Embracing the Energy of Spring and Looking Ahead to AUPHA Gatherings
Spring is a season of renewal when the world around us comes alive with new possibilities. Yet, spring can also feel like the longest stretch of the year for those of us in academia. The energy of fall has faded, winter’s endurance test is behind us, and the finish line of another academic year is in sight—but just out of reach. We are balancing the demands of students, faculty, and administrative responsibilities while planning for what’s next. It’s both an exciting and exhausting time.
As we navigate this season, I encourage you to reconnect with the colleagues and communities that energize you. AUPHA provides invaluable opportunities for engagement both online and in person. I hope to see many of you at the upcoming Academic Program and Practitioner Workshop in Houston later this month. The APPW brings together educators and practitioners to explore ways to strengthen our field, share insights, and build meaningful connections.
Looking ahead, I also invite you to make your plans to attend the 2025 AUPHA Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, this June (17-19). The Annual Meeting is always a highlight of the year—a time to step away from our daily routines and immerse ourselves in new ideas, research, and conversations that shape the future of health administration education. Whether you’re a longtime attendee or considering joining us for the first time, I can assure you this gathering will be a valuable and enriching experience.
In addition to these events, we are making significant progress on AUPHA’s new strategic plan, and we look forward to sharing it with the membership at our business meeting. To make the business meeting accessible to all members, we will hold it virtually this year, a week before the Annual Meeting in Columbus in June 2025. A heartfelt thank you to the members who participated in the recent survey—your insights have been instrumental in shaping our strategic goals for the coming years.
Let’s embrace the energy of spring, lean on our professional community, and look forward to the opportunities ahead. I hope to see many of you in Houston and Columbus and online in the AUPHA Network!
Cathleen O. Erwin, PhD
Chair, AUPHA