Membership Update

Hello and happy summer PennACE colleagues! I hope you all had a productive end of your spring semester and are enjoying the start of your summer! I know it has certainly been a trying and difficult time for many of us with all that has gone on and is continuing to go on in this world. While a lot is still unknown, I can say with the utmost certainty that I am proud to call you all colleagues and friends. It has been so inspiring to see the creative ways you’ve made this situation work to continue to help and support your students. I look forward to the day we can all see each other, in person, again soon!

This will also be my last Membership Update as I transition into the Vice President role with PennACE. I have enjoyed my time in this role and am excited to stay on the board in this new capacity. Chad Ganley from Kutztown University will be taking over in July as the Membership Chair and I am confident he will do an exceptional job in this role! A few membership things to keep in mind.

Staffing Updates

With any new academic year often comes staffing changes and transitions. If you have bid farewell to a team member who held a PennACE membership or if you have welcomed someone new whom you would like to benefit from PennACE membership, please contact myself or Chad (starting in July) with those updates to ensure your institution’s membership accounts are current.

Wanting to be more involved? Join a committee or apply for a board position!

There are many ways to become a more active PennACE member throughout the year. In addition to board positions that are up for election each spring, there are several committee opportunities, including the Annual Conference Committee, Student of the Year Award Committee, Grants Committee, Government Relations Committee, Employer Relations Committee, and Professional Development Committee. For more information, visit www.pennace.info/getting-involved-with-pennace or contact the committee chair.

Membership Accounts

If you are having trouble logging in to your PennACE membership account or can’t remember if you have an account, please check with Kelsey Thompson (kthomps@iup.edu) or Chad Ganley (ganley@kutztown.edu). A few troubleshooting tips to consider:

•Tip #1: Your username is always your full email address

•Tip #2: If you can’t remember your password or would like to change it, click “Forgot Your Password?” on the login page.

Please do NOT create a new account unless we have concluded that you do not already have one. Even if you have not previously held membership, you may have an account if you have registered for a conference or professional development event as a non-member. This allows us to make sure our membership list is as current and up-to-date as possible.

As a reminder, memberships typically expire around these times throughout the year: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.

Perks of Being a PennACE Member

There are so many benefits of being part of PennACE! The list could go on forever (not that I am biased!) but a few things to mention:

•Save money with discounted rates for the annual conference and professional development events

•Apply for grants for your organization

•Participate in various committees and board positions

•Nominate your students for the annual Student of the Year awards

•View and post to the job board

•Communicate with the entire PennACE community via the ListServ

I look forward to connecting with many of you at our first ever virtual conference at the end of the month. Until then, I wish you all a happy start to your summer. And remember – do not hesitate to reach out with any membership questions!

Kelsey Thompson

PennACE Membership Chair and incoming VP/President Elect of PennACE