When I was first approached about becoming chair-elect for the ITAIS, I was hesitant. I’ve so admired the insight and expertise of previous chairs, and I’m not sure that I’m in the same league. Most came from large, established programs, while I come from a small ITA program, where I am the only full-time employee. So, I wasn’t sure what I have to offer.

But last year in Dallas at the 2013 convention, I came to the realization that there are a lot of one-person ITA programs out there and, maybe if we pull together, we have a lot to offer each other. For example, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve already queried the listserv to get answers to questions that no one at my university knew. The sheer number of responses, not to mention their helpfulness, is always greatly appreciated. Even this month, I sent out a query and received responses from more than 30 different individuals, each with a unique perspective. I’m hoping we can continue to tap into that collective knowledge and do it on a much greater level.

I think our new chair’s, Rebecca Oreto’s, plan of having ITAIS members mentor others in proposal writing is fabulous, and I hope it is just the beginning of many positive collaborations with the result of building relationships across universities and furthering our profession as a whole. The ITAIS is a great place, and I look forward to the next few years as I serve you and learn from you.