This is the venue for past and present National Student Chapter Presidents to voice their experiences while in service. Take a look at their commentaries and ask yourself the question, "Could I be Student Chapter President one day?"
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5 comments:
Serving as the NAEA Student Chapter President is hands-down the most rewarding professional experience I have had. I would not be the art educator that I am without it. It has helped me in so many ways it would take forever to write it in this space. My favorite thing about the experience was the wonderful people I met and the friends I have made. These are life-long friends I can't wait to see each year I go to the convention. Some were fellow students and others have been my mentors and support throughout the past years. They have been there for my through thick and thin. Now that I am currently a full time graduate student, it amazes me how most of my readings I do for class are written by those friends and mentors I have made. I have an advantage over many of my fellow grad students in that I actually know or have met many of the most important people in art education. I know them as real people and it makes my graduate experience that much more exciting. And to think, only a small lucky few get this experience and I'm part of that lucky group. It is an honor. There is much more I could talk about but I thought I'd just mention my favorite for now.
Anne Blue
NAEA Student President 2002-2003
I am currently serving as the NAEA Student Chapter President-Elect. I cannot share in words how rewarding the experience has been so far. After being elected on, I felt as if I was part of a family. Since being part of the presidential team, I have participated in leadership conferences, attended the summer NAEA meeting in Reston, Virginia, sent out monthly online bulletins, and communicated with many student chapters across the country.
Before I decided to run for the team, I had a concern about my future plans. I was student teaching at the time, graduating in May, and wanted to start a family after getting a job. I was scared that I had to hold my family plans back until my term was done. Once I started working with the presidential team, my worries went away. I now work as an elementary art teacher for three schools in my district, and my husband and I are expecting our first child in August.
As a member of the presidential team, you can have a chance to make a difference, and at the same time, work on your career and family choices. My school district is a great supporter for our chapter. I also keep in close contact with my graduating class and share stories and ideas from our classroom experiences. The most rewarding part of being part of the team is meeting the student chapter members across the country. We have built many online venues to suit the needs of future art educators (including this blog!).
I would have to say if you are considering running for the presidential team, go for it. It's one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had.
Heidi O'Hanley
NAEA Student Chapter President-Elect 2007-2010
I loved serving as Student Chapter President. Certainly the best professional experience of my life. My favorite aspect of the job was representing all of the student and early-professional memebers of NAEA. I loved the political concept that I was out there fighting for them in the organization. When I look back Student Chapter has been an agent of change in NAEA (seriously) and several of our activities and issues we've raised have in my opinion lead directly to systemic improvements (seriously). Not bad for a bunch of kids. Additionally, what most people don't realize is that the Presidential Team basically creates a mini-conference within the NAEA conference. We work our butts off every year and at this point I am just really looking forward to my first convention where I won't be running around like a maniac. Ultimately, I have a lot of great memories. My favorite is probably the year that two of the three Presidents were sidelined by illness at the convention. I had basically turned green and the other became bed-ridden practically simultaneously. We presumed the mysterious ailment both of us had contracted was food-poisoning. Poor Mark had to do everything himself for a little while. The next day we found out that the other President was pregnant! Then Mark says "Maybe that's what you have too."
This is my first year serving on the Student Chapter Presidential Team as President-Elect. It has truly been an amazing experience so far. Going to Washington D.C. for the annual business meeting was exciting. I have grown fonder of what NAEA is and what it stands for. I have been inspired by the leaders of the organization, including Deborah and the Board of Directors. It has been a joy to work with Heidi and Sarah and observe their passion for their roles. NAEA is such a well-run organization and continually grows in ways that are current and fresh with the world of education and the arts, as well as technology and research. It represents an unmatched place where we as art educators can be renewed, inspired, acknowledged, and appriciated for our passionate hard work.
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