2024 Annual Conference Program Booklet - Seattle

Welcome Welcome

Paul Campbell 2024 Annual Conference Chair Associate Director, James Madison University

On behalf of the Annual Conference Planning Committee, we are so glad you are in Seattle for CIVSA’s 30th Annual Conference!

Our goal this year was to highlight where we have been as an association, and where we are going Thirty conferences is a remarkable milestone, and we should be proud of our association’s growth and of the direction that we are headed We have taken the opportunity to craft a schedule of events that will fulfill you professionally and personally. You will have opportunities to learn from amazing keynote speakers, from each other, and from experts in a variety of fields in and around higher education You will also have the chance to grow your network and make connections with colleagues from across the country and internationally.

I was so honored to be asked to chair this conference, but I am far from alone in making this dream a reality. First, to all the planning committee members who jumped on board this flight and have spent much of their time creating all the amazing things you are going to be doing this week. My everlasting gratitude and appreciation for your time, your talents, and the treasure of your presence throughout this process. You have all been an inspiration to me in your own way, and I am better for having worked with you Thank you to our president, Julee Mitsler, who believed in my vision, and helped guide and shape that vision into what you have in front of you. Thank you to Betty Spengler, conference and events manager who has been one of my biggest role models in this industry from my very first CIVSA experience. Not only has she inspired me to do more, but she has also been more than instrumental in making all the details come together for this week. Thank you to Jen McGowan, association manager for all the hard work and always having an answer when I needed one.

During these four days, take time to just soak it all in, and be in the moment. You will see a lot of opportunities on the schedule to be busy, but we all hope you will take the time to enjoy yourself, too Whether this is your first conference with CIVSA or your tenth or more, we know that there is something for everyone, and hope you will be able to balance taking advantage of that and taking care of yourself If you have any questions, stop by our registration and information desk to ask any of our amazing volunteers or staff members there

We hope that you have a first class experience during your time in Seattle, and that you come away with knowledge, inspiration and a full heart

With CIVSA pride,

2024 Annual Conference 2024 Annual Conference Planning Committee Planning Committee

2024 Annual Conference Chair

Paul Campbell

James Madison University

Local Arrangements & Transportation

Tamara Long | CHAIR UniversityofWashington

Akilah King GeorgiaSouthernUniversity

Paige Peterson BoiseStateUniversity

Sara Smith UniversityofNebraska-Lincoln

Programming & Education

Natalie Mann | CHAIR UniversityofGeorgia

Becky Doran UniversityofMissouri

Kacy Rader IllinoisStateUniversity

Laura Stansell UniversityofTennessee,Knoxville

Publicity & Promotions

Kylie Rigdon | CHAIR UniversityofTennessee,Knoxville

Rebecca Anzalone UniversityofWashington

Michelle Howell TrumanStateUniversity

Autumn Johnson

OglethorpeUniversity

Sydney Jones UniversityofCentralArkansas

Spirit & Traditions

Emily Stanley | CHAIR LasellUniversity

Maddie Hudlow LanderUniversity

Cynthia Leavey RiderUniversity

Denessa McPherson BereaCollege

Austin Rogers SoutheasternLouisianaUniversity

Welcome & Volunteers

Terry Jackson | CHAIR WestVirginiaUniversity

Kate Bracciano MarquetteUniversity

Kaely Graham ArizonaStateUniversity

BJ Heidlebaugh OhioUniversity

Lindsay LaValley MountHolyokeCollege

CIVSA Association Manager

Jen McGowan

CIVSA Conference and Events Manager

Betty Spengler

President's President's

Julee Mitsler 2024 CIVSA President Assistant Vice President, Lindenwood University

n behalf of the executive board and erald City for our 30th Annual Con

This is a momentous occasion for CIVSA - our first conference sat all attendees around one table, and this year we welcome more than 650 attendees! Over the years we’ve traveled to cities all over the United States, and I am proud we get to celebrate this milestone in Seattle

Our conference planning committee has brought creativity and excitement to the planning process My appreciation goes to conference chair Paul Campbell (James Madison University), programming & education chair Natalie Mann (University of Georgia), publicity & promotions chair Kylie Rigdon (University of Tennessee), local arrangements & transportation chair Tamara Long (University of Washington), spirit & traditions chair Emily Stanley (Lasell University), and welcome & volunteers chair Terry Jackson (West Virginia University) In addition, the committee members gave countless hours to make this week a reality. Without their creativity and commitment, and the support of our conference and events manager Betty Spengler and association manager Jen McGowan, this would not be possible.

