Amethyst O'Brien -- Google presentation at the AAWCC summer conference

The Oregon Chapter of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) held its summer conference at The Oregon Gardens in Silverton,on Thursday, July 22.  There were 85 attendees from eight community colleges: Columbia Gorge, Portland, Mt. Hood, Linn-Benton, Chemeketa, Umpqua, Clackamas and Lane, making it their largest summer conference to date.

The theme for the conference was “Demystifying Your Digital World: Using Technology to Grow Productivity.”  That could have meant something informative but incredibly boring, but the titles of and information about the presentations seemed promising:

• Enter the World of Google Apps
  Learn from a diverse team of professionals about Google’s powerful, intuitive online tools that can make communicating and collaborating efficient, fun and easy in both your professional and personal lives.
• Using Your Digital Camera: A Walk in the Garden
  Bring your digital camera to learn the basics of exposure and composition in a hands-on  workshop where we will photograph the beautiful scenery of the Oregon Garden.
• Brand or Be Branded: Social Media and Job Search for Career Development
  Did you know that at least 45 percent of employers are looking up job candidates online?  Did you know that Financial Aid and Scholarship professionals are looking up students online? This presentation will introduce the concept of personal branding online and recommend five things to do online to support your professional image.”

Karin Magnuson, training specialist and chair of the Business and Employer Services department at LBCC, was named president of the Oregon chapter last fall, and will serve through 2012.  I talked with her briefly at the conference, and then this week in her office.

She, too, was excited by the responses she overheard at the conference.

Magnuson said, “These topics were chosen for this conference because many are behind the curve when it comes to social media, but we wanted a conference that was delightful, engaging, and provided professional development.”

The location was chosen because they also wanted to “provide a pause that refreshes.”

In many ways, the topics were more than interesting; they were inspiring.  It was one of the best conferences of any kind I have ever attended, which seemed to be the sentiment of other attendees.

For those who were unfamiliar with AAWCC, it quickly became clear that they do what they claim on their website.  They encourage the professional development of women in community colleges.  They support women who are in leadership roles, and develop communication between women who are in community colleges.  They promote and offer local and state workshops and share information on programs, services and courses that are available for professional women.

A major plus is that anyone who supports the chapter mission (male or female) becomes a lifetime member after participating in one event.

But why join?

“Oregon AAWCC provides the following benefits to its members:

• Award grants to local chapters for startup activities and professional development.
• Award scholarship money for the annual conference.
• Honor outstanding community college women through the Excellence & Carolyn DesJardins leadership awards.
• Support our newsletter, a link between all the local chapters in Oregon.
• Provide the opportunity for local chapters to do regional retreats and bring topics of interest to local groups.
• Participate in the yearly Race for the Cure, hopefully finding a cure for breast cancer.

And most of all, enjoy the good company of the many wonderful women who are sisters in AAWCC. ”

The photography session was perfect for the venue!  After finishing the “how-to” session, we were sent into the garden on a treasure hunt.  My photography buddy and I found everything on the list and got some very good pictures.

We learned some important social networking things to do and not do.  Brand or be branded is very serious.  For those who are in the blogosphere, on MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin, or any of the other social media outlets, vigilance is mandatory.

Protect your online presence!

For me, the organization’s desire to provide useful and pertinent tools was accomplished at this conference.  The Google Apps presentation solidified my determination to venture out of the comfort zone of a “Microsoft only” world, and embrace more fully the possibilities found in using Google for more than a search tool.

The free online hard drive to back up my documents, making it possible to access them from anywhere, made the switch to Google documents a must.

Gmail, calendar, documents, and reader were first presented, followed by iGoogle, Picasa and the wonderland found in “more” and then “even more!”

Everyone enjoyed trying for a trip to Paris, France, in Google Maps, even though we ended up at the entrance to the gardens, instead.  Many attendees expressed an interest in the ability to “see it before you go”—transit routes and street view.  Instructors were encouraged to search for lesson plans made available by other teachers.

The Google toolbox is enormous!

All of the links used in the presentations are available to anyone who visits the AAWCC website: http://www.aawccoregon.org/summer-conference/resources.html.

Plans for the fall conference, which will be held in Tigard at the Embassy Suites (near Washington Square) on Nov. 18 and 19, are being finalized.  The fee is $175, but scholarships are available.

Visit the AAWCC website at: http://www.aawccoregon.org for further information–mark your calendar, and go!