Christopher (Chris) Spellman, Assistant Director for Student Leadership Development, was introduced to SACSA through Isaiah Lucas, the current Director of Housing at Richard Bland College and a Ph.D. candidate at Howard University. Additionally, Dr. Ellen Neufeld, now the President of California State University San Marcos, played a significant role in his involvement with SACSA. Chris credits both Isaiah and Dr. Neufeld for helping him get started with the organization.

Faith has always been important to Chris. During his sophomore year of college, he realized he had never prayed about what career God wanted for him. This led to a conversation with Isaiah, who introduced him to the field of student affairs. He also met with Dr. Neufeld, who at the time was the Vice President of Student Affairs—then known as Student Engagement and Enrollment Services (SEES) at Old Dominion University. With the support of both Isaiah and Dr. Neufeld at ODU, Chris was able to attend his first SACSA conference in 2018 as a junior at Old Dominion University in Myrtle Beach.

Chris fondly remembers his first SACSA conference in 2018, particularly the MAC excursion. At the time, both he and Isaiah were undergraduate students at ODU. During a karaoke night, Isaiah began singing a gospel song, and soon, everyone joined in. What stood out to Chris was witnessing professionals from various institutions—outside of their formal roles—doing that. This experience was truly eye-opening for him and remains one of the reasons he continues to return to SACSA.

For Chris, SACSA is more than just a professional home—it's a place to relax, renew, and reengage with the work of student affairs. It provides a space where professionals can connect without needing to explain the intricacies of their field, yet still walk away with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and a genuinely enjoyable experience.

Ultimately, Chris keeps returning to SACSA for the connections. To him, the organization is the perfect size—large enough to meet new people each year, yet small enough to consistently see familiar faces. He looks forward to this sense of community, comparing the conference to a professional homecoming or reunion. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Chris for his numerous contributions, not only to the conference but also to the field of student affairs. His unwavering dedication and hard work are invaluable.