A Familiar Feeling

In 2013 I attended my first NACUBO Conference on Integrating Student Services (aka OneStop in Higher Education Circles). I was new to this world and it was still 2 years before I would start in my role as Project Manager of Ryerson University’s own OneStop Project. I did a lot of listening at this conference but neurons were firing and I could see the ways in which Ryerson could benefit. I had a vision for how transformative this approach to service delivery could be. Years later, Ryerson became an award winning model for onestop service. I hosted site-visits, I presented at conferences and shared about our successes and failures. I had travelled full circle from an observer, learner, teacher and now leader.

Now in a new role as Change and Opportunity Lead with the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students (OVPS), I’m attending the 2019 Lean Higher Education International Conference and feel those neurons firing again. It is such a familiar feeling where I am excited about the prospect of how Lean could transform the experience people have with OVPS. I’m learning but wonder how long it will be before I’m a leader?

I challenge you to think about the last time you were a learner.