What's in a name? As so many of our institutions have been closely examining what equity, belonging and inclusion means on our campuses, the AHEPPP Task Force deliberately chose its name.

Equity is a practice that understands that not all people need exactly the same resources (i.e. equality).  You may have seen the popular drawing (courtesy of Interaction Institute for Social Change” that simply demonstrates the difference between equity and equality. Equity is what the Task Force is striving for in AHEPPP; not that everyone gets the same resources, but that resources meet the needs of the membership and by extension, our students and families.

Why isn’t “access” included in the name?  The Task Force chose the term “belonging”, as the term access does not go far enough.  It is not enough to give our members access to our organization if they cannot utilize the resources.  Similarly, on our campuses, it is not enough for a student from a minority community to gain access to the college through admission.  True belonging indicates that the student gains admission and intentionally has access to the support they will need to be successful. 

Meet Christine Self, Ph.D. - Director of Parent & Family Relations at Texas Tech University and the AHEPPP Representative to CAS.

How did you become involved with AHEPPP? Please also share any past AHEPPP volunteer roles.
I first joined AHEPPP back in 2013 (I think?) when I attended the Fall Conference in San Diego, and I was hooked! It was so wonderful to meet with colleagues from across the country who did the same kind of work with families that I did and experienced the same rewards and challenges of working as a higher education professional who works primarily with families. I have previously served on AHEPPP conference committees and now as the CAS representative. Volunteering with AHEPPP is incredibly rewarding!

What has surprised you most about working with parents and family members?
I’ve been surprised by how rewarding it can be to help families navigate the transition to being supporters of college students and what great partners they can be is no longer surprising to me after all of these years.

What changes do you think we will see in the field of parent/family relations in the next 5 years?

I am seeing more support for parent/family programming and communication from those outside of our areas and I hope this trend continues!

When you're not working with parents and families, how do you like to spend your time?

I love reading, cooking, hiking, and spending time with my partner and our cats.

What is the last book you read?
The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty. I highly recommend this wonderful book about the influence of African cuisine in southern cooking.

Who inspires you? Why?

I am inspired by young people. This past year, they have withstood so much change and challenges to everything we thought we knew about education and social connections. Our young people have shown themselves to be flexible and resilient during trying times, and I find that inspiring.  

If you had to eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Pizza.

Get to know Liz Vigil., Senior Family Outreach Specialist at New Mexico State University. Liz is the Region 6 Chair for AHEPPP and a member of our Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion Task Force.

Now you can both promote and support your professional family... and look great doing it!

Get to know Lynanne Jamison Ph.D., Director of New Student & Family Programs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Lynanne is a long-time AHEPPP member and volunteer and currently serves at the Conference Committee Assessment Chair.

Like many institutions, Ohio State had to cancel our 2020 commencement celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Though a long time coming, on August 7, we were able to bring together our graduates, their families, and their loved ones for a celebration of their time at Ohio State.  As part of our evening together, Ryan Day, Ohio State’s football coach, and Christina Day, his wife, served as our graduation speakers.  The Days are very involved in the Ohio State community and focus their efforts on the mental health of children.  You can read more about their On Our Sleeves work here.  On this night, they took turns providing our graduates advice on their future successes.  

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce several leadership opportunities available for AHEPPP members.

16 months. 16 months of Zoom meetings. 16 months of canceled events. 16 months of being in constant crisis mode. The 2020-2021 school year will be a memory we will never forget. 

What is the most important aspect of Family Weekend at my college?  It is not the events we plan, the modality, the swag (although some of our swag is pretty sweet), or the food we serve -- it is the connections we are forging.  

My favorite part about AHEPPP is the way that we share resources. Our members—truly the best of the best—take pride in being able to share their work and programs and support one another. This is something that makes our organization stand out in the field of higher education. One area in which I personally have been able to support my colleagues over the years is by sharing the survey I send to my parents. I know that assessment is an area in which many of us struggle. In fact, data from the 2021 Survey of Family Engagement and Programs at Colleges and Universities showed that fewer than 25% of professionals who work with families are doing any type of survey of their family events, programming, and use of resources. 

As all of us in AHEPPP are aware, it’s been a difficult 12+ months for the families we work with. They feel for their students who have not had the college experience they imagined. They’ve likely dealt with disruptions to their own work and home lives, and some undoubtedly faced health implications of COVID. 

Program proposals are due soon for the AHEPPP 2021 National Virtual Conference. Just in case you’re not yet convinced you should submit our Conference Team has compiled the top SEVENish reasons to submit a program proposal. 

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on every part of our daily lives -- routines have been all but lost, and modalities of connection and communication have been forever altered. For those of us lucky enough to have supportive institutions, this time has provided an opportunity to try new things and meet the needs of families in unique and different ways. On the flip side, this time has also gravely impacted our energy levels and mental health. As vaccine distribution increases there is a beacon of hope that many of our campuses and departmental operations will return to bustling in-person communities for Fall 2021.Yay! 

What a Year! Well done on surviving and thriving as you serve parents and families. As you continue to adjust and plan for the unknowns this fall, one thing is certain, understanding the needs of the families you serve is critical. TorchStar recently provided the Keynote for the AHEPPP Virtual Communications Summit. You can review the slides to learn how understanding personas can streamline parent communication and engagement. 

As the only association dedicated to student success through informed parent and family engagement, AHEPPP is proud to endorse College Ready: Expert Advice for Parents to Simplify the College Transition. This parent resource written entirely by AHEPPP members.

I heard a presenter this week that was talking about goal setting. He said to set a big goal and then little goals in order to reach that big goal. I think this is great advice as it pertains many things we do for parents and families especially when talking about race, diversity, inclusion and social justice. 

Across our personal conversations, social media feeds, and staff meetings, 2020 has loomed large. Between COVID, quarantining, and racial injustices, many days over the last year seemed relentless. For me, with this additional anxiety, I want to find places in my life that I can do something; how can I make this world I am living in slightly better?

Exactly a year ago, I took over the helm of Family Programming at my institution. Not even two weeks later we were sent home... and we haven’t returned to full in person operations since. My boxes remain unpacked under my desk after an entire year. These boxes are a metaphor for everything I had planned for my role and have yet to see come to fruition, or be able to unpack. 

The year 2020 has proven to be the epitome of difficult times. Since January, much has been written about the many obstacles of that fateful year, but the reality is that we may all still be reeling from our experiences. Due to the significant effects of COVID-19, many of us have lost family members, friends, and job opportunities. Additionally, in this new space of our COVID reality, many of us may be battling virtual fatigue, social isolation, and let’s face it there may be a tinge of burnout looming as well.  

According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), in the 2018–19 academic year, over 1 million international students enrolled in institutions of higher education in the United States.  This number is double the 547,867 students who were enrolled 20 years prior in 2000–01.  It is estimated that international students add over $40 billion to the US economy each year.  Since World War II, the United States has been a top destination for international student enrollment.