Update to the NAASS 2021 Annual Conference

• The 57th Annual NAASS Conference will be held virtually in fall 2021. NAASS plans to return to meeting in-person in Philadelphia, PA in fall 2022 for the 58th Annual NAASS Conference at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel.
• NAASS reviewed feedback and heard from many that institutional budget and travel restrictions as well as personal comfort would severely limit access and attendance to an in-person event in 2021.
• For this reason, and the financial stability of NAASS, the executive committee and conference planning committee believe that a virtual event is the best path forward for summer and special sessions professionals.
• For the latest updates on the 2021 Annual Conference, visit the NAASS website or keep an eye out for information in future NAASS Beats.

Join a NAASS Working Group!

• The Middle-Southern regional team invites all NAASS members to join us in pilot working groups designed for colleagues in similar functional areas in summer and special sessions.
• Working groups are topic-based and will have the opportunity to set their own goals on what they would like to achieve. Groups might be interested in writing articles or publishing scholarship, connecting with others in roles similar to theirs to share best practices, and more.
• There are currently two NAASS Working Groups: Transfer Initiatives (led by Amanda Therrell) and Data (led by Meg Lipinoga).
• Sign up for a working group here.
• For questions, contact naass@naass.org.

Upcoming NAASS Webinars

• Our NAASS spring 2021 webinar series is in full swing!
• Join us for the next NAASS webinar on Wednesday, February 24 @ 2 p.m. Eastern Time as NAASS members discuss Working Groups, a new initiative that connects NAASS colleagues on summer and special session planning.
• RSVP for upcoming webinars here.
• If you have questions about our virtual discussions, please contact NAASS Membership & Communications Committee Chair Jacob Wierson at jacob.wierson@slu.edu. 

Summer Study in the USA Tool

• As of February 11, 2021, the Summer Study in the USA search tool has garnered 39,650 page views since it launched in October 2020. Use of the tool is being heavily promoted alongside the Association for Pre-College Program Directors’ series of 2021 Summer Pre-College Virtual Program Fairs.
• Between January and April 2021, the Virtual Fairs are forecast to reach over 10,000 students, parents, and educators interested in learning more about summer programs.
• If your school’s summer programs (for any grade range) are not listed on the site, please contact Christine Parker at csparker@uchicago.edu for directions on how you can submit your programs to the search tool.
• Inclusion in the search tool is a NAASS member benefit and provides wide exposure for your programs at no additional cost to you!

NAASS Big Idea Feature

• Throughout the spring semester, the Creative & Innovative Awards Committee has been featuring this year's NAASS Big Ideas.
• This month, the committee would like to feature Virginia Commonwealth University's Summer Scholars which went virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for more information about this program and how VCU found a solution for students during difficult times.
• For a full list of Big Idea submissions, click here and follow NAASS on social media for weekly highlights!

New Articles on Summer Academe

• Two new articles have been published on Summer Academe:
  • A review of Transitioning Students in Higher Education: Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Practice, by William Kops
  • A By-Product of Summer Programs: Student Marketers and Career-Readiness, by Geneva Sedgwick, Bryan Ruppert, and Zachar Zenteno
• Summer Academe is a professional journal published jointly since 1996 by NAASS and AUSS. It provides university and college administrators, deans and directors of summer sessions, and faculty involved in teaching and programming in summer sessions, with a source of current research and best practices in summer session administration and pedagogy.
• For more information about Summer Academe, click here.

YourMembership Database

• NAASS is rolling out a new membership database called YourMembership (YM).
• YM will give members the ability to connect and network with colleagues, post on forums and communicate with committees in an easy-to-navigate online platform.
• More details will be shared with membership soon- rollout is expected to begin by the end of the month!

Follow NAASS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our LinkedIn group.