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2023 Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education

The 2023 NASPA First-generation Student Success Conference, part of the NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education, will convene scholars and practitioners from June 25 – 27, 2023 to discuss how higher education professionals across the academy can develop effective approaches to improve the outcomes of first-generation college students.

The NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education convenes the student success-focused community to engage in important professional development, exchange innovative ideas, and network with peers. You will engage with content from the Assessment, Planning, and Data Analytics Conference, the Dismantling Systemic Barriers to Student Success Conference, and the First-generation Student Success Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

In addition to a robust selection of educational programming, the conference offers multiple dynamic keynotes, thought-provoking pre-conference workshops, exhibit hall offerings, and much more. This event is your opportunity to take a cross-functional approach to student success when it has never been more important.

Take a look at the 2022 NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education program book to learn about last year's programming and events.

 
Benefits
 

The 2023 NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education will offer innovative ways to engage through:

  • multiple days of curated content facilitated by subject-matter experts from all three conference tracks;

  • educational sessions and connections to presenters and attendees;

  • thoughtful presentations from featured speakers to strengthen your knowledge base;

  • opportunities to engage and network with other attendees across conferences; and

  • an exhibit hall for real-time engagement with sponsors and exhibitors.

 

About the First-generation Student Success Conference

ATTEND THE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE TO:

  • understand the lived experiences and vast intersectionality of first-generation college students across academic years, institutional types, and sectors;

  • discuss systemic and institutional barriers first-generation students face in higher education and identify asset-based strategies;

  • identify and use strategies for supporting first-generation students and bridging gaps in cultural capital through asset-based programmatic approaches, services, and skill-building;

  • discuss and implement approaches for creating an engaged campus community that identifies, supports, and celebrates first-generation college students;

  • recognize and engage with scholarly literature and current research critical to understanding and advancing first-generation student outcomes; and

  • consider evaluation, assessment, and data strategies for understanding and improving institutional and programmatic first-generation initiatives.

Venues

HOTEL BLOCK UPDATE: Thank you for your patience while we examined alternative hotel options for the Conferences. At this time, the conference block for both the Sheraton and the Westin are full. If you have not yet secured your housing for the Conferences, you may find alternative options by clicking the button below.

Make a Reservation Outside of the Hotel Block

NOTE: Hotel options secured through the aRes link provided above are NOT part of the conference hotel blocks, and as such, they may have variable rates. Unfortuanely, we cannot extend the hotel block rate to reservations made outside of the conference hotel block.

 

All conference activities will take place at the Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center and the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Each conference (FGSS, DSBC, and APDA) will offer programming at both facilities which are connected via The Link–a weather-protected and lighted pedestrian walkway.

Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center
2345 McGee Street
Kansas City, Missouri

The Sheraton Hotel Block is Full.

Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
1 East Pershing Road
Kansas City, Missouri

The Westin Hotel Block is Full.

Future Locations

Conference Advisory Committee

The Conference Advisory Committee (CAC), in partnership with the NASPA conference planning staff, provides overall support of the Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education (SSHE). The CAC serves as an advocate for the SSHE experience, ensures that conference programming and activities are linked to the learning outcomes of the conferences, and assists with the development of the overall attendee experience.

2023 NASPA First-generation Student Success Conference Advisory Committee
  • Mary Blanchard Wallace, assistant vice president for student experience, University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Lamesha Brown, adjunct instructor, St. Cloud Technical & Community College
  • Martha Enciso, associate vice president for student affairs, California State University-Fullerton
  • Wanda Reyes-Dawes, counselor and Achieving the Dream (ATD) co-lead, Manchester Community College
  • Dallas Doane, director of TRIO student support services, University of South Dakota
  • Adan Sanchez, acting dean of student affairs, San Diego City College
  • Jennifer Schoen, director of opportunity scholarship and outreach, Northeastern University
  • Claude Taylor, director for academic transition and inclusion, Monmouth University
  • Gourjoine Wade, vice president for student affairs, Texas Lutheran University
  • James Whitney, assistant vice chancellor, Mercer County Community College
  • Shakima Clency, national director for campus partnerships and student success, Kessler Scholars Collaborative

Pre-Conference Workshops

All pre-conference workshops will be offered in person prior to the conference. Pre-conference workshops will either be half-day (3-hours) or full-day (6-hours)–both offering participants an in-depth learning experience.

