The Grand River Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) will formally charter the Conestoga College Student Chapter (CCSC) of the organization at its regular monthly meeting on November 8, 2005 at the Holiday Inn in Cambridge. Grand River Chapter President Jolene Ellis, CPS, sees this event as a significant achievement for both the IAAP and Conestoga College.
The ceremony is noteworthy because the students in Conestoga College’s Office Administration program have responded enthusiastically to this opportunity to expand their education with hands-on learning opportunities for conducting meetings and organizing events -- important skills in their future careers. The CCSC will also benefit from mentoring from, networking with and following the professional role models of the administrative professionals in the Grand River Chapter.
The CCSC has 14 founding members, which Ms. Ellis considers "a remarkable size for a newly formed chapter of its kind."
Conestoga College School of Business and Hospitality Dean Frank Mensink, Chair Brian Harvey and Office Administration program faculty will attend the chartering ceremony.
One of the reasons the student chapter has received such an enthusiastic response is that students see it as an opportunity to combine professional association experience with the skills they will gain in the Office Administration Skills Lab, another hands-on environment in which students obtain practical experience in managing and administrating work orders for clients at the College.
Conestoga College’s Office Administration program helps students develop key industry requirements, proficiency in application software, effective communication skills, the ability to organize and process information, as well as customer service skills.
The IAAP is a not-for-profit, professional association with 40,000 members and affiliates and over 600 chapters worldwide. The association works in partnership with employers to promote excellence. Its members include administrative assistants, executive assistants, secretaries, office co-ordinators, information specialists, and related administrative professionals. Many corporations, educational institutions, students and international affiliate organizations also belong to IAAP.
CONTACT: Jolene Ellis, IAAP, 519-623-0506, ext. 342; James Weare, Conestoga College, 519-748-5220, ext. 3741