DEM team shares lessons around the bonfire at Camp WACRAO 🏕️

Who says you can’t go camping in November? More than two dozen UW–Madison staff members trekked to Pewaukee from Nov. 6-8 for “Camp WACRAO” – the Wisconsin Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ (WACRAO) annual conference. DEM once again put up a strong showing at the conference this year, with team members facilitating nine sessions, many of which focused on the ways our offices work in partnership with campus colleagues to support prospective, admitted, and enrolled students. The presentations included:

• OAR’s Katie Seibel and Randy Gentile from the Wisconsin School of Business sharing the successes of a pilot program that improves pre-transfer advising services;
• The RO’s Will Lipske and Clare Huhn from DAPIR, as well as peers from UW-Milwaukee, showcasing the importance of coordination between registrar’s offices and institutional research teams;
• The RO’s Brittany Elandt, Diana Maki, Paul Oshefsky, and Beth Warner providing real-world examples of how collaboration between registrars and academic advisors supports student success;
• The RO’s Beth Warner, along with colleagues from the University of Iowa and the University of Colorado Boulder, promoting strategies to develop and maintain relationships far beyond the boundaries of campus; and
• OSFA’s Martina Diaz and Katy Weisenburger touting the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise program.

Additional presentations from DEM team members included a panel discussion on the challenges working parents face (RO’s Aaron Apel and Anne Eckenrod), “campfire stories” about building the schedule of classes (RO’s Brittany Elandt), a presentation on professional development and engagement for student employees (RO’s Ally Bartelme), and tips on how to use Excel to simplify workflows (RO’s Scott Golueke). Plus, the RO’s Katie Block received the Tina Falkner Exemplary New Member Award in recognition of her increasing contributions to WACRAO since joining the organization in 2019. Katie’s nominators praised her leadership of WACRAO’s Information Research and Technology committee, her commitment to fostering collaboration across institutions, and her passion for welcoming new members. Collaboration, partnership, and relationship development are recurring themes not just in the presentations listed above but in each of our work, and for good reason. In total, this year’s conference saw 196 attendees take part, one-third of whom attended for the first time. It also raised more than $2,000 for Campus Guardians. Next year’s WACRAO conference will head up Interstate 41 to Green Bay. from Nov. 5-7. No word just yet if the Packers will be playing at Lambeau Field that weekend. If you’re thinking about attending, here’s how OAR’s Joshua Rybaski describes the event:

“The Annual WARCAO Conference is always a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues across the Universities of Wisconsin and folx within the Registrar’s Office and OAR. This year, I attended several engaging sessions on professional development, the Direct Admission Program, and picked up some valuable Excel tips and tricks from our very own Scott Golueke. “One of the highlights was recognizing former colleagues who were honored for their distinguished service to higher education and Admissions and Registrar Offices. This recognition underscores the dedication and impact of our community. “I highly recommend the WARCAO Conference to both new and senior professionals. It’s an invaluable experience for networking, learning, and celebrating the achievements within our field.”