Briana Welsh is the Assistant Director for Student Activities at UNC Chapel Hill. Her position consists of overseeing programming for Student Life and Leadership, which is part of the Carolina Union at UNC Chapel Hill—the heartbeat of campus. Her position is relatively new and was created to establish a programming identity for the office and the Union as a whole. Her responsibilities also include overseeing the programming board and creating intentional experiences for the Carolina community. She is especially excited about the growth she has experienced during her two years in the position and the impact she and her team have already made on the Carolina community. She has enjoyed introducing students to many traditional programming experiences they may not have encountered before.

    Her first SACSA experience was in Atlanta, during a time when she was transitioning from working in DEI into student activities. At the time, she had attended other professional conferences including NASPA, SEAHO, and NCORE, and had been introduced to professional development in student affairs as an undergraduate through the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP). She felt that she needed a smaller professional community where she could focus on building meaningful connections, so she was especially grateful that her first SACSA experience was in Atlanta. The conference allowed her to meet many people and immediately become involved in the organization.

     Her most memorable SACSA experience was also in Atlanta because of the community she found there. She had recruited other professionals she knew from universities throughout the state and region to attend SACSA and become involved with the organization. After the first night of the conference, a group of attendees found themselves gathered in a hotel lounge area with a television and space to sit and talk. She brought her speaker and some cards, and what started as a small gathering gradually grew into a group of approximately 15 to 20 people. People continued showing up because they had heard that everyone was downstairs having a good time. They stayed together until around 2 a.m., talking, laughing, getting to know one another, and sharing advice. For her, it was meaningful to be surrounded by like-minded professionals who were ambitious and passionate about their careers. The conversations ranged from people considering doctoral degrees to those interested in university administration or simply wanting to continue doing meaningful work in their current positions. At that point in her career, she was questioning whether she was heading in the right direction professionally, so being surrounded by people who encouraged her and reminded her that she was doing fine was incredibly valuable. What made the experience particularly meaningful was that the connections felt natural rather than forced. It became a space where people could simply be themselves, support one another, and build genuine relationships.

     Her biggest piece of advice for first-time SACSA attendees is not to be afraid to make connections and put themselves out there. She encouraged one of her colleagues to attend SACSA the previous year, and it was that colleague's first conference. She believes attendees should get involved with SACSA because everyone shares a genuine passion for the work. Members care deeply about supporting their students and their respective campuses, but they also care about supporting one another within the organization. She describes SACSA as one of the greatest professional organizations she has been part of because of the people who consistently show up for one another. She also understands that attending a conference alone while representing an institution can feel intimidating. However, she describes the SACSA community as welcoming and warm, making it easy to become comfortable from the very first day. One of the things that surprised her during her first experience was discovering that people already knew who she was through mutual connections. She would hear her name mentioned in conversations she was unaware of and would then realize that she had already made an impact or connection with someone. Those moments reinforced for her how meaningful the SACSA community can be. She describes her SACSA experience as one centered around community. She has developed a core group of people through SACSA who consistently check in on one another. They have group calls at least once a month, celebrate each other's wins, and support one another when they need encouragement. She credits those relationships to the connections she initially made through SACSA, particularly during the Charlotte conference. What began as professional networking developed into genuine friendships and a strong support system.

      Professionally and personally, she continues returning to SACSA because every conference gives her a new experience. Sometimes that comes from attending a presentation, while other times it comes from presenting herself and seeing someone's reaction to something she shared. She also enjoys being involved in creating and leading experiences, networking, and meeting new people. Ultimately, she appreciates that SACSA is small enough to feel like a family but large enough that she meets someone new every time she attends. That balance of familiarity, community, and continued opportunity for connection is what keeps her coming back.

Briana, thank you for your countless contributions, unwavering dedication, hard work, and consistent support of both the organization and the field. Your commitment and impact are truly appreciated.