Admissions

Celebrating Works in Progress at the 2020 Colloquium

College Board’s 2020 Colloquium brought together college and university leaders from across the country for three days of intense conversation about admissions ethics, data transparency, public trust, and much else.

College Board’s 2020 Colloquium brought together college and university leaders from across the country for three days of intense conversation about admissions ethics, data transparency, public trust, and much else.

Huma Madinawala from the University of California, Irvine was a first-time attendee, and she shared the reflection below.

What kind of work do you do for UC Irvine?

I work in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as the Assistant Director of Freshman Evaluation. I oversee our technical Evaluation for any and all Freshman applicants. I also support our comprehensive/holistic review process by helping train new and returning readers.

How did you end up attending the Colloquium for the first time? What got you interested?

Our Executive Director of Admissions recommended the Colloquium as an opportunity for professional development. I was intrigued by the content and session topics, so I signed up to attend!

What did you learn that might help you in your work?

As someone who is still relatively new to higher ed, it was really great to see the different layers and issues beyond just the Admissions realm. The discussion surrounding transparency is certainly relevant to our current climate, and that continuous debate is something that I can reflect on in my day-to-day work.

What was the most memorable part of the Colloquium?

Given it was my first time at the Colloquium, I feel like there were so many great and special moments. If I had to pick one it would definitely be the keynote speaker and John King Jr’s words about all of us being works in progress and having courage in our jobs and lives. Being a work in progress has been near and dear to my personal and professional development, and hearing him say that really made it a memorable moment for me.

Where do you hope to go next in your higher ed career?

I definitely am looking forward to going back to school for my Master’s, while continuing my journey at UC Irvine and soaking up all the learning opportunities.