Walk into any Southeast SAS User Group (SESUG) event and you’ll quickly realize it’s not just about the software.
Yes, there are technical sessions, coding workshops and deep dives into data visualization. But what makes the conference resonate year after year isn’t simply the tools, it’s the people and the perspectives they bring.
That mix of professional development and human connection is what keeps attendees returning, even in a time when tutorials, webinars and forums are available on demand.
“You can go on YouTube and find tons of videos,” said Raj Bhosale, Director of Information Systems at NC State University. “But the whole experience of coming here and meeting people in person is the most important part. Especially after the last few years, being able to come together again is always a good thing.”
The power of shared perspectives
For many SESUG participants, the biggest takeaway isn’t a single line of code, it’s a new way of thinking.
“There have been times when I attended a session and it struck me. I had never thought in the way that the presenter had thought,” Bhosale said. “It just enlightens your mind. You think, oh, it can be done this way.”
At a past SESUG in Mobile, Alabama, he attended a presentation on automating Excel file management with SAS code. That single session transformed workflows at NC State, where manual Excel processes had long been a time sink.
“It was a brain-opener,” he said. “I went back and used what I learned to automate processes across campus. That session alone saved us so much manual work.”
Why gatherings still matter
If the technical knowledge is valuable, the connections are invaluable. Having attended five SESUG conferences, Bhosale has built a network of peers who now meet regularly outside of the event.
“It started as a professional connection,” he said. “Now it’s also personal. We reconnect on common interests, we share advice and we push each other forward.”
That community aspect is one reason why SESUG continues to thrive in 2025, even as many professional events struggle to find relevance.
Putting SAS to work at NC State
The lessons from SESUG don’t stay in the conference rooms. At NC State, Bhosale’s team uses SAS® Data Integration Studio and SAS® Visual Analytics to turn raw data into dashboards and reports that guide decisions across campus.
“Almost everybody taps into this information – whether it’s daily dashboards or big decision-making,” he said. “We really leverage SAS products.”
Bhosale has seen a shift in recent years toward a more open and accessible SAS ecosystem. That change, he says, makes adoption and training much easier than when he started.
Advice that sticks
Conferences are often remembered for a standout keynote or technical demo. But for Bhosale, one of the most enduring lessons has been about problem-solving itself.
“The best advice I’ve gotten here is don’t just go with the first solution that comes to your mind,” he said. “Look for alternatives, compare them and then choose the best one.”
He passes on similar guidance to students and early-career professionals he meets at SESUG: go beyond the classroom.
“Everybody gets a degree,” he said. “What will make you stand out is tackling a real industry problem in your spare time. If you can show that you’ve tried to solve something relevant – whether with code or even a flowchart – you’ll be seen as a problem solver, not just a graduate.”
The word that sums it up
If he had to describe SESUG in one word, Bhosale doesn’t hesitate: informative.
“It’s informative in every way – through the sessions, the people you meet, the conversations you exchange,” he said. “You just absorb so much before you go home.”
Why SESUG endures
Conferences come and go and technologies rise and fade. But SESUG's enduring appeal lies in its balance of knowledge-sharing and human connection.
“Every year, I walk away with new perspectives, new ideas and new connections,” Bhosale said. “That’s what keeps me coming back.”
