By Rickiea Cohen, MBA, Assistant Registrar: Residency, Campus Classification Officer, University of Maryland Baltimore, Enrollment Administration, and President-elect, Chesapeake and Potomac Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
Has professional development in higher education become a privilege rather than a guarantee? Are some professionals afforded regular opportunities to grow, attend conferences, and expand their networks, while others may only encounter these experiences occasionally, if at all?
These reflections came to me after attending my first AACRAO Meeting. In the days leading up to the conference, I found myself feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty. I wondered if I would be able to navigate my packed schedule of sessions, step outside of my comfort zone, and fully engage in the experience. Like many first-time attendees, I questioned what it would all feel like.
What I discovered was something far greater than I anticipated.
The conference was energizing, welcoming, and deeply affirming. From the moment I arrived, I was immersed in an environment where learning felt both accessible and encouraged. Sessions were not just informative; they were engaging and relevant. Speakers brought insight and realness. Informal moments, like state and regional meetups, created space for genuine connection. Even the small details, like the ribbons adorning conference lanyards, the exchange of contact information, and the immediate buzz of a new connection saved in your phone, very much contributed to a sense of belonging within the profession.
I was invited to join committees, and sensed my vulnerability when faced with engaging more deeply and continuing to build connections. I left with not only a network of colleagues but also a renewed sense of purpose. The knowledge gained, the conversations shared, and the perspectives encountered all reinforced a simple but powerful realization: professional development is something we must actively pursue.
B.B. King once said, “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”
If there is any takeaway from my experience, it is this: do not wait for professional development to come to you. Seek it out. Embrace it. Learn from it. And most importantly, allow it to remind you why you do this work in the first place.
You must go. You must seek out these opportunities, even when they feel intimidating. You must push yourself beyond familiarity, beyond routine, and run to spaces where growth happens. There is value in both formal experiences like national conferences and informal ones, such as local meetups, webinars, or collaborative discussions. Each provides a different avenue for learning and connection.
Equally important is the understanding that you belong in these spaces. It can be easy to feel uncertain or out of place, especially when surrounded by seasoned professionals or well-known voices in this field. But growth requires presence. It requires showing up, contributing, and recognizing that your experiences and perspectives are valid. You are not there by accident; you are there because you have something to gain and something to give.
Ultimately, professional development is not just about advancing individual careers. It is about strengthening the collective work of higher education. When we invest in ourselves, we enhance our ability to serve students, improve our offices, and contribute meaningfully to our institutions. Growth at the individual level creates impact at the community level.
Without these opportunities, the work can become stagnant. If we remain confined to our offices, relying only on what we already know, we risk missing the broader changes that have had an impact on the students we serve. Higher education is constantly shifting. Policies evolve, student populations change, and new challenges come seemingly every day. Without exposure to new ideas and approaches, it becomes difficult to innovate, to improve processes, or even to recognize when change is necessary.
And when we reach a professional plateau, the absence of continued growth raises an important question: How effectively are we truly serving the educational community?
If you ever find yourself needing a push, consider this one.
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