Dear GBSSA Members:

Wow - it's the end of March already?! What happened to all those months between October, when we gathered in Minnesota for our tenth GBSSA conference, to now? Since seeing most of you a few months ago, I have been trying to practice what I preach and put my 'take-aways' from the conference into practice. I have been speaking to our administration about getting our students involved in case competitions and have used many of the time management and email techniques with the staff in my office. Keeping the conference booklet on my desk is a daily reminder for me to keep practicing the tools of our industry.

Speaking of tools and keeping things relevant to our industry, the GBSSA Board has been working behind the scenes (under the clear direction of our technology chair, Andrew Stefl) to bring you a brand new interactive GBSSA Web site. It includes chat functions, pictures, important links, jobs, survey results, resources - anything and everything to make your job as a student services professional easier. Moreover, we hope it gives you the tools to connect with your colleagues across the country and the world and provides you with history of our organization and how we can continue to succeed going forward. I encourage you to check it out and carve out some time to explore the site and all it has to offer.

I also encourage you to read about all the exciting things the GBSSA Board is working on, Team MBA involvement, and 2011 conference information - all within this issue. It is my pleasure to serve as chair of GBSSA over the next two years and I promise to continue moving the organization forward that benefits to only you, but your institutions and well as the student services industry as a whole. Look for information about the Annual GMAC Conference in June (San Diego) and GBSSA's involvement in future email correspondences, and please feel free to contact me at any time should you have suggestions for the organization (good or bad) and I will be happy to have a dialogue with you. I wish you all the best as you prepare for end of the year activities and celebrate the achievements of your students.

Sincerely,

Troy P. Turnipseed, M.B.A.
GBSSA Chair