACC, I serve as a tri-chair for the Programs Committee, which plans and organizes the MnACC college fairs and professional development activities.  For MACAC, I serve on the Professional Development Committee and am the co-chair for the Human Relations Committee. 

Q: How did you get to where you are today?

A: When the airline I was working for began to show signs of going out of business, I began looking for a new career.  In the newspaper (the actual newspaper – who reads those anymore?) I found the posting for this job.  I had worked in UND’s Enrollment Services office all four years of my undergrad and knew what the position entailed.  Even though my passion was aviation, I decided to make the most of my new job by getting involved in as many things as possible and getting to know as many people as I could. 

Q: What is your favorite band and concert you've attended?

A: Although I like a lot of new music, the majority of my favorite artists were popular before I was born.  I really enjoy bands like Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac and Crosby Stills Nash & Young.  That being said, my favorite concert would almost certainly be the Whitney Houston concert my parents took me to when I was in the third grade. 

Q: What advice would you give to new members of MACAC about making the most of membership?

A: That’s easy: GET INVOLVED!  It’s easy to become a member just to “put a check in the box” but try to do more.  There are plenty of opportunities for involvement through all the different MACAC committees and events.  I think members would be surprised just how many people they can meet, how connected it will make them feel to their job and how much fun they’ll have.  

Admission Counselor Institute: Welcome to the Profession! 

MACAC's annual Admission Counselor Institute (ACI), hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College, is a great  opportunity for college admission counselors with less than one year of experience to learn basic information about college counseling. In early August, approximately 25 attendees spent two days acquiring a knowledge base of admissions and financial aid, networking with admission colleagues, interacting with seasoned faculty, and, most importantly, reinforcing and supplementing their on-campus training. A new panel of high school counselors was added to the agenda this year, and many attendees arrived in St. Peter the evening before the workshop began, which helped everyone become familiar with each other earlier.  Thanks to Dawn Mensing from Century College, Joy Reese from Gustavus, Chad Terry from Hastings High School and Mike Vandenberg from University of Minnesota - Morris, who shared their insights as ACI faculty.

LDP Reflections from a Mentor and Mentee

Back in June 2009, Mary Sue Miheve (now Walker) of St. Catherine University joined MACAC's Leadership Development Program.  Mentoring is an important part of LDP, and she was matched for the year with Sally Daniels of Augsburg College.  After graduating from LDP in May, Mary Sue and Sally reflect on the year.

Sally Daniels: Have you ever had someone in your professional life who motivates you, encourages you to grow, to be really creative?  For me, Marlene Mohs is that someone!  When she asked me a few years ago what I thought about an idea of a way to encourage and grow future leaders for MACAC and NACAC, I was honored to be a part of the planning of what has become the award-winning Leadership Development Program (LDP)!

We had the opportunity to work alongside the likes of Kris Getting Roach, Brian Peterson, Sara Kyle, Lisa Burnham and Dan Davidson (to name only a few) with the goal of developing a year-long curriculum. We were especially aided in our work by Linda Halverson from the University of St Thomas…and we were off with our first program in the summer of 2008.

Mary Sue Walker: As a new professional, I was looking for an in, a way to become a part of this MACAC thing everyone was talking about. I wasn’t sure how to start or break into the inner circle of important admissions players.  I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with Sally at the National College Fair.  This program seemed like just the thing I needed to get involved with MACAC leadership.

Sally: As faculty, one of our most rewarding objectives was to mentor one or two of the students in the program. During the second year, it was my pleasure to serve as mentor to Mary Sue. She's an excellent example of a professional ready for the LDP. She had been in admissions for three years, had already been promoted to Senior Admission Counselor, was involved in MACAC and yet was ready for even more professional growth.

Mary Sue: It was exciting to be able to spend time with Sally as a experienced admission professional. This relationship allowed for a space to talk about admissions and the profession with someone who has insight into what the profession has to offer as a career and not just a stop on the path.

Sally: Because I know how much work is involved in being in Admissions, our mentoring took on a fairly relaxed “I’m here if you need me, let’s touch base a few times this year” kind of connection! It worked well for both of us.  We were able to check in about the work we were doing in LDP and about how her life at St Catherine’s was going. When we had our LDP meetings during the year, it was great to have a bit of extra time with Mary Sue and Casey Erickson (my other mentee from the University of Minnesota) worked into the curriculum!

