President’s Column: Service Learning
As a young professional I loved going to ACDA conferences to learn about the choral art and to meet like-minded people. Between the concerts, interest sessions, and reading sessions, I’d come home with more repertoire ideas and information than I could possibly use in a lifetime. ACDA conferences were exhilarating and occasionally a bit intimidating, but they invigorated me and always left me wanting more.
Since that time I have served ACDA in many capacities, from small to large and from grunt work to visioning for the future. People who serve ACDA are as different from one another as day is from night, but they share a passion for choral music and believe in the value of the choral experience. People who serve ACDA also tend to possess a generosity of spirit that is infectious. Being around people like this has been a continuous source of refreshment, inspiration, and instruction for me and I will always be grateful for these friendships.
When deciding whether or not to offer time and energy to serve ACDA, it’s typical to ask oneself what the personal cost and professional benefits will be. My advice: take the long view. There is no financial gain–ACDA members literally pay for the opportunity to serve through dues, registration fees, and travel to conferences. There is no guarantee of professional advancement, although ACDA service can be advantageous in the tenure or promotion process. There will be aggravation along the way because that’s the way it is when you work with people. And to top it off, the rewards are primarily intrinsic, difficult to quantify, and often evident in retrospect only. So why should you volunteer?
Knowing that you have helped create something of value that benefits others is powerful medicine. Whether a student in an ACDA honor choir, a new teacher barely keeping his or her head above water, a burned out mid-career teacher on auto-pilot, or an experienced conductor forgotten on the sidelines, when we help others without concern for what we get in return, the intrinsic benefits far outweigh the costs. And though these benefits may not be apparent for a long time, the satisfaction of working hard and making a meaningful contribution to even one professional colleague will endure the rest of your life.
I can’t begin to enumerate all that I have learned through my work with ACDA, but I know that in serving others I have been the beneficiary of learning, inspiration, and grace from those who walked beside me along the way. I wish to extend special thanks to my predecessor and colleague-in-arms for the 2016 NC-ACDA conference, Bob Demaree.
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to serve as president of NC-ACDA, and please join me in thanking the many North Central members who have agreed to serve you in leadership and conference team roles in the coming two years. It truly takes a village to get the work of ACDA done!
Best wishes for a great year,
Mary Kay Geston
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