Student life coordinator elected president of the Georgia College Personnel Association
Georgia Highlands College student life coordinator John Spranza has been officially elected as president of the Georgia College Personnel Association (GCPA), which is the state chapter of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).
Spranza will serve a term of 3 years, moving from President-Elect in 2015 to President in 2016 to Past-President in 2017.
Spranza joined the GCPA’s growing number of members across the state in 2003. There are approximately 200 members to date, including higher education professionals (staff and faculty) at USG schools, TCS schools and private schools.
“When I first came to work at Georgia Highlands, several of the student services staff at that time were members and encouraged me to join,” he said.
Over the years, Spranza has been a very active member of the GCPA. He was the Two-Year College Sector Representative in 2005, and was later elected as Treasurer for 2009-2011 (for a two-year term). Additionally, he has assisted in a volunteer capacity in the past with the association’s newsletter and on various conference-planning committees.
“One of the most enjoyable things with GCPA for me over the years has been the relationships and friendships I have made with my colleagues across the state, so I am honored that they would consider me to lead the association,” he said. “I have always enjoyed and appreciated the connections and experiences that GCPA has provided for me, so having the opportunity to build on that and help make the association stronger is certainly a desire of mine as president.”
Spranza stated that GCPA nominations were solicited from the membership in January, with elections being carried out electronically in March, again from a vote by the full membership. He was elected for President-Elect and officially started his term in April at a leadership retreat.
“Our main goal is to provide our members with an outlet for top-notch education and professional development, plus across-the-state networking with our peers,” Spranza said.
As part of his duties as President-Elect, he will travel with the current GCPA President Amber Lesicko, of Dalton State, to the ACPA Leadership Academy being held in Montreal, Canada, in July.
GCPA has served the state’s higher education professionals for 45 years, and provides opportunities for professional development, publication, and peer connection to faculty, staff, and administration at all institutions of higher learning in Georgia. It’s parent organization ACPA has been a force in higher education administration since its founding in 1924, and continues to shape and lobby for educational advancement both home and abroad from its international headquarters located in Washington DC at the National Center for Higher Education. As a state chapter of ACPA, GCPA is responsible for recruiting and servicing members throughout the state of Georgia to promote the association’s mission, vision, and core values.