Although our official mentor/mentee relationship is completed, I am pleased to still feel very connected to Mary Sue. She is now one of the tri-chairs of the Minnesota National College Fair (which I chaired years ago) and I serve on that committee under her leadership…how cool is that?!

 

National College Fair News

   Below are important details for high school counselors and college admissions officers on the National College Fair (NCF) at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  The Minnesota college fair is, by far, the largest fair in the country, with more than 25,000 students in attendance.  Many will come via bus with their school, but other students will come on their own or with their parents/guardians.

We Need Your Help!
The planning committee is always looking for volunteers to help in the counseling center. If you are a high school counselor and would like to volunteer, please register on the MACAC web site.

Register Your Bus
If you are planning on bringing a bus load of students it is helpful for the planning committee to know in advance. Please register your bus on the MACAC web site.

Prepare Your Students
Have your students do some research and determine criteria that meets their post-secondary needs.  Then have them locate the colleges that will be represented at the fair.

Explain to students that college admissions officers in attendance are very excited to meet them and will likely read their applications and speak about them in committees.  Remind your students that making labels with their names, addresses, high school name and graduation year will save time, because they won't have to fill out cards by hand. 

At The Fair
Encourage your students to pick up a bag and a newspaper guide at the exhibit hall entrance. This newspaper contains the list of colleges at the fair as well as a map to guide them.

Prepare Yourself
Admissions Officers - Be prepared: get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast and bring a water bottle and a snack.  There will be breakfast snacks and a water station in the hospitality suite, the planning committee does distribute small water bottles and a few small snacks, but we also have to be mindful of costs. 
After the fair, fill out the evaluation sheet and return it to the main information booth.  The planning committee incorporates your feedback when planning and organizing for the following year.   

Have fun!  It's a great event!

Join the MACAC Mentorship Program!
 

The MACAC Mentorship Program seeks to assist in building connections between new members and those who have been involved in the profession and organization for several years.  The goals of this program are to strengthen the profession, strengthen the organization and have fun in the process.  Find more information and complete an application to join this program today! 

College Counseling Institute Preview

On October 15, high school counselors are invited to join friends and colleagues at MACAC's annual College Counseling Institute.

The day offers something for every counselor, from the first year beginner to the seasoned veteran.  Not only will you be able to compare notes with peers, you will also have a chance to meet and talk with admissions professionals from a representative group of colleges, and have your pressing questions answered about the upcoming admission season - and yes, there will be Naviance help, too.

After a continental breakfast, the first item on the agenda will be a college panel, with representatives from a two-year college, a private college, Minnesota State and the University of Minnesota. Next, we will begin the first of three break-out sessions, with three options for each time slot.  These will include topics like writing recommendations (always helpful for generating energy for the fall writing season), coaching the student essay, counseling the C student and how to relieve stress. The Institute will have a full component of Naviance: two full sessions during the Institute day, as well as hands-on time in computer labs (during the afternoon on October 14 and 15, after the final session). 

Don’t forget a delicious St. Kate’s lunch, which will be followed by a panel of high school counselors ready to engage in a vital conversation about current challenges as well as best practices.  As always, there will be raffle prizes, and a tour of the beautiful St. Catherine campus after the final session.

We look forward to seeing you on October 15!

Register online: $30.00/$10.00 for full-time graduate students

Questions?  Contact Anne Pabst  - apabst@vischool.org

Government Relations Update: For-Profit Colleges 

As many of you know, for-profit colleges have been under review at the national level for unethical practices in admissions-related work.  Some of these practices would be in direct violation of NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP).  NACAC’s own David Hawkins, Director of Public Policy and Research, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee on August 4, 2010. 

You may read about the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s review of fraudulent activity found at for-profit institutions.  This website includes a video, access to the full report, and a brief summary.  Further, you may see the news of Hawkins’ testimony online.

Finally, a recent blog post in the Chronicle by Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson provides details about the gainful employment discussion happening at the national level. 

 In other news: It's election season!

