Announcing the Formation of the Association of Higher Education Parent/Family Program Professionals
The Association of Higher Education Parent/Family Program Professionals (AHEPPP) will be the preeminent provider of programs and services to administrators, staff, and other professionals in higher education who strive to promote parent and family involvement.
Mission Statement
Because of the important role that parents and families play in their students' lives, it is AHEPPP's goal to help colleges and universities throughout the world involve parents and families in the higher education experience and promote those interested in helping accomplish this mission.
Vision
AHEPPP is dedicated to facilitating meaningful and lasting contact with college and university parent and family programs. By establishing the means to successfully communicate with parent and family programs, a national support network will be sustained, stimulating opportunities will be created, and the colleges and universities along with their students will flourish. AHEPPP will serve as the ever important link between colleges, universities, and their parents that strives for accuracy, honesty, and resourcefulness.
AHEPPP will provide the following programs and services:
- Annual AHEPPP National Conference: held in different cities throughout the United States to provide a forum for "best practices" among college and university parent programs, emerging trends related to services and program structure, the influence of departmental placement within the institution on services provided to parents, and other pertinent issues relevant to administrators, staff, and other professionals promoting parent involvement.
- Regional Associations: held quarterly to provide a regional forum to exchange information on a more local and intimate level.
- Research and Publication: provide relevant information to support professionals in parent and family programs.
- Speakers Bureau: a full-service speakers bureau providing information on the wide-range of parent involvement topics.
- Career & Networking Opportunities: help advance the career goals of administrators, staff, and other professionals working in parent/family services, and to discuss any discernible trends in the qualifications, experience, and pay scale of these professionals.
- Internships: provide internship opportunities for college and university students so that they too may understand the importance of maintaining and sustaining parent involvement.
Any person currently employed by a college or university who is responsible for parent services, including, but not limited to, parent associations, student and parent orientation, communications, donor relations, and alumni associations, are eligible for membership in AHEPPP.
By incorporating AHEPPP into a nonprofit organization we will be able to focus on helping colleges and universities implement a Parent and Family Program on their campuses. We will provide the blueprint for this goal by coming up with strategies for the colleges and universities including aspects like cost and job descriptions. We will provide the literature as well as inspirational speakers through the Speaker Bureau to assist in communicating the importance of parent and family involvement and services.
University Parent Media will provide office space and resources that will allow AHEPPP to become a successful and sustainable organization. These resources will support the mobility and independence that AHEPPP needs to expand and become truly important to colleges, universities, and parents and families throughout the nation.
AHEPPP will be important for college and university relations with parents, families, alumni and students. AHEPPP will motivate colleges and universities to become involved with the parents and families through a variety of angles such as events, special programming, and communications, which will ultimately help the colleges and universities become more successful as institutions within their larger communities.
AHEPPP will be governed by a 9-person Board of Directors. Board members will serve for 3-year, renewable terms. Board members shall represent the diversity of college and university programs, including members from public and private institutions, large and small institutions from different geographical regions. The board will elect a Vice-Chair and Secretary.
Current board members will nominate, vote, and approve future board members. Inaugural board members will include:
Chairwoman: Colleen O'Connor Bench, Syracuse University
- Laura Stevens, University of Denver
- Deanie Kepler, Southern Methodist University
- Nancy Hardendorf, Johnson & Wales University
- Kris Stewart, Miami University
- Sheila Hrdlicka, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Cindy Beaman, Vincennes University
- Marjorie Savage, University of Minnesota
- Jennifer Bell, North Carolina State University
AHEPPP will be led by a full-time Executive Director, whose office will be located within University Parent Media, and who will be responsible for the short- and long-term activities of the organization. Sarah Schupp will serve as the inaugural Executive Director.
University Parent Media Contributions
University Parent Media (UPM) will contribute the resources necessary for allowing AHEPPP to transition into a successful and sustainable nonprofit organization. UPM will also donate certain revenues to AHEPPP, ensuring that AHEPPP will be able to maintain its nonprofit status. UPM is dedicated to the success of AHEPPP and will work with the organization to become a nationally recognized and valuable asset to every college, university, and parent.
For membership information, please email sarah@universityparent.com or call (720) 327-1628.