Dear Members,

Happy Summer! My hope is that you are enjoying your summer, whether you have time off from work or are just enjoying the less crazy time in the office. I hope that you take some time to relax and reenergize for the 2022-2023 school year.

Let me officially introduce myself, Dr. Sarah Smith, School Counselor and Career Exploration Program Coordinator at Triton Regional High School in Runnemede, NJ. I have been a counselor for 15 years and love helping my students. As many of you who may have attended the conference in May may have discovered by the theme, I like to craft. I have a Cricut machine and make lots of stuff (shirts, signs, etc.) and I also taught myself to knit while in quarantine and I can also crochet. Anyone who has been on Zoom with me while I’m at home also knows that I have 3 cats (Harry, Ron and Hermoine) and they normally make a camera appearance. In my previous life, I was a music educator and always enjoy a good concert or live music, preferably with an adult beverage. I’ve been involved in NJACAC for about 6 years and have previously served as chair of the Inclusion, Access and Success Committee.

It was great to see many of you at the conference in May and was excited to be back in person and return to some sense of normalcy. The presidential trio is busy meeting and solidifying our appointed Executive Board committee chairs and preparing for our retreat in August.

As I begin my year as your NJACAC President, I’m excited for what is ahead of us as an organization. I would like to start by highlighting some upcoming opportunities:

• The National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) annual conference is a great place to start. You get the opportunity to learn from some of the best professionals in our field and connect with peers from all over the world! This year I am particularly excited to hear from Billy Porter on the main stage! NACAC and other schools/companies provide pre-conference workshops as well, focusing on things like Middle Management and local campus tours.

• NACAC also offers an annual Guiding the Way to Inclusion Conference. (This year it’s located in Philadelphia!) This conference is aimed particularly at professionals committed to championing the needs of diverse students within the college admission process. Oftentimes, advocating for diverse students can weigh heavily on our own personal trauma. GWI provides an opportunity to meet others committed to the same work and to find ways to share the burden that can accompany it.

Now, I know these national opportunities present an additional dilemma: money. This year, NJACAC has allocated Imagine Grant funds provided by NACAC for our members to attend both of these conferences! Two members will be reimbursed up to $500 to attend NACAC in Houston and two other members will be reimbursed up to $500 to attend GWI in Philadelphia! You can apply for the NACAC grant here and the GWI grant here. (An option to apply for a NACAC grant existed on the grant application for NJACAC’s conference. Anyone who previously submitted an application is still eligible and does not need to reapply)

I’m looking forward to serving as your President and am wishing you a relaxing, restful, reenergizing summer.

Sincerely,

Sarah