Who: Daniel Campbell, Research Development Program Manager
Where: Old Dominion University Office of Research
Number of years in research development: 6
Length of NORDP membership: 6
What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?
I would suggest looking for opportunities to get involved on a committee, create a poster, or present at a national or regional conference. If you have an idea, bring it to a committee or someone in leadership. There is sure to be someone who would be interested in working with you on it. Whatever your area of interest, there is something for you here. From regional involvement to mentoring to webinars, there is always something happening at NORDP that could benefit from your time and talent.
How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?
After working in the areas of alumni and advancement, where my experience was primarily in special events, my active involvement in NORDP greatly enhanced my transition to RD. Attending my first NORDP conference helped me learn what was going on in the field and bring it back to my institution. Working on a campus can be an insular experience sometimes, so engagement with NORDP gives me a measuring stick to compare what I am doing with colleagues across the country. Through writing various blogs for NORDP News, I have improved my writing & editing skills. Plus, I tend to work behind the scenes, so this role has forced me to get out there!
How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?
My supervisor, Karen Eck, has been involved with NORDP for a long time. When I started in RD, she encouraged me to check out what the organization had to offer. I attended my first conference in Orlando, followed by Denver, DC, and Providence. I started working with Kay Tindle and Kathy Cataneo on the Member Services Committee and never looked back.
What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP (new colleagues, connections to institutions where you previously had no point of contact)?
I’ve met colleagues across the country through my involvement on various committees, including the Conference Marketing Committee, the Program Committee, and NORDP’s Communications Working Group. It seems each activity leads to another. Through the process, I’ve become more confident in my work and more validated in what I’m doing. For example, my poster presentation on our Science Pubs community outreach generated a lot of interest. It was helpful to bring that back to the office; it tells you that you’re going in the right direction.
If you’re new to this field, there are many people in this organization who are willing to help you. Members value what you to bring to the table and they find a place where you can make a difference in NORDP. I would say that the more people you meet through your engagement with NORDP, the more connected you are and the greater a resource you are to both NORDP and your institution.
Compiled by Sharon Pound, Communications Working Group
NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.
NORDP News 