FROM THE PRESIDENT
Hello fellow Secretariat members! I am writing to you for the first time in my role at President of The Secretariat, and I am excited, nervous, and honored to lead this wonderful organization! I cannot do this alone, and I hope you will help me to make this year special for all our members. The goal for this year is to provide more professional growth learning sessions, establish mentoring relationships, and continue our fun social activities. The elected officers and committee members will work hard this year to find ways to help us all become better at our jobs, maybe learn some new skills, and make new friends! We all have something to contribute towards this longstanding organization. Even if you’re not sure you have what it takes to contribute, I know that you have plenty to offer to our members. Volunteering to serve on one of our committees, contributing towards one of our philanthropy efforts, or just having a presence at one of our programs or social events is all it takes! Even the small act of providing feedback to a committee’s request can prove beneficial to the entire organization. Our membership is growing, and just think of the networking and learning opportunities you can provide AND receive by participating. Always watch for upcoming events in the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out.
If you’d like to become a committee member, you can review the list of our current committees to see which one may interest you the most: http://publish.illinois.edu/secretariat/committees/. All of our committees need more members. This is a great way to improve or learn job skills and meet new people. Please do not hesitate to contact me, one of the elected representatives, or anyone on a committee with questions.
I want to congratulate the Secretariat Member of the Year, Jim McGraw! Jim received this award at our June luncheon. Jim has been a dedicated member, chairing the Nominations/Elections Committee, attending all monthly luncheons (including helping set-up and tear-down) and Executive Board meetings, and always stopping by for our after-hours social gatherings. Jim always lets everyone know how much he has learned from joining The Secretariat, in addition, to enjoying the people that he’s met. What Jim may not realize is that The Secretariat has gotten just as much from Jim in return. He’s the perfect ambassador for our organization, and the award is definitely well deserved!
Bill Goodman (Assistant Dean for Administration, College of Applied Health Sciences) was awarded a Secretariat Honorary Membership at our June luncheon. Bill has been a strong supporter of The Secretariat for many years. He recognizes the opportunities that our organization provides to its members to improve leadership and teamwork skills. We all benefit from his awareness of The Secretariat as he always approves our request to use space in Huff Hall for our luncheons for free. Thank you for your support, and congratulations Mr. Goodman!
Also at our June luncheon, all attending Past Presidents were recognized, in addition to the 2016-2017 Executive Board members and Committee members. They each have, and still do, contribute greatly to the organization in more ways than even I can put into words. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT!
Finally, I want to thank Penny Nigh for her leadership as President during the 2016-2017 year. Several positive changes took place under Penny’s leadership because of her vision to want to better serve you. We now have a revised and current website, a mentoring focus, and a better awareness to provide more professional growth training opportunities. I am so happy that Penny is going to continue to stay active on the Executive Board in her role of ex officio and Co-Chair of the Membership and Mentoring Committee. Thank you, Penny, for your continued leadership and also for your friendship to so many of us. You truly are an asset to The Secretariat!
I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming year!
Angie Wisehart
President |
