As I prepared to write this Vision column, the last one of my presidential term, I went back and looked at how some of my colleagues chose to sign off. There were many words of gratitude for their fellow Board members as well as good wishes for the incoming ones. They took the opportunity to reflect on the high points and the lessons they learned by serving. I certainly share those sentiments! Without the support of my work and home families and some exceptional friends, this term of service would not have been possible.
During the past year, it was not uncommon for a new acquaintance at an event to say something like, “How does one get to be the ACUHO-I President anyway?” My engagement with ACUHO-I has taken several forms through the years. I’ve been a Board member and a Board leader. I was the Foundation chair and a front-line fundraiser, convincing people to buy raffle tickets. I’ve been on committees and authored bylines. That doesn’t even include the opportunities I’ve enjoyed at the state and regional level. I’ve seen the benefits these roles have brought me, and I hope I’ve been able to leave a positive imprint on these organizations as well. So while I certainly will take some extra time for myself and my family when this presidential term ends (and, yes, there are some past-presidential duties I will attend to in 2026), let me tell you that my ACUHO-I volunteer days are not numbered.
We have worked hard in recent years to create a greater number of micro-volunteer opportunities that can accommodate your valuable, limited available time, unique talents, and particular interests.
I share this with all of you in hopes that you will consider finding a way to leave your imprint on ACUHO-I as well, and to remind you that the opportunities are varied and plentiful. Being involved doesn’t have to mean running for office or making a multi-year commitment. We have worked hard in recent years to create a greater number of micro-volunteer opportunities that can accommodate your valuable, limited available time, unique talents, and particular interests. Everyone’s voice matters as we do the work of making campus home.
For example, ACUHO-I conferences certainly rely on volunteer presenters, but they also need session moderators and smiling faces to sit at the welcome desk. Participating in an article for the Talking Stick or The Journal of College and University Student Housing is an excellent way to amplify your knowledge, but it’s also valuable to pass along a link to an article to a colleague or your department. Committees and networks need chairs who will lead conversations and projects, but they also need members to support them. Even taking a couple of extra minutes in the morning to chime in on an online community conversation or share a resource is a valuable way to keep our shared momentum moving forward.
I know we all have responsibilities requiring our time and attention on our campuses and in our homes. However, I can attest that finding some space for volunteerism – whether it is for ACUHO-I or another organization – is worth the effort. You feel the satisfaction of a job well done. It draws you in and connects you to something larger than yourself. It connects you with others and shows them (and you) in a new light. And, much like the reward many of us find in our day-to-day work, you’ll be reminded that even the smallest actions can have an outsized effect.
Thank you for the chance to serve as your ACUHO-I president; it has been the honor of a lifetime!
— Kathy Bush Hobgood, ACUHO-I President
Talking Stick magazine takes its name from the symbol of international friendship presented to ACUHO-I in 1973 by the Ohiat Band of the British Columbia Indian Nation. The talking stick, or speaker’s staff, is hand-carved, and the inscription explains, “It is a sign of authority carried when proclamations are to be made or a meeting of chiefs is in session. It is a token of common heritage both to Canadians and Americans.”
