By Maggie Guzman

In 2010, when I was a fresh, new professional at Texas A&M University, I was approached by Tom Murray (some of our more seasoned members surely remember Tom!!) who asked me if I’d be interested in helping him host the 2012 annual conference in College Station. Tom and I worked together on our campus and he was also one of those SWACUHO legends who’d served for many years both on the board and on committees and knew literally everyone. We’d just come back from the annual conference in Austin, where we’d sat on the program committee together and he’d introduced me to at least a dozen people I’d never have approached on my own. I vividly remember laughing and telling him, “Sure, Tom. If I’m still in College Station in 2012 I’ll help you.” He bid for the conference with my name on it as co-host and won the bid. Fast forward to a year later…I was still in College Station, Tom unexpectedly retired, and there I was, holding the Host reins all on my own.

I’d be lying if I said it was easy. For those who know me, I’d probably use the phrase, “It was a TIME, y’all,” to describe the experience. I wasn’t new to SWACUHO, so I had a sense of what the conference included – programs, exhibitors, food and cool swag – but I’d only served on a couple of committees and really had no idea how the business – especially the budget – of the organization worked. Nor did I, at that time, have many connections, still being a new professional. Tom was supposed to be the face of the conference and I was supposed to do the behind-the-scenes logistics. But there I was, thrown into the forefront, leading our host committee (many of whom outranked me in our department), figuring it out as I went (thanks to the incredible mentorship of Kenny Mauk, who was Treasurer then)…believe me when I tell you it was a time.

But oh my gosh, it was also such a tremendous opportunity for me! I learned so much about leadership, delegation, budgeting, how to motivate volunteers, how to communicate with a wide variety of stakeholders, and how the business of SWACUHO worked…some of the lessons were hard-won, but oh so worth it. Mostly, I learned the benefit of saying yes and leaning into discomfort, both of which are lessons that continue to serve me (more about that later). And at the end of that conference, Kyle Estes asked me to serve on the board as Technology Coordinator, which kick-started years of service to an organization I have come to absolutely love.

Fast forward again to 2022, when SWACUHO was looking for someone to host the 2024 conference. Everyone was still recovering from COVID, and people weren’t particularly inclined to offer their still exhausted and already thinly-spread staff to host, which was understandable. So, along with Brandi Bowen, Katy Pelton, and Matt Grief, I threw my hostess hat back on and we volunteered to host the 2024 conference in Denton.

That was also a time, but in a very different and very wonderful sense of the phrase. After having served on the board in a variety of roles, I understood how the organization worked. I was more comfortable making decisions and interfacing with all of the stakeholders. I was more at ease standing in front of the conference to speak. It was honestly one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in my career, and is the reason I put my name in the fray to serve as Conference Coordinator.

Saying yes to Tom in 2010 showed me that good things happen when you take a risk. Since then, I’ve continued to say yes to opportunities that scared me, overwhelmed me, and for which I had neither experience or knowledge (but a willingness to learn really quickly!). Taking on those challenges has led me on a career trajectory that I never dreamed I’d end up on in a place I love. Taking those risks has also led to some pretty incredible things in my personal life as well. And even when things get difficult, I can honestly say that so far, I’ve yet to regret saying yes when those opportunities have presented themselves.

So if you’re still reading this, the point I’m trying to make to you is this – if you are even thinking about hosting, go for it! At the very least, reach out to me and we’ll have a conversation about what that commitment looks like and how I can support you through the experience. I promise that if nothing else, you’ll grow as a professional and learn a few things about SWACUHO. But I also have a feeling that you’ll end up having the time of your life and making some new friends, too! And who knows, you also just may find yourself embarking on a whole new phase of SWACUHO service!

Maggie Guzman
SWACUHO Conference Coordinator