 

Half-Day Pre-Conference Workshops (3 hours) 

These workshops are held at the beginning of the conference and are designed as highly-specialized opportunities to discuss a specific topic or program. Pre-conference workshops will require participants to pre-register for a fee.

Full-Day Pre-Conference Workshops (6 hours)

These workshops are held prior to the conference and offer participants an in-depth study and learning experience. Pre-conference workshops will require participants to pre-register for a fee.

 

You can review all pre-conference workshop descriptions below.

*Please note that additional registration is required for all pre-conference workshops, though attendees may add pre-conference workshops to an existing registration prior to the conference.

  • First-gen 101: Developing an Asset-based Approach to Student Success

    Date: 6/23/2024, 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Location: Capistrano AB

    Over half of all college-going students identify as first-generation, and the higher education community must play an active role in advancing the success of first-generation students. Implementing an asset-based approach to first-gen student success begins with an understanding of the first-gen student definition and intersectional identities. The presenters will offer a review of the literature to ground a foundational understanding, discuss a framework for implementing an asset-based approach, and provide examples of model institutions.

  • Exploring the Possibilities of Guided Pathways for First-generation Community College Students

    Date: 6/23/2024, 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Location: El Capitan AB

    Of the 1.8 million students enrolled in the California Community Colleges (CCC) system, 35% identify as first-generation. The CCC system engaged the Guided Pathways (GP) framework to advance equity, transform institutions, redefine college/career readiness, and redesign student support. Implementing GP aims to clear paths for students and remove systemic obstacles to their success. GP is an opportunity for system-wide transformation to rethink how existing structures, programs, and practices align with student needs.

     

  • Pop Culture isn’t Goofy: Exploring First-generation College Identity in Mass Media and Popular Culture

    Date: 6/23/2024, 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Location: San Simeon AB

    From Viola Davis's award-winning memoir to Spider-Man: No Way Home, the first-generation college experience (and beyond) is gaining currency in mass media. Attendees are invited to join a lively conversation intended to provide social context for these narratives. Presenters will validate pop culture as a vehicle for understanding the first-gen experience and offer attendees promising practices for incorporating these texts into research and programming initiatives, such as new student orientation, courses, and workshops. Cosplay encouraged!

     

Schedule

The schedule has been designed to provide participants with interactive and engaging programming, opportunities for deeper discussion, and networking. As details evolve leading up to the Conferences, this schedule will be updated to capture changes.

Note: Registration to one conference grants access to content over all three conferences. 

Review the Full Schedule for the 2023 NASPA Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education

Registration

Member registration is based on individual membership status at the time of the event. If your current membership expires prior to the event, you will have the option to renew at the time of registration to receive the member rate.

The Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education converge three events into one. Please select the conference which is most applicable to you, though you are welcome to attend sessions and presentations across any of the conferences.

Register Today!

If you are not a current member and are employed by a college or university that is an institutional member, you can join as a professional affiliate member for $80. If your institution is NOT a member, you can join as an associate affiliate member for $242. Both membership types provide access to the individual member rate for the event. Please visit the membership section of the NASPA website to learn more about membership types and benefits. We hope you’ll consider joining today!

If you are experiencing financial hardship, you may qualify for a NASPA Foundation Membership Scholarship or NASPA Foundation Access Scholarship, which can be used for this event.

Note that a pre-conference workshop can be added to an existing registration prior to the conference.

