The Value of Volunteering with APPA

APPA runs on its members. Chair-Elect Robert Aldrich on where to start volunteering, from your chapter to the national board, and what you get back.

The moments that shaped my career and leadership growth in educational facilities and operations didn't happen in a construction meeting, a boiler room, or a budget presentation. They happened at a chapter meeting where a stranger became a friend, on a committee call where we came together to plan or solve a problem, and in a workshop where I was the presenter but learned as much as anyone in the room.

That is the power of volunteering with APPA. As Chair-Elect of our Board of Directors, I'll say it plainly: APPA runs on its members, and we can't do this without you. Our programs, publications, professional development offerings, and conferences exist because facilities professionals from K-12 districts, community colleges, and universities give their time to one another and to the profession as a whole.

There are countless ways to get involved, and everyone who has will tell you the same thing: it opened doors, created valuable professional connections and opportunities, led to lifelong friendships, and gave them far more than they put in.

Start Close to Home: Your Chapter

Chapters are where most of us first find our footing in APPA, and my chapter is exactly where I was first introduced to the Association. Chapters need people to plan meetings and conferences, host campus tours, welcome new members, and serve as officers on their boards. If you've never volunteered, start here. You'll build relationships with nearby peers who face the same challenges you do.

Widen the Circle: Your Region

APPA's six regions host annual conferences and programs that depend on volunteers. Join a regional committee, help shape a conference program, present a session, or serve on a regional board. Regional service brings fresh ideas from institutions of every size, and it's a natural bridge to national involvement.

Shape the Profession: National Opportunities

At the national level, the ways to contribute are as varied as our membership:

• Serve on a committee. APPA's committees guide professional development, research, awards, membership, and more.
• Submit articles. Facilities Manager magazine needs your projects, case studies, and lessons learned.
• Teach. Instructors bring Supervisor's Toolkit, the Institute for Facilities Management, Leadership Academy, and more to life at APPAU and on campuses.
• Serve as an assessor. Through APPA Advisors and the Facilities Management Evaluation Program (FMEP), experienced professionals give peer institutions an objective look at their operations. Assessors bring home as many ideas as they leave behind.
• Engage in other ways. Answer a question in the new APPA Community, nominate a colleague for an award, or mentor someone new to the field.

Lead the Association: Our National Board

Board members set APPA's strategic direction, steward its resources, and represent every member, from a K-12 custodial supervisor to a university vice president. If you've led at the chapter or regional level, or simply care deeply about where our profession is headed, I urge you to consider running for a seat on APPA's National Board of Directors, or to encourage a colleague who should. See the election dates and guidelines for the 2027 Board election.

What You Get Back

Volunteering builds skills that pay off back at your own institution: facilitation, consensus building, strategic thinking, and the confidence to lead beyond your own campus. It also turns a professional network into a genuine support system. And on the hard days, it reminds you that keeping learning environments safe, clean, and working matters to students everywhere, and that we're all facing the same challenges together.

Your Invitation

You don't need a title or decades of experience to make a difference, just curiosity and a willingness to share what you know. Visit appa.org/get-involved, reach out to your chapter or regional leaders, check the board election dates and guidelines, or email us at membership@appa.org.

Let's build the future of educational facilities together.