This has been a year of putting myself and my thoughts out there in a way that I have previously been nervous and, at times, intimidated, to do. But in exchange for that leap of faith and confidence, I’ve gotten some amazing rewards. I’ve been lucky to find lots of like minded colleagues and friends who have supported and commented on my writing, and have grown tremendously in my ability to accept critiques or criticism. It’s been a rewarding experience, and a great one for someone who loves learning as much as I do.
Now, I’ve been given two additional opportunities over the next few weeks to use Twitter to facilitate conversations on some topics that I’ve grown to care about a great deal. While I’m a reader and studier, loving to learn as I pore through books and articles, I’ve realized in this year (so far) of putting myself out there, just how much I love learning from the comments and questions of others. I’d love to keep learning from you through this upcoming pair of Twitter chats.
I want to thank Mark Torrez for thinking of me and recommending me to ACPA’s Commission on Student Involvement and their book club. Their July/August book is Susan Cain’s Quiet, the book that inspired my research on introversion in student affairs. I’m going to be facilitating a Twitter chat on the book on Monday, August 12th, 2013 at 1pm EST. I love recommending the book to people and learning their thoughts on it, so I hope you’ll join in and chat!
And I also need to thank one of my oldest and sweetest friends Paromita De for giving me an opportunity to work with a project I deeply admire and respect, The Good Work Project. After urging me to collect my thoughts and write with them earlier this year, she and her team have allowed me to moderate their Inaugural GoodWork chat on Tuesday, August 29th, 2013 at 1pm EST about helping students engage in the social media landscape civilly and responsibly. I owe Chris Conzen a debt of thanks for collaborating with me on the article that inspired that post, and in general for all the confidence he’s inspired in me. I literally could not and would not be doing this without him. If this is a topic you’re interested in, I encourage you to join the conversation on that day as well!
I don’t have the words to explain what this pair of opportunities means to me, and I worry that any I would attempt to string together would sound falsely humble or insincere. But this good luck and substantial support have blown me away, and I am so appreciative of all who have played a part in it.
Amma Marfo 