Kelly Spainhour, Leadership Development Program Coordinator for Student Life and Leadership at the Carolina Union, has been elected as the Leadership Education Chair for the Commission for Student Involvement, a commission within ACPA – College Student Educators International.
If you’re not familiar with ACPA, it’s one of the largest professional networks in the country for people who work in student affairs – those who support students’ growth and development outside the traditional classroom. Inside ACPA, specialty commissions provide members the opportunity to dig into the specific corner of the field they work in every day. Kelly’s commission, the Commission for Student Involvement, is made up of professionals from across the country who work in campus activities, student organizations, and leadership programs – basically, anyone whose job is helping students get involved on campus and grow into leaders along the way.
In her role, Kelly will help lead the Commission’s professional development efforts around leadership education – everything from organizing webinars to putting together conference sessions to building resources that help other practitioners think more intentionally about how they teach leadership. And so much more!
“My role is to help guide and support professional development opportunities related to leadership learning within the Commission for Student Involvement,” Kelly said. “That can look like meeting with the commission team, connecting with presenters or contributors, and helping shape learning experiences that are both practical and grounded in theory.”
It’s a role that lines up naturally with what Kelly already does at the Carolina Union, where so much of her work centers on helping students make sense of their involvement and grow as leaders. “I was really drawn to this role because of my passion for leadership development and the role that involvement plays in shaping students’ experiences,” she said. “I also saw it as an opportunity to connect with colleagues across institutions who are doing similar work and to contribute to a larger professional conversation.”
And it’s not a one-way street – what Kelly picks up through ACPA makes its way right back into her work at UNC. “Through ACPA, I’m exposed to new ideas, frameworks, and practices that I can bring back to UNC – whether that’s rethinking how we approach leadership education, exploring new program models, or finding ways to better support student organizations,” she said. “It’s also helpful to have a network of peers to benchmark ideas and learn from, which directly enhances how we design and deliver programs here.”
Kelly sees real personal value in the role, too. “It pushes me to think beyond my immediate context and to contribute to something larger,” she said. “It’s also energizing to be in community with people who are passionate about similar work.”
For colleagues weighing whether to get more involved in a national association, Kelly’s advice is simple: go for it. “Whether you’re presenting, volunteering, or serving in a leadership role, it’s a great way to build skills, expand your network, and deepen your impact,” she said. “It also helps you see how your work fits into a larger ecosystem of student affairs practice.”
Congratulations to Kelly on this well-earned role with ACPA!