Making Connections: Attending Professional Conferences.

Attending a professional conference is an effective way to explore and advance knowledge, skills, and careers. For graduate students, attending a conference is an effective way to explore academic fields and new professions (Chapman et al., 2009). However, attending a professional conference requires precious resources-time and money--so the decision to attend, or not, is often difficult. Are you new to the adult education field and considering your first conference? Or, are you a seasoned adult education professional considering your next conference? Perhaps you are a professor or practitioner encouraging a student or mentee to attend a professional conference. If you have decided to attend a conference, what is your plan for maximizing the experience? The purpose of this reflection is to share my experience and a framework for graduate students, and professionals, to maximize attending professional conferences. If I had not attended a professional conference as a master's student, I would not be a doctoral student today; if I had not attended a second professional conference while applying for doctoral programs, I would not be studying and researching my way to the professoriate. Based on my conference experience, reflection, and research, an overarching theme of making connections emerged and formed the foundation for a model (see Figure 1). Although the model's focus is graduate students making connections at a professional conference, the making connections opportunities and best practices also apply to seasoned professionals. Although no one person will experience all connections at all conferences, each graduate student or professional has the opportunity to experience multiple connections and benefits. As an example, the model begins with making connections to colleagues. For graduate students, attending conferences provides access to a variety of potential colleagues, including other students, professors, practitioners, and authors. As a new professional, it is important to meet other professionals. Social cognitive theory contends the learning process is social, involving the interaction and observation of others, and constructivist learning theory contends meaning is constructed from experience (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). Conferences offer formal and informal methods of socializing and a variety of experiences with colleagues. I have heard conference attendees proclaim they learned as much in informal conversations with colleagues over lunch, during breaks, or before and after sessions, as they learned in formal sessions. Receptions, conference-arranged dinner groups or dine-arounds, and business meetings are additional ways to connect with colleagues (Senese, 2010). [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Graduate students often wear student ribbons and are easy to spot and meet. Conferences provide opportunities for students to form strongly bonded communities (Ghosh & Githens, 2009). Conferences also provide opportunities for graduate students to interact with professors in a higher level of interaction, in different situations, and in new ways (Lirgg et al., 2010). Students and faculty enjoy the positive relationships developed in a professional environment outside of the classroom (Fiorentino, Manson, & Whalen, 2005). My first adult education conference was in 2009. While earning my master's degree, my advising professor recommended I attend the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) conference in Cleveland, Ohio. My initial thought was the wind off Lake Erie can be very cold in early November. My next thought focused on my meager graduate student budget and whether it could stretch to cover travel and conference-related expenses. I was also concerned about missing class, taking time away from studies, and not knowing anyone at the conference. After much deliberation, I went to the conference, made numerous connections, reaped valuable benefits, and laid the foundation for a new career. …