You can’t watch television without seeing election campaign ads during your commercial breaks. Though you may not enjoy them, they are a good reminder to exercise your right to vote!  Please make sure you get your red “I Voted” sticker this November! 

MACAC Members: Seen and Heard 

In this section, we share your news with MACAC colleagues.  E-mail Jane Nordhorn to have your news included in the next newsletter.

• Gregory R. Heller of DeVry University was married on September 4, 2010 in Minneapolis to Maureen Hickey. The wedding was held at Minnehaha United Methodist Church followed by a reception at The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake. Maureen and Gregory met at North Dakota State University during his final undergraduate year and her final year of Pharmacy school.  Gregory says “As a graduation present to myself, I took her to Ireland for a 10-day vacation prior to my first deployment overseas as an Army Officer. On our fifth day in Ireland, I took her to the Cliffs of Moher, (one of her favorite locations) and I proposed to her Cliffside.”
• Joe Wicklund of St. Scholastica was promoted to Director of First-Year Admissions in May and Beth Kleinschmidt was promoted to Senior Admissions Counselor in July. 
• Bonney Bielen of Dunwoody has been promoted to Manager of Admissions and Student Services.  She also successfully defended her dissertation and received her doctorate in May!
• Milyon Trulove of Hamline University was married in August to his wife Andrea.  The wedding took place at Rice Park in St. Paul.
• Melissa Leimbek (of North Hennepin Community College), husband Matt and big brother Nathan welcomed Nicholas Joseph to their family on April 23, 2010.
• The University of St. Thomas welcomed Teron Buford, Ryan Blake and Kalsey Larson to their staff this year.  They look forward to getting to know everyone! 
• St. Catherine University welcomes Samantha (Sam) Savoie and Kaylene Mrozinski to the admission office! 
• Lots of news from Minnesota State University - Moorhead! Elizabeth (Liz) Gunter has been hired as a permanent full-time admissions counselor.  Briana Knott is continuing her 2nd year as a permanent full-time admissions counselor.  Megan Proulx and Kyle Rausch have been hired as admissions counselors.  Jessica Endres has been hired as a permanent full-time transfer admissions counselor and Twin Cities program recruiter.  Ann Buesgens was promoted to Assistant Director of Admissions-Recruitment, Twin Cities Based Counselor in fall 2009.  Nina Johnson has been hired as Assistant Director of Admissions-Campus Events/Recruitment.  Sarah Nissen was hired as Assistant Director of Admissions-Communications in fall 2009.  Jeremy Johnson is beginning his 2nd year as interim Director of Admissions. 
• Melissa Huybrecht has been  promoted to Associate Director of Admissions at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.  She was also admitted to the Higher Education Administration Master of Science program at St. Cloud State University!
• Rodrigo Vega has been promoted to a new position as Admissions Counselor at Metropolitan State University.  He will work out of the St. Paul location.
• The University of Minnesota, Morris is very happy to welcome two new Admissions Counselors: Danielle Schatschneider and Kelly Herzberg, both 2010 graduates of Morris, started in July.  Danielle and Kelly look forward to seeing all of their new friends from MACAC's ACI out on the road this fall!
• Saint Mary's University of Minnesota would like to welcome Brandi DeFries as the new Director for Undergraduate Admission.  Prior to assuming the position Brandi was Vice President for Enrollment Management at Mount Marty College, Yankton, SD.  She also worked at Augustana College, SD, as a counselor before moving to MMC in 1999.  Brandi has completed the coursework on her Doctorate of Education in Educational Administration from the University of South Dakota.

Save the date!

MACAC Board Meetings for 2010-11

Thursday, November 18: Minnetonka District Service Center, Minnetonka

 Thursday, February 17: Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield

Tuesday, April 12: Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato 

Professional Development Events for 2010-11

College Counseling Institute (CCI): Friday, October 15 at St. Catherine University

Financial Aid Workshop: Wednesday, January 12 at the University of St. Thomas

Spring Conference: Monday, May 16 at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus

Who writes this newsletter, anyway?

If you're curious about MACAC connections and communications, have ideas for future newsletter content or are wondering what it's like to be on a MACAC committee, all paths point to External Relations!  E-mail Jane Nordhorn with your ideas or to find out more about this opportunity.