May 28 - June 1, 2024 in Seattle!

Celebrate a milestone with us at the 30th CIVSA Annual Conference! Get ready for an experience packed with diverse learning opportunities for everyone from first-time attendees to seasoned professionals! We’ll reflect on where we’ve been and get ready for where we’re going.

Our schedule includes educational sessions, plenary sessions, group discussions and informal programming events, all designed to help you develop new ideas, share experiences, discover best practices, and make connections with others in your field.

You can expect to bring back great ideas, practical takeaways, and a renewed sense of energy to help make you and your institution stronger. Topics include event planning, daily visit programming, student/staff development, operations management, diversity initiatives, cultivating campus partnerships and much more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us in Seattle for professional development, learning, networking opportunities, and more. For an idea of what the Annual Conference will include, you can browse the 2024 Annual Conference Tentative Schedule. Session descriptions and a downloadable program book will be shared closer to the event.

Educational Program Overview
The Annual Conference includes multiple educational opportunities, including peer-led educational sessions, networking opportunities, hot topics discussions and more. A list of the sessions that will be presented at conference is now available.

Speakers
Our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Deborah Gilboa and our Closing Speaker, Dr. Jenna Rufo will bring energy and amazing insights into their respective fields and you won’t want to miss either of them!

Closing Dinner and Awards
Join us at the Museum of Flight for an amazing evening celebrating our Association award winners and the 30th Annual Conference!

Workshops
New for the 2024 Annual Conference, your registration fee includes a three-hour workshop facilitated by a certified trainer. You will choose the workshop that best enhances your conference experience on the pre-conference survey. The choices are:

5 BOLD STEPS: GOAL SETTING FOR YOUR FUTURE presented by Mike Beebe

Join Mike for a highly interactive and reflective workshop in which you identify 5 Bold Steps that you can take in your personal and professional life to further realize your vision of success! By the end of this session, participants will have:

  • Clarified their core values
  • Created vision statements that reflect their core values
  • Identified 5 tangible, realistic and BOLD steps they can take to work towards their vision

This workshop is great for new professionals or individuals making a career transition or anyone that enjoys making time for self reflection so that they can take meaningful next steps in their career that are aligned with their core values. This workshop is well-suited for new professionals or those new to the field of higher education

 

CENTERING RACIAL JUSTICE IN YOUR WORKPLACE presented by Fleur Larsen

This workshop will address key challenges many nonprofits and specifically collegiate information services have around DEI and racial justice. Challenges like tokenizing. gatekeeping power and information, defensiveness and white fragility and generational differences are hard to navigate and can cause a lot of harm within a team and organization. We will review several strategies and invitations for addressing and engaging with these topics. These include centering relationship, power and privilege analysis, naming white dominant characteristics and more.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Naming how power and privilege are operating
  • Understanding how individual identities relate to systemic oppression
  • Owning our bias and seeing how white dominant norms are pervasive and normalized
  • Sharing experiences of generational differences in racial justice

This workshop offers expanded learning for those interested in diversity programming


CHANGE IS THE PROBLEM – AND THE SOLUTION: HOW TO HELP EMPLOYEES BUILD RESILIENCE AND IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
presented by Dr. Deborah Gilboa

This 3 hour, interactive workshop will provide hands on activities centering on practical skills and adaptable experiences. Dr. G will outline the strategies that are proven to overcome stress and draw out empathy and collaboration in even the toughest of interactions. Dr. G will identify and teach the tools leaders need to strengthen employee loyalty, increase motivation and commitment, and bridge the gaps participants experience in their own supervisory roles. Participants will dive into the evidence-based strategies proven to help other people manage change and stress better and learn new ways to support employees while working to stay mission-aligned and productive. This workshop can greatly benefit those in middle or upper management

 

IMPROVING ENGAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY presented by David Kasch, PhD, PCC, CDTLF

Research on team cultures has found that psychological safety is the key predictor of team performance – the higher the degree of psychological safety, the higher the measurable performance of a team. This session will introduce participants to the 4 Stages of Psychological Safety model and its application to leadership and education. Participants will learn about each of the 4 Stages, identify specific behaviors they can use to increase the psychological safety for improved team engagement and outcomes, and create a 30-day action plan to practice those new behaviors. This workshop can greatly benefit those in middle or upper management

Thank you for your interest in presenting at Annual Conference! The deadline for submitting a proposal has passed. Proposals were accepted October 1, 2023 – January 17, 2024.

