Shelby Newsome serves as the Associate Director & Case Manager for the Taley and Jordan Hunt Braves Resource Center at UNC Pembroke. In this role, she leads the university's basic needs program, addressing food insecurity, housing instability, financial hardship, and overall student well-being. Her work is rooted in developing holistic support systems that end barriers and promote academic success, personal development, and a powerful sense of belonging.

Shelby attended her first SACSA conference in November in Charlotte, following her participation in the New Professionals Institute (NPI) earlier that summer. She was eager to reconnect with her NPI cohort and faculty—it felt like a meaningful reunion. A highlight of her conference experience was the opportunity to co-present with a colleague from UNC Pembroke and another from her NPI cohort, adding depth and significance to the experience. She found the environment energizing, grounded in both connection and continued learning.

During her time at NPI, participants were encouraged to find their professional home, and attending the SACSA conference was a step Shelby took in that direction. Reconnecting with NPI colleagues was a gift, but what stood out even more was the ability to form new relationships with student affairs professionals who shared her values and passion. She describes SACSA as a true community.

Among the conference sessions she attended, the pre-conference session on supervision—led by Tierney Bates and Nick Kehrwald—was particularly impactful. The session explored the momentous time commitment involved in supervising professional staff, a topic often overlooked. For Shelby, supervision has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of her career, and she left the session with practical tools she continues to use daily.

However, her favorite part of the conference was attending sessions led by members of her NPI cohort. She initially attended to support and cheer them on but ended up learning a great deal in the process. The strong presence of her cohort—both as attendees and presenters—was inspiring to witness.

SACSA has become Shelby's professional home. She regularly engages with the organization's content, looks forward to email updates, and follows along on social media. She has even encouraged colleagues at her institution to attend the upcoming conference, knowing the value of the experience firsthand. Her next goal is to get more involved with the association and find meaningful ways to contribute her time.

A moment that solidified Shelby's connection to SACSA occurred during the UNC System Behavioral Health Convening in May. She recognized a fellow SACSA attendee from the conference—someone involved in planning it—and approached her to say hello. Though they had not spoken at the time, the woman greeted Shelby with a warm hug and genuine familiarity. That moment captured what SACSA represents to Shelby: a network of support, camaraderie, and community—friends and family she simply had not met yet.

 We want to express our sincere gratitude to Shelby for her outstanding contributions to both the profession and the organization.