I would be remiss if I did not also take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the CIVSA past presidents and prior conference chairs who paved the way for 29 previous conferences

This week is going to be incredible - we’ll reminisce on where we’ve been, and look ahead to where we’re going! Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle University, and University of Washington have graciously opened their campuses to our attendees Our speakers and workshops will empower you to thrive at your institutions You will make meaningful connections to folks who understand your work And you have the chance to enjoy some incredible eats - Gelatiamo on 1st, and Pike Place Chowder are two of my favorites

As we spend time on the traditional land of the Coast Salish peoples - the Duwamish, Suquamish, and Muckleshoot nations - I hope you will experience the vibrant cultural history that makes Seattle special

Being a CIVSA member is truly the highlight of my professional career If you are attending conference as a nonmember, I am eager to connect with you and share some of the great benefits of becoming a CIVSA member. If you are a member, I say thank you! Your investment in CIVSA enriches our association in powerful ways. I am so honored to welcome you to Seattle and celebrate the 30th Annual Conference together!

Conference Schedule Conference Schedule

TIME (PDT)

9 a m - Noon

10 a m - 7 p m Noon - 3 p.m.

3 - 4 p m

4 - 5 p m

4 - 5 p m

5 - 6:30 p m

Tuesday, May 28

ACTIVITY

CIVSA Board Meeting

Conference Check-In/Information Desk

Pre-Conference Tour: Cornish College of the Arts

Pre-Conference Tour: Seattle University

pre-purchased ticket required

Sponsor Demonstration

First-Timers Connect

Returners Reconnect

Welcome Reception

TIME (PDT)

7:30 a m - 5 p m

8:30 - 9 a m

9 - 10 a.m.

10:15 - 11 a m

10:30 a m - 5 p m

10:30 a m - 5 p m

11:15 a m - Noon

Noon - 1:30 p m

1:45 - 2:45 p m

3 - 4 p m

4:15 - 5 p.m.

6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 29

ACTIVITY

Conference Check-In/Information Desk Open

Conference Welcome

Conference Huddle and Connections

Educational Sessions

Sponsor Exhibits Open

CIVSA Lounge Open

Educational Sessions

Lunch

Regional Meetings

Sponsor Fair and CIVSA Involvement Fair

Educational Sessions

Spirit and Traditions Activity: Game Night and Friendship Bracelets

LOCATION

Jefferson

Spruce

Shuttle departs Union Street Tower Entrance

Shuttle departs Union Street Tower Entrance

Willow

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

Grand Ballroom A

Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Space

LOCATION

Spruce

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

See pages 19 - 21

Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Space

Cirrus Ballroom

See pages 22 - 24

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

See page 14

Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Space

See pages 25 - 27

Cirrus Ballroom

Conference Schedule Conference Schedule

Thursday, May 30

School Spirit Day

TIME (PDT)

6:45 - 8 a m

8 a m - 5 p m

8:30 a m - 5 p m

8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

8:30 - 10 a m

10:15 - 11 a m

11 a m - 12:30 p m

12:30 - 1:15 p m

1:30 - 2:15 p m

2:30 - 5:30 p m

6 - 7:30 p m

TIME (PDT)

7 - 7:30 a m

7:15 - 8:15 a m

8 a m - 5 p m

8:30 a m - 12:30 p m

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

8:30 - 9:30 a m

9:45 - 10:30 a m

10:45 - 11:30 a m

11:30 a m - 1:15 p m

1:30 - 2:15 p m

2:30 - 4 p m

6 - 10 p m

ACTIVITY

Walk to the Space Needle with Spirit and Traditions

Information Desk Open

Sponsor Exhibits Open

CIVSA Lounge Open

Keynote | Dr Deborah Gilboa

Educational Sessions

Lunch on your own

Hot Topic Conversations

Educational Sessions

Workshops

Spirit and Traditions Activity: Amazing Race

Friday, May 31

Yoga with Owen Posey

Coffee Crawl with Spirit and Traditions

Information Desk Open

Sponsor Exhibits Open

CIVSA Lounge Open

Conference Huddle and Connections

Educational Sessions

Hot Topics Conversations

Lunch and CIVSA Annual Business Meeting

Educational Sessions

Closing Session with Dr Jenna Rufo and 2025

Conference Location Reveal

TIME (PDT)

