ACUI Region I Conference Inspires Student Attendees 

By Teagan Davidge 

The Association of College Unions International (ACUI) held its annual Region I Conference in San Diego at Point Loma Nazarene University last month. Region I is comprised of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Australia and the Territory of Guam. 

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) students had the chance to apply to attend the conference. Eleven students from diverse University Student Union (USU) departments were selected to build leadership skills and get an inside look at the world of higher education. 

“My experience with ACUI was truly rewarding as it was my first regional event, and I had the opportunity to meet incredible individuals from diverse fields, learn from experienced professionals and students and gain valuable insights,” said Student Wellness Center Building Manager Karim Kouatly. 

This year’s regional conference was an amazing opportunity to connect, learn and grow professionally alongside other professionals within the field of student unions. 

“We had the opportunity to meet and connect with fellow Board of Directors Chairs, Vice Chairs and other student leaders across the CSU system and the region,” said University Student Union Board Chair Daniel Lopez. 

Student attendees took part in a variety of trainings where they networked with members of other college unions and thought critically during problem-solving scenarios. They also attended campus tours of local universities, including San Diego State University, the University of San Diego and the University of California, San Diego.  

“I particularly enjoyed the workshop ‘Unlocking your Student Staff’s Potential’, which provided valuable insights into effective staff management practices from another union,” Kouatly said. 

Conference goers were encouraged to take new and innovative ideas back to their home campuses to contribute to making student experiences better. 

CSUN’s USU shared some of its own progress by hosting a training about student involvement in the naming and design of the Valera NEST. Marketing Department presenters Steven Wein, Malahat Zhobin and James Matzen shared innovative ways to field student responses and implement direct feedback. 

Opening keynote speaker Dra. Vanessa Bustamante (Dra. being an abbreviation for doctora in Spanish), a CSUN alumna, spoke about her experiences in higher education, emphasizing the role leaders play in creating uplifting spaces for underrepresented communities. 

“Leadership is something that you define for you, and if you don’t fit in a space, you find where you fit. Think about what leadership means to you. Think about how leadership within you is impacting the people around you, your department, your work,” said Dra. Bustamante during her speech. “As you sit in your leadership roles, as you take on new leadership roles, evaluate who you are as a leader. Because every single person here is a leader, whether you want to believe it or not.” 

CSUN USU Executive Director Debra Hammond, an ACUI Region I icon and ACUI honorary lifetime member, closed out the conference with final remarks before her retirement in December 2024. 

Hammond spoke about the importance of identifying the ‘why’ before your ‘what’ and how knowing the deeper reasoning behind accomplishing goals can make achievements more impactful. 

Student attendees shared their takeaways from the conference. 

“There is always room for improvement. It will turn into perfection with time,” said Board of Directors Student Representative Heet Patel. “Solving problems takes time because it’s a process. Just take the initiative.” 

“I loved learning about the different initiatives from other campuses and being able to bring back ideas to our Board and organization,” said Lopez. 

“I enjoyed meeting new people from other universities as well as within my work community,” said Jolee Innocent, student administrative support assistant. “I learned to make sure to believe in myself and that there is no limit to what one can or can’t be. Only you can decide for yourself to push through. I will make sure to not miss another opportunity to do this again!”