Overdue October Updates: Football & Conference Travel

Mr. E and I began the season of college football travel over the first weekend in October. We headed to Chicago on Thursday, September 29 and then drove to Madison. We worked from our hotel, the Madison Marriott West, on Friday so that we could go to the women's volleyball game that evening. Go lady Badgers! They rock!

The football game was late morning on Saturday, October 1, and we got the special treat of being down on the sidelines during the 3rd quarter for all of the action as well as the famous Jump Around post-quarter festivities. So cool! Then back in the car for the return drive to Chicago and overnight at the Sheraton Suites Chicago O'Hare since our flight home was on Sunday morning.

In October, I also got to resume work travel for conferences for the first time in more than two years! 

Tuesday, October 4-Friday, October 7: The first event was in Garden Grove, CA, for the 2022 Strengthening Student Success Conference. I was a co-presenter with several colleagues for a session about one of the scholarship programs I support at FoundationCCC. The session focused on "Integrating Student Supports with Financial Aid: Lessons Learned in Finish Line Scholars Program Implementation." 

Meeting my colleagues in person was wonderful, since we've been working together since October 2020 to support this new program. And Getting reacquainted with the in-person conference experience was quite interesting, as I had to remember how to network and chit-chat with three-dimensional people rather than just a head and shoulders two-dimensional image in a Zoom box! :-) I particularly enjoyed having dinner with my co-presenters, including an amazing cocktail that was literally set on fire when it was served.

Tuesday, October 18-Thursday, October 20: The second event was the National Scholarship Providers Association annual conference, which was hosted in Chicago this year. I really enjoyed the sessions I attended and am planning to submit a proposal to present for the next conference, based on what I learned and experience this time around. The conference was at the Hilton hotel, which not only has a great lap pool but also a fabulous view of the Lake.

Mr. E and I originally had plans to spend some time with his family, since it was his dad's birthday, and also to spend the weekend in Madison for Homecoming. However, we modified our travel schedule because Calypso was really struggling at this point. Mr. E was still able to be with his family and enjoy the weekend with friends, although he arrived a day later (on Thursday) so that he could spend longer with Caly. And I changed my plans on Thursday morning to return later that evening in order to care for Caly and be with her during her final time with us.

I'm hoping for more work travel again this year!