9 a m - Noon

9 a m - Noon

LOCATION

Depart from the hotel lobby

Spruce

Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Space

Cirrus Ballroom

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

See pages 28 - 30

See page 14

See pages 31 - 33

See pages 15-16

Depart from the hotel lobby

Closing Dinner Celebration and Awards LOCATION ACTIVITY

Grand Ballroom A

Depart from the hotel lobby

Spruce

Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Space

Cirrus Ballroom

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

See pages 34 - 36

See page 14

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

See pages 37 - 39

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

Museum of Flight

Saturday, June 1

Board Meeting

Post Conference Tour: University of Washington

pre-purchased ticket required LOCATION

Jefferson

Shuttles depart from Union Street

Tower Entrance

Conference Maps Conference Maps

KEY:

Grand Ballroom B/C/D: Plenary Sessions, Huddle and Connections, Lunch, Programming

Spruce: Registration and Information Desk

Aspen, Cedar, Redwood, Willow, Grand Ballroom A, Issaquah, Ravenna, Boren, Columbia, Jefferson, Seneca, University, and Virginia: Educational Sessions, Hot Topics, Workshops

Second Floor

Third Floor

Conference Maps Conference Maps

KEY:

Cirrus Ballroom: CIVSA Lounge

Aspen, Cedar, Redwood, Willow, Grand Ballroom A, Issaquah, Ravenna, Boren, Columbia, Jefferson, Seneca, University, and Virginia: Educational Sessions, Hot Topics, Workshops

Fourth Floor Union Street Tower

35th Floor

Pike Street Tower

Access the conference schedule and real-time updates on your phone with the Guidebook app!

Search for the Guidebook App in your app store, then search "CIVSA" and download the 2024 guide. This is highly recommended for the best Conference experience!

A printed program will not be available.

I A M O N D G O L D

Sponsors Sponsors

Visit our sponsors!

CIVSA would like to recognize and thank our conference sponsors for their generous support. We invite you to visit them to learn about their products and services and receive raffle tickets for a chance to win an Amazon Scribe or one of three Rocketbooks that will be given away during the closing session on Friday.

Sponsors Sponsors

CIVSA Cares CIVSA Cares

A long-standing CIVSA tradition is to give back to the Annual Conference host city by encouraging attendees to donate to an organization selected by the conference committee.

New Horizons has been active in the Seattle area since 1978 with the mission to end homelessness, one young person at a time. They partner with the local community and young people to offer wraparound services that address each individual in a holistic way including an animal-friendly shelter, day programs, case management, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities at their social enterprise coffee shop.

Youth received support at New Horizons

Young people found stable housing

Young people found housing within 100 days

Conference Speakers Conference Speakers

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 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 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.

CIVSA Connections CIVSA Connections

Wednesday, May 29 | 9 - 10 a.m. Friday, May 31 | 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Connections is about expanding your network based on where you are in the moment. Take this opportunity to connect based on shared experiences and interests. Use this time to build your professional sphere and collaborate to push our profession forward.

On Wednesday and Friday morning, conference will start with a huddle and connections time. The huddle portion will be quick announcements about the day ahead and the remainder of time will be used to connect with other attendees. The programming and education committee will lead you through the first connections session on Wednesday morning and you will have prompts at your table to get the conversations started.

CIVSA Lounge CIVSA Lounge

Join us in our 30th celebration lounge!

To celebrate our 30th conference, we have a lounge for our members on the top floor of the Sheraton Grand Seattle. From the Cirrus Ballroom, you can take in panoramic views of downtown Seattle while connecting with other conference attendees. This lounge is a place to connect with others, visit with new friends, share thoughts and ideas, and leave energized! It’s also a great place to relax, charge your phone, play some games, listen to some music, and chill after a long day of conferencing

CIVSA Lounge – 35th floor

Wednesday, May 29 | 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursday, May 30 | 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday, May 31 | 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

*Additional nightly activities may be scheduled – check guidebook for more details!

