by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

I admit to being a person who is rarely satisfied with the way things are. I believe in the need to change and that includes both personal change and actions to ensure that the Independent Educational Consultants Association continues to move forward, developing new approaches, new programs and new initiatives so that we are always meeting member needs. Allow me to illustrate using just one example. Following an IECA Summer Training Institute in Claremont, California, I sat down with Sue DePra and Steve Antonoff to review the participant evaluations. They were off the charts with virtually every attendee giving the Summer Institute nearly perfect scores, and comments from most attendees that it was among the best training sessions they had ever attended. The three of us then spent the next two hours re-writing the curriculum, developing new interactive elements, implementing ‘labs’ and strengthening the program further. The result was taking a great training program and making it remarkable.

Now as I reflect back on 2009, I feel great about the excellent work of staff, Board and committee leadership, and volunteer members who combined to make it a great year. We advanced dramatically in our efforts to use social networking to promote IECA and the profession, and to improve communications. We initiated new program in learning disabilities and adopted our new Standards of Excellence. We implemented significant changes during our conference: from Speed Meetings to Conference Central and from point/counterpoint sessions to master classes. Participation among colleges has never been higher, and despite the economic downturn our membership is up, conference participation is up, and our training workshops were larger than ever.

But as I look ahead, I know what I want to achieve in the coming year for IECA and for my own work as Executive Director: to take IECA from a great organization to a remarkable one. Looking at the success of America’s most lauded associations, I hope we use their example to become an exceptional force for our members. To become ‘remarkable,’ I think Board, staff and volunteers need to meet these expectations:

• Member Service—we exist as an association for one reason: to meet the needs of our membership. That commitment to member service should always be the top priority.

• Align all services, conferences, and activities with IECA’s mission. That mission, unchanged in 30 years, is to help professional consultants to serve the interests of students and families in their educational decision-making.

• Seek feedback and input from members and our related constituencies. In the next several weeks, members will be asked to complete a strategic planning survey and a survey from the Education & Training Committee. These will set our priorities over the next several years. We have now begun to involve schools, colleges, and programs in conference planning and regularly seek their advice on programming.

• Be willing to fail. As we look to be innovative, creative, and dynamic, we must be willing to accept that success require risk-taking and that means we will fail from time to time. Such failure is inevitable and will lead to new successes.

• A nimble, flexible, national office that is able to meet changes in the marketplace and ensure that such changes are quickly and capably brought to our members to help them succeed in their own work.

• Building alliances with not-for-profit and for-profit companies, institutions, and organizations that will help us further our mission and better serve clients and students.

I look forward to hearing ideas from our members, colleagues, and families on how we can best serve each to make 2010 and IECA remarkable in the year ahead. Join us in this effort: volunteer, get involved in committees, affinity groups, or other efforts, and above all, offer your ideas on what IECA should be doing.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

On the final day of IECA’s 2009 Summer Training Institute, the participants worked on their personal business plans.  It’s an exercise that demonstrates the dual hats consultants wear: advisors to students and families on one hand and small businesspersons on the other.  As the exercise began, I reminded the participants of the importance of being honest with their thoughts and feelings—only such honesty can make a business plan work.

The exercise starts where all good business plans originate: by considering one’s reasons for wanting to pursue an educational consulting career. I gave a few examples: the need to realize some income after retiring as a school counselor or wanting to continue the excitement one felt when they went through a college, school, or therapeutic placement with their own children.

After some quiet introspection, the answers flowed from the novice consultants in the room: “to see children reach their potential,” “to see students achieve their dreams,” “to be there for first generation and impoverished students,” and “help a family in crisis discover a path toward healing.”

It was a terrific moment.  In the midst of a session that was (in theory, at least) about the business side of educational consulting, the heart of consulting came through and shone.

No one argued in favor of preying on parent anxieties as a marketing tool; no one held to the belief that the profession engaged in packaging students or re-writing students essays; no one promoted the claims of admission secrets or whispered connections; no one spoke of perks or growing rich.  Many, however spoke of service, of establishing non-profits to better help the under-served, of the importance of ethics and passion.

When I shook hands and thanked participants following the final dinner, I never felt better about the direction of the profession.  The 90 members of the class of 2009 will, both collectively and individually, enhance and promote educational options for adolescents with compassion, competence, and commitment.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

A long and busy day in Swarthmore (is there any other kind during the IECA Summer Institute?) as day three comes to a close.  Particularly tiring for me with three presentations and joining all the faculty in moderating a marketing lab with our mentoring groups.

I led a lively elective on—no surprise here—using social networking and blogging to improve communication with and between clients and colleagues.  Following this I joined Jane Shropshire to lead a session for consultants working on therapeutic placements that focused on the key differences they may experience in working in the profession, as compared to college and school consultants.

Then off to a general session on Professional, Legal and Liability Issues.  It was late in the day but the attendees remained interested and engaged throughout, an indication (the staff feels) of the overall level of seriousness of purpose and personal commitment they have demonstrated to learning.

Of course the rest of the faculty were busy as well.  Jane also hosted a sizable breakout where some 40 attendees explored boarding school consulting, a very significant growth in interest of such work.  Matt Baker ran a general session on marketing, followed by the marketing lab.  Bar Clarke led a session on how to visit and evaluate special needs programs while Charlotte Klaar ran a well-attended and reviewed breakout on “The College Essay” which concentrated on the limits consultants should provide students.

Guest presenter Troy Onink of Stratagee joined Lloyd Paradiso to offer a session to a packed house on the Essentials of Financial Aid.  Finally, as the clock ticked toward 5:45, a faculty Q&A produced a good, insightful give and take.

Imagine all that just today!  And several of those general sessions were two hours each.  Tonight offered the opportunity of a night off, and a crowd was seen heading for the train into Philadelphia.   We hope the attendees have fun, but not too much.  Somehow tomorrow’s schedule is just as busy!

We have missed Steve Antonoff who missed his first Summer Institute due to some medical complications from surgery earlier this summer. We’re happy to announce that he’s doing well.  Finally, it takes a real expert, a professional who understand adult learning, curriculum design, and an unyielding commitment to excellence to put together every academic and logistical aspect of the Institute.  That was Sue DePra, IECA’s Director of Education.  In one word: amazing.