Issue link: http://digital.corporatepress.com/i/143540
from the appa board Professional Development Committee By Chuck Scott T he recent buzz phrase in APPAland is "Why APPA?" On most of our campuses, there is much talk about what we do and how we do it. Yet, now there begins a shift in focus to WHY we do what we do. Let's take a few moments as I share the work of the dedicated volunteers who make up APPA's Professional Development Committee—because they are hard at work for you! In this article, I hope to convey the value of these APPA offerings to our members and their respective institutions. I hope to convey "Why APPA." created a culture on our campus that conveys a strong customer service focus and greater professional knowledge base that results in campus-wide appreciation for the services we provide. We have adopted the "Fun is Good" philosophy from Mike Veeck, whereby we take our work very seriously while simultaneously having fun in the workplace. We also subscribe to the notion that one can go to college and get a degree, but one must be engaged to get an education. So, you may ask, "How do I have fun, how do I engage, and why APPA?" An Introduction Because some readers of this article may not have been involved in the APPA officer election process, I would like to introduce myself as your new Vice President for Professional Development. As such, I want to share a little bit about myself, my APPA involvement, and what I hope to bring to our members. I have been a long-standing supporter of professional development and have demonstrated this as a graduate of the APPA Institute for Facilities Management, Leadership Academy, University of Notre Dame Executive Institute, and am an Educational Facilities Professional. My support of continual learning is also felt by my staff at Illinois State; annually we ensure participation in many of the APPA professional development offerings. Together we have So, Why APPA? First off, APPA is fun! Where else could you interact with peers that have similar interests and concerns? Have you heard about the continued success of APPA U with nearly 800 facilities professionals attending during fiscal 2012-13? Are you aware of the expanded delivery of Academy on Campus with Track 1 and Track 2 of the Leadership Academy available truly at your time and place of choice? The same is true with the Supervisor's Toolkit, where you can bring it to your own campus. Have you participated in the expansion of our Drive-In Workshops as we build new relationships with Business Partner members in successful training and networking opportunities? Are you attending APPA 2013 in Minneapolis? This annual conference Facilities Manager | july/august 2013 | 15