CIVSA Hot Topics CIVSA Hot Topics

Thursday, May 30 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. Friday, May 31 | 10:45 - 11:30 a.m.

What are Hot Topics?

A variety of topics will be available during the scheduled hot topics meeting times. Attendees can choose the topic that is most relevant to them. These meetings will provide a chance to connect with other professionals in the field, share best practices, and learn from each other while discussing a specific topic.

Hot Topic Options

Hot Topic

Work/Life Balance

An Event-full Conversation CRMs, Visit Software, and Technology Group Visits

CIVSA Standards

Admitted Student Programming Working with Campus Partners

Emergency Preparedness and Safety

Data Analysis and Report Writing (Research)

Let’s Talk CIVSA: How to Maximize your Membership We Love Our Student Staff!

Marketing, Promotion, and Social Media

Location Aspen Cedar Ravena Willow Columbia University Jefferson Seneca Boren Virginia Redwood Issaquah

Regional Meetings Regional Meetings

Wednesday, May 29 | 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.

Attendee name badges will display the attendee’s region.

Region I

Region II

Region III

Region IV

Region V Willow Redwood

Grand Ballroom B/C/D

Grand Ballroom A Aspen

Workshops Workshops

Thursday, May 30 | 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.

If you registered to attend a workshop, it will be listed on the materials you receive at conference check-in. You will also receive a card that you’ll need to get into the workshop.

5 Bold Steps: Goal Setting for Your Future

Mike Beebe

Room Location: Ravenna

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 five 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

Improving Engagement and Outcomes Through Psychological Safety

David Kasch, Ph D , PCC, CDTLF

Room Location: Grand Ballroom A

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.

Workshops Workshops

Thursday, May 30 | 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Change is the Problem - And the Solution: How to Help Employees Build Resilience and Improve Performance

Dr. Deborah Gilboa

Room Location: Grand Ballroom B/C/D

This 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 evidencebased 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.

Centering Racial Justice in Your Workplace

Fleur Larsen

Room Location: Willow

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

Educational Session Tracks Educational Session Tracks

Building and Strengthening Your Team: Recruitment, Training, and Development for Students and Staff

Ted Sundquist said, “Good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture, creating building blocks for success.” This is central to the work that we do. Session topics in this track may include hiring and retention, training and development, and improving team culture We encourage you to share innovative ideas and strategies that have helped to shape your team dynamics, build personal and team morale, and equip all levels of staff with the tools they need to succeed.

Campus Visit Experience: Tours, Daily Programming, and Guest Experience

The campus visit offers students the opportunity to see the university and envision themselves as part of the student body, making the important decision whether to apply or attend. For many of us, the demand from visitors for campus visits has increased while our resources have not. Whether you oversee a welcome center or work alongside admissions, we want to hear how your institution is providing visitors with a positive campus experience in-person and virtually that goes beyond the one-size-fits-all approach, including how you came to these solutions and how you measure success.

Equity and Inclusion: Multicultural Recruitment, Events, and Campus Diversity

Our visitor programs play a pivotal role in building a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive campus environment for all students. As we continue our efforts to improve campus diversity and inclusion, let’s learn from one another about how to improve representation in our own programs, as well as hosting programs and events for specific student populations in order to improve our campus communities for students who are non-traditional, LGBTQ+, disabled, and students of color, along with additional and intersectional identities

Event Planning: Large Events, Group Tours, and Special Programming

Between open houses, admitted student days, group visits, orientation and more, planning events for students and their support networks is no easy task. Share your tips and best practices for organizing and hosting both in-person and virtual events, including planning and assessment, collaborations, safety procedures, and day-of operations

Educational Session Tracks Educational Session Tracks

Looking Inward: Professional Development and Self-Care

Many of us are looking for ways to grow professionally and advance in our ever-changing field. We also struggle with the daily grind and making sure that we are taking care of ourselves. These sessions will focus on these areas of professional development and self-care, as we support each other in striving for both personal growth and fulfillment in our careers. Sessions will include best practices for creating boundaries, recharging, and refocusing during and after the busy moments, as well as what professional growth opportunities have been meaningful for you and/or others while helping advance careers and stay actively engaged in this work

Opening Doors: Campus Collaboration, Community Outreach, and Building Partnerships

Building strong relationships with on and off-campus partners is a critical aspect of our work in improving guest experience and access to higher education Share what unique, powerful, and creative collaborations have been implemented that have made a lasting impact Whether it is with academic departments, community organizations, or alumni, collaboration can elevate the work of everyone.