  • Conference-Only Registration

    REGISTRATION FEES
    Early Registration
    02/03/2025 to 04/18/2025    		  Regular Registration
    04/19/2025 to 06/04/2025    		 Late Registration
    06/05/2025 to 06/27/2025
    NASPA Member 
     $595  $645  $725
    Non-Member
     $795 $845 $925
       NASPA Student Member
     $245  $295  $375
  • Full-Day Pre-Conference Registration

    FULL-DAY PRE-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
    Early Registration  Regular Registration
    		 Late Registration
    NASPA Member 
     $125  $145  $195
    Non Member
     $225  $245  $295
  • Half-Day Pre-Conference Registration

    HALF-DAY PRE-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
    Early Registration Regular Registration Late Registration
    NASPA Member 
     $75  $95  $145
    Non Member
     $175  $195  $245

Registration Policies

Be sure to carefully review the registration policy information below. For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.

  • Registration Policies

    Refunds will be given for cancellations less a $50.00 processing fee. In addition, a processing fee of $50.00 per registration will be charged for credit cards declined. Please allow 30 business days for processing. To inquire about the status of a refund after 10 business days, please send an email to [email protected].

    Substitutions are allowed by individuals within the same institution/company. Substitutions should have the same member classification so that the payment is an even exchange transfer of payment. Additional charges may apply if the membership status is not the same. Please email your request for the substitute attendee to [email protected].

    Please note, individual NASPA memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable.

    Additional registration questions? Please contact the NASPA office at 202-265-7500 or via e-mail to [email protected]. For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.

  • Special Registration Types

    The 2024 Conferences on Student Success in Higher Education offers special registration types to individuals and institutions as a part of their participation in certain NASPA programs.

    Individuals, institutions, and organizations that identify as any of the registration types below will receive separate communication regarding conference registration. Please do not send an email requesting a passcode.

    • Exhibitor/Sponsor

    • FS/FgF Cohort Institution

    • First-gen Center Partner

    The one day registration type is ideal for presenters and attendees that are local to the Anaheim, CA venue location. Registrants will be asked to identify which conference date (June 23 - June 25, 2024) they plan to attend.

    • One Day Registration

  • Group Registration Process

    To receive one invoice for multiple registrations, you must complete this group registration form. Please note that we can only offer a single invoice for groups of between six and twenty registrants from a single institution or organization. Groups of five or fewer must register separately and will receive individual invoices. Groups of twenty-one or more will need to submit multiple copies of the form linked above.

    For example: If an institution aims to register 27 staff members; 1–20 will be submitted through the form, and 21–27 will be submitted through another (separate) copy of the same form.

    People who have already registered outside of the group cannot be added to the group registration and will have to pay for their registrations separately. No refunds will be given to individuals who completed their registrations separately and now desire to be added to a group invoice.

    Please forward any questions about group registration to the Conference Planning Committee at [email protected].

  • NASPA Global Health, Safety, and Responsibility
    Event Safety During Ongoing Public Health Emergencies

    With ongoing public health emergencies, NASPA is prepared to manage our place-based events with the health, safety, and well-being of our attendees, staff, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers in mind. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, NASPA staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by our code of conduct and all policies in effect for any event sponsored by the Association.

    We will continue to monitor and update safety precautions for all of our conferences regularly and coordinate with trusted national resources, state and local public health agencies, and the hotels/venues hosting our events.

    In all cases, we will continue to assess the risks in the area local to the event and the current status in the United States. In keeping with the Association's duty of care and the responsibility as host, NASPA has implemented safety requirements for many of our place-based convenings.

    We reserve the right to modify these policies and procedures at any time given the rapidly changing nature of any current and ongoing public health emergencies.

    For more information, please visit the Global Health, Safety, and Responsibility page.

COVID Information

With ongoing public health emergencies, NASPA is prepared to manage our place-based events with the health, safety, and well-being of our attendees, staff, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers in mind. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, NASPA staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by our code of conduct and all polices in effect for any event sponsored by the Association.

