I am thrilled to share more about the 2025 L.E.A.P Conference and what makes it so special. L.E.A.P, which stands for Leading and Excelling, Academically and Professionally, is an annual conference held for 10th-12th grade students in Iowa. While all students are welcome, a majority of the attendees are first-generation, low-income, or underrepresented students. L.E.A.P can make such a difference in these students’ lives by getting them connected with individuals and resources that will help shape their futures- no matter what path they choose.

Say hello to Jasmine Washington, Cornell College, our new Inclusion, Access, and Success (IAS) Committee Chairperson! Jasmine is jumping in feet first as she leads the IAS Committee in preparation for the 2025 LEAP Conference on December 2 at Kirkwood Community College.

As I begin my second fall semester in admissions — having started in November 2023— I’m struck by how different this season feels. It’s not just  the rhythm of the academic year or the changing campus energy; it’s the sense of familiarity and forward motion that comes with experience.

The Iowa ACAC Executive Board gathered in Okoboji, Iowa, in early August for our annual retreat. It was a great opportunity for both new and returning board members to connect, get to know each other, and better understand our roles and responsibilities within the Association.

It’s hard to believe the new recruitment cycle is right around the corner! Summer has flown by, and it’s time to gear up for the 2025/2026 College Fair season.

It was another successful RIDE in June, as school counselors and CCTCs took time out of their early summer to "Rediscover Iowa's Diverse Education!" 

Facebook got me in trouble. I recently posted a picture in one of my happy places—pouring world-class beer samples at last year’s Northside Oktoberfest in Iowa City. (Editor's note: Not TROUBLE - just a request for this article! :)

Whew — what a fantastic conference week we had! It was truly rewarding to see all our hard work and planning come to life as we Bridged Together at Indian Hills Community College.

Four of our new committee chairs took over after the spring conference. One has been involved since the fall, but we wanted to officially introduce her, too! 

On weekends starting in April, there is a pretty high chance you could find me with dirt under my fingernails and my hair stuffed into a hat. I have been spending every weekend, and some weeknights, over the last month and a half working on my home vegetable garden and a demonstration garden at Lowe Park in Marion, IA.

How do I describe the RIDE? I moved to Iowa 7 years ago from the beautiful State of Hawaii. The first question students asked me was “Why” and the second question after I sat down with them to do their career planning was “What’s this college or that college like?”

Working in College Admissions for the past 14 years has been incredibly rewarding in so many ways. Yes, we face burnout, spend a lot of time on the road, and put in extra hours—often for less-than-ideal pay. However, I believe in the work we do, I see the impact we have on students, and I never wake up dreading my job. For me, that is a true blessing.

Back in the day, we got all our Iowa ACAC updates by snail mail—postcards, flyers, newsletters. Now it’s all digital (yay for less paper!). But I know how easy it is to feel buried in emails and miss things...I know I overlook sometimes.

Spring is just around the corner, and you know what that means—it's almost time for the Iowa ACAC Conference!

The new year has brought a sense of reflection and gratitude for being part of this group. One of the reasons that I appreciate being part of the college admissions and school counseling community is the sense of purpose, resilience, and tenacity of the individuals in these professions.

The 2025 conference planning team is hard at work, and we're buzzing with excitement about creating an unforgettable experience for all attendees. As the chair of this amazing team, I’d like to personally invite you to join us at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa this coming May for what promises to be an inspiring and fun-filled event: “Bridging Together in Higher Education”.

LEAP 2024 Conference took place on Wednesday, November 20th at DMACC. This year's conference featured a keynote address from Jordan Brooks from Iowa State University who challenged students to manifest their dreams and how knowing themselves can help them find a college and career that combines their passions and interests.

My collegiate athletic experience was unconventional. Hesitant to continue track and field, I turned down an athletic scholarship. Missing the sport I’d known my whole athletic career, I walked on to the team my sophomore year of college. That first season was humbling, to say the least. I picked up throwing equipment for the first time ever. A former sprinter turned thrower. I failed, multiple times. Fast forward to my junior year- I was the outdoor conference champion and school record holder in shot put, and made my mark as a top 5 all-time performer in three throwing events. I was not a NCAA Division I, a Division II athlete, or even an athlete in the NCAA. But the opportunities, connections, and skills I gained along the way I will be forever grateful for.

As the Admission Professional of the Year recipient, I was given the opportunity to attend this year’s NACAC conference in Los Angeles. While the schedule was very robust with lots of awesome sessions and events, it was a bit overwhelming. Reading all the options and coming up with my game plan felt a bit like cramming for a test. I’ve made some cliff notes (does anyone even use these anymore?) so you won’t need to cram for a NACAC conference in the future.

• Step 1, open your NACAC emails.
• Step 2, actually read said emails. No really, pre-conference emails have a wealth of information, and it helps to look at your options in snippets and come back to it often.
• Utilize the conference app. It allowed me to filter sessions specific to the content I wanted to learn about and build my own schedule. It also sent me reminders of the things I was most interested in doing.
• Don’t be afraid to walk out of a session- Yes, I just encouraged you to leave but for good reason! There are many things happening at the same time such as sessions, learning labs etc. I found myself wanting to attend multiple things and since I was flying solo, I cut out early to make it to everything on my list.
• Take the initiative to introduce yourself to someone new. I promise, the benefits far outweigh the fear of talking to strangers! I met two counselors from Vancouver Island, Canada, we had invigorating conversations that branched outside of just ‘work talk’ and now it’s on my travel bucket list. You should Google it; this place is like visiting Europe without flying over an ocean to get there.
• If you’re invited to an after party (most are hosted by sponsors/exhibitors), go! While these events are not hosted or sponsored by NACAC, they are another great way to network and have fun and, let’s be honest, having fun with our colleagues is icing on the conference cake!
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LEAP Conference will take place Wednesday, November 20th from 9:15am - 2:00pm at DMACC Ankeny Campus. This free event is  tailored to students grades 10-12 who are the first in their family to pursue a college degree and from other underrepresented populations. Attendees will feel empowered to develop plans for their future as well as understand the value of leadership and academic success.