NCCWSL Testimonial

Alexis NordlingAlexis Nordling received a 2023 NCCWSL scholarship from AAUW Hastings and is a nontraditional college student: she is a “virtual student” at DCTC at the age of 40. She completed her BA nearly 20 years ago and is returning for an AAS in Medical Coding.

Alexis was kind enough to share her experience at NCCWSL for those considering attending in the future:

I was unsure about NCCWSL and at first at doubted I could do it because it seemed like something for younger attendees, and maybe too much for me physically. But I’ve not had many chances to attend academic conferences in my life before this year, so I decided “why not?” and applied for an AAUW scholarship to attend NCCWSL. After all, I’m back in school for a limited time, might as well get the most of it! I was worried I wouldn’t fit in, or that the programming wouldn’t be aimed at students like me.

Wow, I couldn’t have been more wrong about the latter. I found the programming was a choose-your-own-adventure, so I could always find my niche. Also, the environment was so welcoming that I did not feel I was out of place, even with the majority of attendees being much younger. I think I was a good representative for AAUW in Minnesota, and spoke often about my experiences at the Minneapolis branch on Mondays, and my gratitude for my scholarship to attend from Hastings branch.

I also used the event app liberally to connect with other attendees, socialize, and learn more about the programming. A lot of attendees and presenters wanted to know about my two-year college experience, and seemed excited that two-year colleges are gaining popularity. There are so many reasons to attend NCCWSL–here are some reasons:

  • The friendship and bonding is real! Get ready to make friends from across the country and from your own state as well; world-class networking opportunities!

  • You’ll learn more than you think possible… It was weeks ago and I’m still processing and talking about all the info, and it’s served like a learning buffet: every time slot they offer about 5 or 6 options to choose from, and I promise you’ll find something that interests you in every slot!

  • I especially recommend staying in the dorms if you’re in your early 20s, and/or have not yet had the experience of living in a dorm on a college campus. It’s a great way to live it for the weekend, see for yourself what it’s all about!

First Impressions
Compared to the other academic conference I’ve been to this year (BPA), NCCWSL was more free form because there was less supervision. People were free to roam the campus and the city unchecked. There were some chaperones, but they were only supervising their groups. I appreciated this because it really felt like the college dorm experience, a real flash back for me!

The UMD campus was beautiful, and every little thing about the trip is a big deal: going to the East Coast, navigating big airports and cities, learning so much your brain almost explodes, staying in the dorm with a stranger… overall, it’s a wildly formative and inspiring experience. I’m really proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying this! I do not regret it, and I hope you’ll see for yourself why NCCWSL is an unparalleled opportunity for all sorts of people like you and me.

My Favorite Moments at NCCWSL 2023

  1. Meeting Courtney from Red Wing and the attendees sent by AAUW St Paul, they were great! Also my roomie was very kind and was so quiet at night, lol, small blessing but also huge when the days are so packed.

  2. “Live Polling” I have seen this tech a little before, but I especially appreciated the way it was used during this year’s presentations. For example, there is a link/QR code posted on the slideshow and everyone goes to the link. The presenter asks “what would you like to see more of in women’s healthcare?” and everyone types in an answer on their phone. All the answers show up on the screen in bubbles. Not surprisingly, many people said the same/ similar things, and those words appear in bigger bubbles. Then we take a vote on the next slide: How old do you have to be to get emergency contraception? There are 4 choices, and everyone is shocked that the majority of the room didn’t know the right answer! So much about this technology is amazing. First, the data that is gathered with many presentations is invaluable. Second, people will be on their phones anyway, make them look at what you want to them to look at! Third, it offers the opportunity to interact with anonymity and discretion!

  3. “Institutional Memory”: NCCWSL had not been in-person for 4 years, and that is the entirety of a student’s college years, so that means no current college students in attendance that year had ever been involved in any in-person NCCWSLs before. NCCWSL needs to retain its Institutional Memory so that people to talk about the conference and spread the word. Now the staff have to go into overdrive to make up for loss of passive marketing from IM. NCCWSL helps retain IM by, for example, keeping the same name and location every year.

Advice for Future Attendees

  • Check the weather! Sometimes it rains this time of year, but when I went it was very hot! Definitely bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, a fan if you like, and an easy to carry water bottle. Being on UMD campus was like being stranded sometimes: No restaurants or businesses except for the places in the common area that close early, no drug store for miles! Be prepared to take a rideshare to anywhere other than the NCCWSL events, campus is truly sprawling!
  • Airport: You have to find your own way from the airport to the University of Maryland campus for the event. It’s only about 25 minutes from DCA Airport by car, and equidistant for Baltimore Airport, so either destination works when booking tickets. There is a public transportation/light rail option to get from the airport to the campus, too.
  • Food: Food at the cafeteria is very good. Otherwise, food options on campus are extremely limited and close early, and the closest businesses are miles and miles away. I suggest bringing snacks and caffeine of your own.
  • Lodging: NCCWSL offers a residential ticket which includes a room on location at the University in a dorm. There are real accessibility issues: the walk back-and-forth from the dorm/cafeteria to the event space was longish because of a hill. Keep this in mind because people who need special accommodations or cannot make this walk repeatedly will especially want the hotel room. People opting for the residential tickets will make that trip a lot. If you’re having aches and pains, it’s worth it to get the hotel room because the dorm room is spartan to say the least.
  • If you do choose the residential package and stay at the dorm, here’s what to expect: Two people per room, the mattress is small and very simple, and it gets really really cold at night because they pump the AC (so when they say you might want an extra blanket/pillow/towel, they mean it because you are given one of each and they are minimal). The bathrooms are private, but down the hall. There is a microwave in the main area, but no mugs or dishes, and you couldn’t remove anything from the cafeteria. I brought tea but wished I brought a mug, too, so bring one and tea or instant coffee if you need caffeine first thing like I do!

Congratulations to Alexis for being our scholarship recipient, and thank you for sharing your story!