dressed in business casual attire. “And here I am wearing jeans!” Chancellor Atkinson exclaimed as the crowd rumbled with laughter. After opening remarks, Emily Sellers, from the College’s statewide office, stepped to the podium to share our new strategic plan, “Higher Education at the Speed of Life.” Thanks to the IvyEvents app, we could all inter- act throughout her presentation with live emoji sends, similar to Facebook Live or Zoom Presentations. As Sellers posed a question, we could all type out our answer and send it out to be shared on the projector for all in attendance. From CCCI to Illinois Fall Creek Center (IFC), the rest of the day was full of educational seminars, panels, workshops, and keynotes. The day concluded on a sweet note; an ice cream truck was parked outside IFC, and all employees were invited to grab their favorite flavor, get some fresh air, and connect with colleagues. “I, along with the 2023 Fall Convocation Committee, wanted the day to be useful across all employee job roles. For both faculty and staff, full-time and part-time, from directors to coordinators, and instructors to pro- gram chairs, we wanted everyone to be able to find beneficial takeaways,” Bonilla said. According to the survey results, 87% believed the convocation achieved its goal of providing a successful professional development day. Bonilla said it was great for herself and fellow cabinet members to see people smiling and laughing (not just at the ice cream social that wrapped up the day) but from the start of the day through its entirety. “It was important after a huge leadership change that everyone saw their new cabinet as approachable and open – because we are! We value professional and personal development, and I think that message came across at the fall convocation,” Bonilla said. It was truly a day full of valuable experiences – people who work in different areas seeing and/or meeting each other for the first time, new employees receiving an energetic welcome to the campus, staff getting to hear from faculty, and faculty getting to hear from staff. There will be a 2024 Fall Convocation, and Bonilla looks forward to putting the committee together come spring.
Photo by: Kenny Rogers
Winter 23-24 | 21
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