Wa goine on, SACSA family! I am Trevis Belle, and I am currently serving as the inaugural Vice President for Membership on SACSA's Executive Council. In my professional career, I currently serve as an Assistant Director for Multicultural Student Affairs at NC State University. Academically, I am currently enrolled in the Educational Leadership doctoral program at UNC-Greensboro. To get a little bit personal, I am from the beautiful twin island federation, the Mother Colony of the West Indies - St. Kitts & Nevis. 

Before I got to where I am right now, I started off in the vibrant and culturally unique city of Miami, where I attended undergrad at Florida International University, then I took a huge hop over to the Natural State, Arkansas, for graduate school at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). This is where my love for SACSA soon developed. 

In 2019, I was nothing but a young and vibrant housing and residence life grad student at UCA; however, I had no idea that this was the year to shift my professional trajectory for the better. I attended my first SACSA conference in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2019 and have been to one ever since! Three individuals were key in making my first SACSA conference possible.

The first is Dr. Thomas Bruick. If you know Dr. Bruick, then you know the love he has for SACSA, and that trickles down into the UCA College Student Personal Administration (CSPA) program. When talking about professional development opportunities, SACSA was one of the first to be brought up because of its impact on the region and on graduate students and new professionals. Dr. Bruick shared the knowledge and resources needed to make this experience happen. 

The third and final person, who is like a big brother to me – Dr. Relius Johnson. Relius ensured that I was connected, plugged in, and met pretty much everyone at SACSA in 2019. Relius was the reason I was able to serve on my first subcommittee which was the After Hours Subcommittee on the Multicultural Awareness Committee (MAC). That was the start of something new (not to quote High School Musical), but that truly set the pace for my growth and development within SACSA. Relius, I tell you all the time, but you are dope. Thank you for believing in my potential. 

The second individual is a person I hold near and dear to my heart – Dr. Veneta Fricks. Funny enough, Veneta was the main reason why I decided to come to UCA for graduate school. The summer prior in 2018, I interned as an ACUHO-I intern for Camps & Conferences and Veneta was my direct supervisor! I told her, the only way I would come back to UCA was if she was my direct supervisor, and so said, so done. Veneta got me heavily involved in SACSA before I even got there. I remember her saying “you gone participate in the case study competition and volunteer for atleast one thing, and serve on atleast one subcommittee.” If it wasn't for Veneta pushing me like that, I don't think I'd be where I am in the association right now. 

SACSA has always been my professional home since graduate school and I am certain it will still be my professional home for years to come. I have served in various capacities outside of my current role, I served as SACSA Serves Coordinator in 2022 and MAC Co-Chair from 2022-2024, to now overseeing the Ambassador Program. I am consistently thankful and grateful for the members of this association who continue to mentor and pour into me, which causes me to do the same for aspiring and emerging professionals in the field. 

Being a foreign-born student affairs professional isn't easy, but because of a community like SACSA, I am able to share my experiences and not feel judged. SACSA is not an annual conference for me, it's a family reunion! One last tid bit as VP for Membership, reach out to one individual at your college or university, and tell them to either renew or sign up for SACSA membership! Also, if you are able, try to atleast sponsor membership for one graduate student. 

It is going to be a time in Greenville, South Carolina for SACSA! I am looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and building new relationships with new friends! See ya soon and remember, IT'S SACSA TIME!!!!!!!