For those with children, grandchildren, or who are just fond of Dr. Seuss, the phrase “we are here … we are here” might conjure up images of the story Horton Hears a Who. In this story, our hero, Horton, deals with several challenges and is labeled an outcast by the residents of the Jungle of Nool. But Horton has a gift that allows him to hear the quietest of voices, so only he can save Whoville and show his neighbors in the Jungle of Nool that belonging to a community—no matter how quiet your voice—is PRICELESS.
Finding one’s voice can be accomplished in various ways with APPA, allowing you to share your expertise and availability with many others in the field of facilities management. We realize that volunteering is time-consuming, but your deep desire to participate in various capacities affords APPA the ability to provide the richness and networking that truly define us.
Here are just a few of the opportunities available to you.
We Are Here (For You!)
The importance of ongoing knowledge sharing is always welcome in leadership opportunities within International APPA, as well as in its regions and chapters. A key pillar of the Leadership Academy states that leadership is not positional. Our campus organizations are filled with professionals who lead from within daily. Across our membership, numerous opportunities exist to formally serve on a board or in a volunteer capacity for a specific event or committee/task force effort. Our highly productive, creative, and innovative governance group reflects the vast differences among our members. Our community of differences makes APPA—at every level—as strong as it is!
APPA’s professional development offerings are top-notch by far in our industry. This success is only possible with the dedicated volunteers who teach, facilitate, or create content. The programming curriculum supported by these volunteers ensures that our members excel in their pursuit of knowledge. From our Spring Conference—where we gather industry experts and institutional leaders to discuss the future of educational facilities—to the “Invest in Success” program designed for front-line staff, we provide foundational knowledge and skills to enhance their roles and highlight their contributions to institutional success. APPA is leading the way in helping facilities professionals stay at the forefront of the industry!
For members adept with numbers, our annual data collection initiative, the Facilities Performance Indicators (FPI) is perfect for you. Institutions across our membership participate by sharing data on energy consumption, cost per square foot, and more. While the data collection is essential, the resulting visual benchmark indicators are the cherry on top. By sharing your campus data, you enable peer institutions to see how they measure up, identify opportunities where change is possible, and access resources to to be heard by their leadership.
The value of seasoned facilities professionals is invaluable, and at APPA, we use this expertise through the Facilities Evaluation Management Program (FMEP) and APPA Advisors consulting programs. By using these services, member institutions can assess how their processes, departmental portfolio, and staff development stack up. Additionally, those interested in engaging as consultants, reviewers, or team leaders can offer insights and solutions to others in the field. We understand the unique needs of the niche field we support and strive to provide multiple platforms for members with campus management expertise to share their knowledge differently.
The research/data division of APPA produces unique resources that ensure the profession is cutting-edge. We offer individuals interested in writing or researching the opportunity to submit articles to our ever-popular Facilities Manager magazine or the Inside APPA newsletter. Sharing best practices, innovations, and excellence with our community through these publications allows for a vast reach—there is no reason to recreate the wheel when others have already tackled the same issues!
Learning Happens Everywhere
As we all know, learning can take other forms. Throughout my 25 years with APPA, I have had the privilege of being involved in the professional development arena. I’ve witnessed firsthand that as much learning occurs “outside the classroom” as “inside the classroom.” Many of you reading this may not realize it, but you are teachers in your own right. The colleague sitting across from you, on a Zoom call, or in the breakroom may walk away having learned something new from your conversation.
What is always clear is that this knowledge is available for sharing! As an institutional or business partner member of APPA, you engage with individuals from around the world, representing various types of institutions and at different stages in their careers, each with unique goals for their professional development. Our community’s vast knowledge at International APPA and among our regions and chapters is immeasurable. Even if you retire from your institution, you never really retire from APPA … if you don’t want to!
Our Open Invitation
As 2024 ends, with 2025 on the horizon, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our members. There are many of you, and I encourage each of you to get involved—regardless of the volume of your voice—and share your expertise. The enthusiasm surrounding the new year for APPA and our profession reinforces our commitment to excellence in facilities and supports the next generation of educated young people, which is truly PRICELESS!
Suzanne Healy is APPA’s director of member engagement & business development. She can be reached at [email protected].
Membership Matters
Explores the community benefits of leadership in educational facilities for professionals seeking to build their careers, transform their institutions, and elevate the value and recognition of facilities in education. To contribute, contact Kevin Willmann, FM Column Editor.
See all Membership Matters.