We will continue to monitor and update safety precautions for all of our conferences regularly and coordinate with trusted national resources, state and local public health agencies, and the hotels/venues hosting our events.

In all cases, we will continue to assess the risks in the area local to the event and the current status in the United States. In keeping with the Association's duty of care and the responsibility as host, NASPA has implemented safety requirements for many of our place-based convenings.

We reserve the right to modify these policies and procedures at any time given the rapidly changing nature of any current and ongoing public health emergencies.

For more information, please visit the Global Health, Safety, and Responsibility page.

  • Vaccination Requirement

    In keeping with the Association's duty to care and responsibility as host, NASPA leadership has decided that all participants at NASPA events whether a presenter, attendee, exhibitor, staff, guest, or vendor will be required to be fully vaccinated. As of January 16, 2022, the CDC updated their Vaccines website to indicate the status of "Fully Vaccinated" and "Up To Date". There may be some events held by NASPA state organizations which will not require vaccinations. Please visit those individual event pages for more information on those procedures.

    • "Full vaccination" means that either 14 days have passed since receiving the second dose of FDA or WHO authorized (or emergency use authorized) double-dozed vaccines or single-dose vaccine. Proof of vaccination will be required to attend NASPA events.

    • "Up to Date" means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. At this time, we are not requiring boosters of attendees.

    We strongly encourage all attendees who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 Booster in addition to being fully vaccinated. NASPA is following the CDC definition of fully vaccinated for vaccination requirements, but we encourage individuals who are eligible to receive the booster prior to attending any NASPA event.

    Attendees will be required to attest to their vaccination during the registration process and provide CDC-or WHO-approved proof of vaccination status during events. For those individuals who are not vaccinated, you will be offered the option to register but you will be required to provide documentation of a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to arrival at the event venue. Note: At this time, testing is a permissible option, however, were a local, city, or state vaccination requirement be implemented, this would supercede NASPA's current policy with all attendees required to be vaccinated. Additionally, some NASPA states have different vaccination requirements. Please visit the specific event website for information regarding vaccination verification.

    NASPA strongly encourages individuals to be tested for COVID prior to traveling to any NASPA event. Individuals who test positive should stay home and cancel your registration. If you are on-site and test positive for COVID-19, please contact NASPA staff by emailing [email protected].

  • Mask Requirement

    UPDATED: At this time, each municipality has different requirements for masks. NASPA will follow the requirements of the locality in which a meeting/event is taking place in regard to masks. However, all participants at NASPA events are strongly encouraged to wear procedure (a.k.a. surgical) masks with at least 3 layers of fabric, KN95, KF94s, or N95 masks during the event. The CDC updated their face coverings website on January 14, 2022. Cloth masks and Gaiters will not be accepted as facial coverings at NASPA events. Individuals may choose to wear cloth masks over a procedure mask, KN95, KF94, or N95, but a cloth mask alone will not be permitted.

    To help evaluate your mask purchase, please use the CDC website on evaluating purchases of KN95, N95, and other masks.

    UPDATED: NASPA strongly encourages participants wear masks at all times, except while actively eating/drinking, and in any venue that is considered a NASPA event space (both on-site and off-site venues). Masks should cover both the mouth and nose. We ask that participants honor the requests of others to mask up and/or maintain physical distancing.

    Individuals who have a documented disability which precludes the wearing of a mask may request a modification to mask policies. Please visit the registration desk to discuss any modification(s) to the mask policy with NASPA Leadership.

  • Physical Distancing

    While many venues are not currently requiring physical distancing, NASPA will provide physically-distant seating and event space set-up to allow individuals who wish to physically distance while in sessions to do so comfortably. Additionally, to help attendees communicate their level of comfort in interacting with one another, NASPA will provide color-coded ribbons to all onsite attendees:

    Red = Physical Distancing - Greet from Six Feet

    Yellow= Elbows Only

    Green = Handshakes and Hi-fives

    The color will be written on the ribbon as well for individuals with any color-based accessibility needs.