Updates about NAGT sections

Sent on behalf of Christy Visaggi, NAGT Past President

Dear NAGT community,

For all who don't know me, I'm the latest Past President of NAGT, but here I'm writing in my capacity as the interim co-liaison for sections alongside Mitchell Bender-Awalt in the NAGT Executive Office. You may recall that we recently updated our NAGT section boundaries. We're also working to do more in supporting communication and coordination across all sections. Today I'd like to take the opportunity to share updates about changes to the election process for sections and invite you all to participate in the upcoming webinar:NAGT Sections: Opportunities, Elections, Events.

I started my journey into NAGT membership (and NAGT leadership!) at the section level. Active sections can be a wonderful way to get connected to colleagues in your region. You may share interests given the geology in your area, have common challenges in teaching certain concepts, lean into specific place-based learning opportunities and/or field trips, and build community nearer to where you live and work. Being able to network and meet up with colleagues at local and regional meetings can be particularly exciting as well! Having had the chance to serve as a former president in the southeastern section of NAGT was a fantastic way for me to learn more about the organization, help shape activities in the region, and build experience that eventually led to my leadership at the national level. Involvement in your NAGT section can be extremely rewarding!

To help support section leaders in their work, I'm co-hosting the webinar on April 18. I hope you'll consider joining to learn more about our sections by registering here. We'll be sharing about activities and opportunities in the sections, ways to get involved as a member or a leader, and how to utilize existing events such as regional GSA meetings to connect to your community. We'll also have breakout rooms where you can meet members from your section and ask questions about certain leadership roles. If you register but later are unable to attend, you'll be notified when the recording is posted.

One item I'll share more about during the webinar relates to the new upcoming process for section elections. Starting this year, you'll now see a slate of nominations on the online ballot for your section, alongside nominations at the division and national level. It is our hope that having elections online as part of a uniform process for NAGT will expand access and interest in section leadership. Some roles will remain appointed at the section level (e.g., OEST/Awards coordinators and representatives/councilors for states/provinces), but all executive officers in the section will now be part of the online ballot. This change allows for more members to participate in the elections process.

Your NAGT member dues contribute to the budget in support of section activities. Consider getting involved in your section to help shape how best to utilize these resources! If you are attending an upcoming regional GSA meeting, I encourage you to review the opportunities and sessions on geoscience education to get connected to the community. Finally, if you have questions or are interested in learning more about getting involved in your section whether in a leadership role or otherwise, please don't hesitate to contact your section leaders and join the conversation by registering for the webinar on April 18!

Thank you for being a part of this amazing NAGT community and doing what you do in promoting Earth education for all!

Best,

Christy & Mitchell
Section Co-Liaisons