January 2024 USM ASSOCIATION OF OFFICE PROFESSIONALS
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday break and is having a smooth Spring semester so far. I want to start off this year by saying how blown away I am by the generosity and hard work of our AOP members. Our Community Service Committee spearheaded several impactful projects last semester. One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou is “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I am confident that your participation in these projects made many of our students and community members feel seen and cared for last semester - THANK YOU!
Check out the pictures and highlighted event information below!
Cards for Caring
During the Cards for Caring program in December, USM AOP in Hattiesburg helped USM’s Sigma Alpha Lambda chapter with writing 163 cards for residents at nursing homes in Petal and Hattiesburg. In addition, AOP members on the Gulf Coast wrote cards for the U.S. Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport and three other long-term care facilities on the Coast.
Snacks of Support
Thanks to the generous cash and food donations to the Forest General Cancer Center Snack Fund, AOP was recently able to deliver free snacks for patients undergoing cancer treatment. To have something pleasant, such as a cookie or chips, during such an unpleasant time can bring comfort to patients in need.
Home-Baked for the Holidays
Working with the Wesley Foundation and Sigma Alpha Lambda, the USM Association of Office Professionals distributed home-baked cakes and cookies to USM’s international students who are staying in Hattiesburg for the holidays. The Home-Baked for the Holidays program, in its fourth year, helps bring joy to those far from home. We hope we made your holidays a little brighter! (image courtesy WDAM)
Embracing our Elderly
AOP was able to provide some holiday cheer as well as necessities to seniors in a local nursing home, thanks to the generosity of its members and the Southern Miss community.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
Our next AOP general meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 7th at 11:30 a.m. Please make sure to meet with your committees between now and the next general meeting if you have not done so already. We will discuss our committees' progress and other ongoing projects during our general meeting in February. I will send an Outlook invitation with the Microsoft Teams link closer to the date. Be sure to invite your coworkers who also might be interested in joining AOP!
Stay tuned for more community service, professional development, and relationship-building opportunities to come!
National Association of Educational Office Professionals (NAEOP)
Are you a member of the National Association of Educational Office Professionals? Check out some of the membership benefits below and consider getting involved at the national level!
If you know anyone interested in joining AOP, please feel free to share this newsletter with them, invite them to our next meeting, or connect them with one of our board members to discuss what opportunities may be available to them through AOP.