Editor’s Column: To SIOP With Love!

Adriane M. F. Sanders

Welcome to fall! Classes are back in session, and surprisingly, it actually feels like fall outside today here in the southeast (even though we are likely only in false fall and still have second summer to go before we actually get to fall, IYKYK). As you may remember from my column last issue, we’re doing themed issues! This issue is From Hugo to AI: Memorable Moments in SIOP and TIP History. Putting this issue together has been such a fun excuse to reflect, remember, and read about others’ enduring experiences with TIP and SIOP. All of our on-theme articles are collected into the Features section, and there is a little something for everyone.

For my column, I’m taking a walk down memory lane (thanks for the idea Alex Alonso!). I attended my first SIOP conference in 2009 (NOLA!). I was doing my thesis work on corporate social responsibility and recruitment and met so many people doing environmental sustainability I-O work at that conference. I asked my mentor, Ron Landis, how do I put together a symposium on this for next year? He told me to reach out to the people you connected with at related sessions. So I did, and THEY SAID YES! And it got accepted. I couldn’t believe it. The connections I made with real I-O professionals at my first conference led to me cochairing my first symposium in 2010 with Ann Huffman. That was my first experience of how collaborative and welcoming SIOP can be (and thankfully I’ve continued to have that experience with SIOP). That presentation and group of people led to my first publication in TIP with Stephanie Klein and Ann Huffman, which then branched into a different topic in an IOP commentary with Ann and Tori Howes in 2011.

In addition to diving headfirst into networking and presenting at the annual conference, that first conference in 2009 forged a lifetime friendship and partnership with a core group of peers in my doc program. Not only did it cement our love for attending the conference together, but also working professionally with each other and celebrating each others’ wins professionally and personally. With few exceptions, we haven’t missed a SIOP conference together in these last 14 years. After all this time, we still prioritize our time with each other and our mentor who got us there. Below are some favorite pictures over the years in no particular order—that I definitely did not get choked up about <wipes eyes>.

I know how lucky I am, and I’m so thankful for this family! Chicago here we come!

		The SIOP that started it all! 2009, from L to R: David R. Earnest, Courney A. Keim, Jonathan Burlison, Julianne Brown-Meola, Adriane M. F. Sanders.
L-R: Adriane, David, Julianne, Chanda S. Murphy, Courtney.
		L-R: Ronald S. Landis, Chanda, Julianne, Courtney, David, Adriane.
L-R: Julianne, Lawrence Houston III, David (& wife Jessica!), Jonathan, Adriane.
		Jonathan has a way of popping up like a golden Easter egg! These are two different years. 😆
L-R: Satoris (Tori) S. Howes, the late great Paul M. Muchinsky, Courtney, Adriane.
		2023 in Boston. Can’t wait for Chicago 2024!