Proposals are currently under review. We aim to notify all who submitted a proposal of their status by February 9. If selected, you must confirm your participation and all session details by February 23.

Questions? Contact Programming and Education Chair Natalie Mann at nharris7@uga.edu.

Key dates for accepted presenters
February 23 – Deadline to submit presenter/co-presenter agreements
March 1 – Deadline for all presenters and co-presenters to register for Annual Conference
March 6 – Presenter training webinar
April 12 – Deadline for all presenters and co-presenters to submit headshots and presentation PDFs
May 28 – June 1 – Annual Conference

Keynote Speaker – Dr. Deborah Gilboa

Resilience expert Deborah Gilboa, MD, aka “Dr. G” works with families, organizations, and businesses to identify the mindset and strategies to turn stress to an advantage. Renowned for her contagious humor, Dr. G works with groups across multiple generations, to rewire their attitudes and beliefs, and create resilience through personal accountability and a completely different approach to adversity. She is a leading media personality seen regularly on TODAY, Good Morning America and The Doctors. She is also featured frequently in the Washington Post, The New York Times, Authority Magazine, and countless other digital and print outlets.  Dr. G is board certified attending family physician and is fluent in American Sign Language. She lives in Pittsburgh with her four sons.

Closing Speaker – Dr. Jenna Mancini Rufo

Dr. Rufo is a dynamic leader who is passionate about inclusive education. She founded her company, Empower ED, with a vision of creating educational systems that meaningfully include ALL students and respect the unique gifts and talents each individual brings.

Prior to starting her consulting firm, Dr. Rufo spent nearly 20 years in public education. She has served as a special education teacher, inclusion facilitator, director of student services, and assistant superintendent. Dr. Rufo’s professional experiences, coupled with graduate work completed at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and training from the Carnegie Foundation in improvement science, have provided her with an understanding of both theory and practical implementation.

Dr. Rufo has shared her knowledge at national and regional events, including The Atlantic’s Education Summit, the National Principals Conference, the Council for Exceptional Children’s PA Conference, the Pennsylvania Literacy Conference, and the Pennsylvania Education for All Coalition. In three short years since founding empower ED, Dr. Rufo has provided training in more than 15 states as well as Australia. She has co-authored Reimagining Special Education: Using Inclusion as a Framework to Build Equity and Support All Students and The Way To Inclusion: Creating Schools Where Every Student Belongs. Dr. Rufo has also been published in AASA’s School Administrator magazine on several occasions.

​Dr. Rufo was inspired to enter the field of education by her sister, Nina, who has complex support needs. She views education as her calling and is passionate about ensuring quality programs for ALL students.

Enhance your conference experience by registering for a pre or post campus visit at nearby institutions! There is a $25 fee associated with these tours, and space is limited.

Pre-Conference: Cornish College of the Arts was founded in 1914 by Nellie Centennial Cornish.  Imagined to be a school where students would produce new and innovative works, study with master faculty and collaborate across disciplines, Cornish has been launching Artists, Citizens and Innovators ever since. Cornish is one of only three US undergraduate institutions to offer degrees exclusively in the visual and performing arts.  Students earn BFA degrees in Art, Design, Animation, Film, Game Art, Illustration, Interior Architecture, Acting, Musical Theater, Dance and Technical Theater.  Musicians earn the equivalent BM degree.

The program will begin with an overview of the degree programs, application process (including auditions/portfolio requirements) and the tools that are shared with high school counselors to help support future artists looking for art schools.  Then you will get a chance to tour their spaces with Admission Counselors, explore their residence hall (20 stories with views that cost much more!), and enjoy refreshments prepared by their in-house chef.  There will also be time for a Q&A about their visit program.

