MaPSAC seeking new members

Elizabeth Gray, senior manager of web communications in the College of Engineering, has developed new friendships, learned more about the university’s operations and grown as an individual during her time as a MaPSAC member. (Purdue University photo/Rebecca McElhoe) Download image

The Management and Professional Staff Advisory Committee (MaPSAC) is seeking to fill seven membership positions, each with a three-year term that begins in June. 

MaPSAC comprises up to 30 administrative and professional staff who represent all segments of the Purdue community, including regional campuses. The committee serves as a two-way conduit between staff and administration, and those who join have the opportunity to contribute to conversations happening on or around campus.

“Being able to share those thoughts that are coming from MaPSAC to other people on campus who are struggling with the same issues and who aren’t feeling heard is a very wonderful feeling for me,” says Elizabeth Gray, chair of MaPSAC’s membership and communications subcommittee. “I just enjoy being able to let others know that we are hearing them, and I like to contribute concerns or solutions that I’m hearing that maybe other people aren’t.”

Gray joined MaPSAC two years ago as a way to meet new people on campus and learn more about the university. She initially thought she would keep her head down, gain some new information and eventually exit the committee with a new entry on her resume, but it didn’t take long for her to realize the opportunity would affect her Purdue experience in a much deeper way.

“I have found some great people through this,” Gray says. “I’ve made some really close friends and met people who I now look up to. It’s just a very nice atmosphere and a very touching place where you can make those personal connections with people and have them reciprocated.”

Members can join one of three subcommittees – professional development, compensation and benefits, and membership and communications – and have the opportunity to serve on multiple university-level committees. For Gray, selecting the membership and communications committee was a natural choice that aligned with her position as a senior manager of web communications in the College of Engineering. Now she’s using her computer skills to create and distribute The Sentinel, MaPSAC’s monthly newsletter.

By attending monthly committee meetings, sharing thoughts and ideas with others in her subcommittee, and participating in activities like LinkedIn learning modules and personality tests, Gray says she’s learned more about the university – and herself – over the past two years.

“It's just helped me grow and realize what was most fulfilling for me,” she says. “I finally discovered that my ambition lies in helping others, and MaPSAC helped me realize things about myself that I couldn’t put into words at first. Now I’m being able to use that to hear other people, learn from different perspectives and find out more about the university as a whole.”

Staff can apply to join MaPSAC by completing a brief survey and participating in a 30-minute interview. Members typically commit 10 hours or less to their roles each month. Gray says there’s no downside to joining the committee, and it’s an ideal opportunity for those interested in learning more about Purdue.

“Don’t feel nervous or worry about the what ifs,” she says. “There’s really nothing that can go wrong, but there’s a lot of stuff that can go right. I think if you’re interested in learning about Purdue as a community and different aspects that you may not have known before, MaPSAC is a great resource for you to try.”

MaPSAC is seeking staff from the following areas to fill current openings: 

• College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service and College of Veterinary Medicine (2 openings).
• Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer and CIO, and Vice President for Human Resources (2 openings).
• College of Pharmacy and College of Health and Human Sciences (1 opening).
• Intercollegiate Athletics (1 opening).
• College of Engineering (1 opening). 

Applications are open through Feb. 24. Questions about MaPSAC or the membership drive can be directed to mapsac-mac@purdue.edu.