Packing My Bags for NACADA10

It’s time to gear up for the annual 2010 NACADA Conference happening this coming weekend/week in Orlando, FL. Let’s pack our academic advising conference bags:

Sunscreen & glasses – CHECK
Booked my hotel & a FREE ride on The Magical Express Bus – CHECK
Interactive Conference Scheduler – CHECK
Posted on the Official NACADA2010 Conference Blog – CHECK
Reviewed the Exhibitors list – CHECK
Prepped my Pre-Conference Workshop (#16) Wiki – CHECK
Read the Last Minute Tips – CHECK
Packed my Social Media Toolkit & Gadgets —- YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

This year NACADA has decided to be more social & interactive (officially) online. This is excellent news for many Academic Advisors and Administrators who want to be part of the growing, collaborative network of advisors who already play in the virtual environment. The NACADA backchannel will allow conference attendees in Florida, and other professionals from afar to interact, converse, connect, and share the conference happenings.

Last year, Eric Stoller & I initiated an unofficial backchannel at the 2009 NACADA Conference on Twitter & Facebook. This idea developed out of the interest to participate in the conference even if we were not able to be there in person. Since Texas is my home state, I was able to drive down to San Antonio for part of the conference. Due to the economic down turn, many advising units have had to cut professional development and travel funding budgets – which limit the number of colleagues who can join the annual conference.

This year, I am fortunate to be part of a team who will be helping to support the NACADA Backchannel. Brad Popiolek and Rey Junco are part of the collaborative group who will help support the online presence of #NACADA10. Here’s a bit more information about what to expect & my NACADA 2010 Social Media Guide blog post.

For those not interested in creating accounts to stay connected to the NACADA 2010 Backchannel, you are welcome to just follow along. I will do my best to share some updates, but most of mine will be through one of the NACADA online platforms:

Check out the NACADA 2010 Blog & stay tuned for daily posts: http://nacada2010.blogspot.com/
“Like” the NACADA Facebook Fan Page & see updates in your Facebook feed: http://www.facebook.com/NACADA?ref=ts
Read the Daily Newspaper (aggregation of all the #nacada10 talk online): http://paper.li/tag/nacada10
Follow the NACADA on Twitter: http://twitter.com/nacada
Twitter Search with the hash tag #nacada10

For those of you who WILL be at #NACADA10, please be sure to join us for the very first NACADA TweetUp after the Common Reading on Monday night. This social gathering should be fun! We will meet at a location (to be announced SOON) on Monday, October 4th at 7 pm. Stay tuned to blog/Twitter for updates & safe travels to all. See you there!