Pre-Conference: Seattle University Founded in 1891, Seattle University is a Jesuit Catholic university located on a beautiful campus of more than 50 acres in the dynamic heart of Seattle. The diverse and driven population is made up of more than 7,200 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools and colleges. 

This tour experience will share about Seattle University’s Undergraduate Visits and Events program, Slate integration, and tour their beautiful urban campus.

Post-Conference: University of Washington Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the world’s leading public research universities. Explore their beautiful 700-acre campus and experience what makes them the leader of the pack — from the world-class medical center and vibrant arts community to an active student life. The UW has been an integral part of Seattle since before Washington was a state. Today, the Emerald City is a multicultural, international hub of innovation, known for its tech startups, music scene, aerospace engineering and, of course, plenty of coffee. 

Participants of this tour will learn about the visit programs at UW, the unique opportunities available to the team, and experience a typical campus tour. The 75-minute walking tour will take you through the heart of campus as you explore the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, Drumheller Fountain, Sylvan Grove and more.

Our conference hotel is the Sheraton Grand Seattle, located at 1400 6th Avenue. Rooms will be $199+ tax per night for single or double occupancy. A reservation link will be included in conference registration confirmation emails. The last day to book a room in the CIVSA block is May 6, 2024 (though the room block will likely fill before then). Rooms booked outside of the group block, through the hotel’s main booking page or through any third-party channels will be subject to standard hotel rates.

Centrally located at 6th and Pike St., the hotel is within walking distance of Seattle’s most iconic local attractions, shopping and dining, including Pike Place Market. Start your day in downtown Seattle at our modern Starbucks® marketplace and upscale coffee bar and relax in the newly refreshed rooms, which offer views of Puget Sound. Visit shops, restaurants, bars and attractions just blocks from our hotel, such as the Space Needle, Climate Pledge Arena and Chihuly Garden and Glass.


More information about the hotel, including amenities, parking and driving directions can be found online.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is located 14 miles from the conference hotel. The average taxi/rideshare rate between the airport and hotel is $40. Uber and Lyft operate at this airport.

Link Light Rail provides an affordable alternative to taxi and rideshare options. For just $3 one-way, you’ll travel from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to the Westlake stop which brings you within two blocks of the hotel. The train ride takes about 35 minutes, the same time it will take you in a rideshare car. More information can be found at https://www.portseattle.org/page/public-transit-link-light-rail

Additional information about ground transportation between the hotel and the airport can be found at https://www.portseattle.org/sea-tac/ground-transportation

Getting around Seattle via public transportation is easy and affordable. The Visit Seattle website includes a wide variety of options.

Consider becoming a CIVSA Member before registering for conference to take advantage of member-only rates. Members also have access to apply for Conference Scholarships by established deadlines.
Registration Date Member Non-member
Oct 2 – Oct 31 $340 N/A
Nov 1 – Dec 31 $390 $540
Jan 1 – Jan 31 $490 $640
Feb 1 – May 3 $540 $665
after May 3 we can’t guarantee new registrants a pre-printed nametag, inclusion in the program book, or other material items

Please note that registration fees are non-refundable.

A credit for all fees paid less a $50 administrative fee will be issued if requested in writing by March 1. The registration credit has no cash value and is valid for the next CIVSA Annual Conference only. Cancellation requests must be submitted to civsaHQ@civsa.org and include the registrant’s name and institution. No credits will be issued after March 1.

Credits will not be offered for campus tour registrations.

An Annual Conference registration may be transferred to another professional staff member from the same institution. If the registration was paid at the CIVSA member registration rate, it may be transferred to (a) another CIVSA member at no additional charge or (b) a non-member with an additional $150 transfer fee. Transfer requests must be received in writing to civsahq@civsa.org. If a registration transfer is requested after May 1, the change will not be reflected in the conference program book or conference app.

Here are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about a CIVSA conference.