SoACE HistoryHonoring our history while advancing the profession. The Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE) was established on July 1, 2007, through the merger of the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers (SACE) and the Southwest Association of Colleges and Employers (SWACE). The merger brought together more than a century of collective history, tradition, and professional excellence while creating a regional association serving professionals across a 15-state region and positioned to support career services, college relations, recruiting, and employer professionals for generations to come. Our StorySince its founding, SoACE has brought career services professionals and corporate human resources and recruiting professionals together to build relationships, exchange information and best practices, and strengthen the connection between higher education and employment. Over the years, the association has expanded its membership, professional development opportunities, leadership programs, Knowledge Groups, employer engagement initiatives, and year-round programming while continuing to evolve alongside the profession it serves. SoACE MilestonesFrom the creation of the association to new programs and opportunities for members, SoACE has continued to grow and adapt throughout its history. 2007
SoACE Is EstablishedSACE and SWACE merged on July 1 to form the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers. SoACE held its first Annual Conference later that year in San Antonio under the theme Synergy in San Antonio, bringing together 560 attendees. 2011
Knowledge Groups BeginSoACE introduced Knowledge Groups, expanding opportunities for members to connect and participate in professional development throughout the year. 2013
Membership ExpandsMembers unanimously approved a broader membership definition reflecting the evolving profession and recognizing that career professionals increasingly worked in areas beyond traditional career services offices. 2014
Group Membership LaunchesFollowing extensive study by a member task force, the membership unanimously approved a new group membership option. The change helped SoACE membership grow to more than 1,000 members. 2017
Ten Years of SoACESoACE celebrated its tenth anniversary by returning to San Antonio, the location of the association's first Annual Conference. 2019
Record In-Person ConferenceThe Annual Conference at The Peabody Hotel in Memphis welcomed 537 attendees, becoming SoACE's largest in-person conference to that point. 2019–20
Year-Round Sponsorship EvolvesSoACE began transitioning its sponsorship model from primarily conference-based opportunities to year-round partnerships that allowed sponsors to engage with members beyond the Annual Conference. 2020
SoACE Goes VirtualDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, SoACE hosted its first virtual Employer Relations Summit and virtual Annual Conference. The virtual conference expanded access and became the association's largest conference to date, with 639 attendees. During this period, the association also took steps to develop future leaders through the SoACE LEAD Program and increased its focus on employer members through the creation of an Employer Engagement Task Force. 2021
Recognizing Emerging ProfessionalsSoACE added the Graduate Student of the Year Award to recognize outstanding graduate students and encourage their continued involvement in the profession. How Was SoACE Formed?The path toward SoACE began in 2003, when leaders of the regional associations of colleges and employers convened a strategic planning team to examine the profession and recommend an association structure that would support the continued viability and relevance of the regional associations. The resulting report, Building Our New Direction (the BOND Report), recommended consolidating the regional associations into organizations of similar size, scope, and focus. One recommendation called for the merger of the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers (SACE) and the Southwest Association of Colleges and Employers (SWACE). In 2004–05, SACE and SWACE convened a joint task force to study the proposal. The task force examined the advantages, disadvantages, costs, benefits, similarities, and differences between the organizations and ultimately recommended moving forward with the merger and conducting additional due diligence. Member support was strong. When the concept was presented to members, 89% voted in favor of proceeding with a potential merger. A Merger Implementation Task Force was then charged with conducting due diligence and developing a formal implementation plan and timeline. Its recommendations were presented to the SACE and SWACE Boards in June 2006, and both Boards voted unanimously to move forward. In fall 2006, the formal merger plan was presented to the memberships of both organizations. 94% of SACE and SWACE members voted in favor, officially clearing the way for the organizations to merge on July 1, 2007. Throughout the process, SACE, SWACE, and SoACE leadership were assisted by the association management firm Baldwin-Hunt Associates. Donna Baldwin-Hunt and Skip Hunt supported the merger process and were retained to provide association management services to the newly formed SoACE. Legal counsel related to the merger was provided by attorney James Seely of Association Legal Services. SoACE held its first Annual Conference in San Antonio in November 2007. The conference, themed Synergy in San Antonio, welcomed 560 attendees — approximately 70% of the association's membership at the time — and marked the first opportunity to bring former SACE and SWACE members together as the new Southern Association of Colleges and Employers. SoACE Past PresidentsSoACE recognizes the professionals who have served the association as President since its founding. 2025 Ralph Leal, Texas A&M University-Kingsville 2024 Summer Salazar, University of Texas at Austin 2023 Shereada Harrell, Auburn University 2022 V'Rhaniku Haynes, Berkadia 2021 Jessica Cates, Texas Christian University 2020 Erica Lake, University of South Carolina 2019 Charlie Wilder, Auburn University 2018 Mark Colvenbach, The University of Tampa 2017 Raymond Rogers, St. Edward's University 2016 Mary Mahoney, University of Tennessee – Knoxville 2015 Wayne Hampton, Disney Campus Recruitment 2014 Jay Killough, Texas Tech University 2013 Tim Harding, University of Tampa 2012 Shelly Underwood, Tesoro Companies, Inc. 2011 Toni McLawhorn, Roanoke College 2010 Eric Pearson, Northrop Grumman 2009 Norma Guerra Gaier, St. Mary's University 2008 Donnie Brown, Tindall Corporation 2007 Karen Thompson, UNC Wilmington SoACE TodaySoACE continues to build on this history through professional development, networking, leadership development, employer engagement, and opportunities for members to connect throughout the year. Learn more about SoACE → |