Staying Innovative: CRMs, Event Management Platforms, Research and Assessment, and Social Media

With best practices and trends changing all the time, it’s critical to stay knowledgeable about the systems and processes that allow our teams to stay connected and informed. We encourage you to share how your institution collects and analyzes visitor data, and how it shapes your operations, including collection strategies, metrics, analytic assessments, and reporting practices. Finally, what social media strategies and campaigns are catching the attention of your audience to bring them in?

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 10:15 - 11 a.m.

Breaking the Mold: Transforming Campus Visits with “Student for a Day’’

Amy Watters, Thompson Rivers University

Room Location: Issaquah

Are you tired of the same old campus tour routine? Explore the dynamic experience of "Student for a Day," an event designed to shake up the traditional approach to campus visits. As a midsize institution, we will walk you through the journey of creating an immersive and individual experience for prospective students. Discover how a personalized, course-focused approach transforms a mundane campus visit into a memorable and impactful experience for prospective students Uncover the invaluable benefits of direct interactions with professors and see how these connections significantly contribute to a prospect's ability to envision themselves as part of the TRU community Finally, we'll discuss the measurable impact "Student for a Day" has on application and conversion rates, making it a game-changer in attracting and retaining students

Building

Bridges with Your Platinum

Partners: How to Navigate and Strengthen Your Most Important (and Complicated) Campus Partnerships So Your Guest Experience Shines

Rachel Tatge, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Sarah Splinter, University of WisconsinMadison; Rachel Anderson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Helena Manning, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Carole Alt, University of Wisconsin-Madison Room Location: Cedar

An admissions information session and a campus tour go together like peanut butter and jelly. It is the vital cornerstone of a successful campus visit But what happens when two entirely different offices – with different leadership, different budgets, different objectives, and different team members – must collaborate to plan and execute a singular, vital experience? How do you cultivate a high-functioning “Platinum Partnership,” where your goals are aligned, everyone contributes, the work is productive, and the resulting guest visit experience is better than ever? How do you avoid miscommunication, mismanagement, and mistrust? If you’ve ever found yourself collaborating across campus on your core work, this session is for you! Join the team from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, representing the Office of Admissions & Recruitment and Campus and Visitor Relations to discuss our interwoven work, and how we have intentionally strengthened our partnership by addressing conflicts head-on and adopting tools to improve our collaboration and communication, resulting in enhanced guest experiences.

Safety Dance

Stephanie Funderburg, San Jacinto College and Jennifer Schreiber, Midwestern State University

Room Location: Redwood

We all know that safety is a key component to ensure a successful tour or event. But so many times creating a safety plan can feel like you’re stuck in dance where you don’t know the steps. This session will discuss best practices around creating safety plans as well as offer solutions used by San Jacinto College. The hope is that you will leave this session feeling confident to create your own safety dance

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 10:15 - 11 a.m. continued

Collaborative Marketing: Working Towards Event Success

Bethany Lestochi, University of Miami and Cat Mora, University of Miami

Room Location: Aspen

Is your marketing team and event planning team struggling to build a collaborative, productive relationship within your work? Are you a responsible for both event marketing and planning, and struggling to organize yourself successfully? Join an event professional and a marketing professional from the University of Miami, as they discuss how their collaborative marketing approach has reshaped their programming, relationship and major event success. The team will share specific and tangible tips on how to organize your marketing approach, including creating a production schedule, how to create buy-in from leadership, and creating clearly defined roles for each partner.

A Symphony of One-Man Bands: Rethinking the Recruitment Process

Breezy Landman, University of Houston and Angela Guidry, University of Houston

Room Location: Grand Ballroom A

Finding strong candidates for student ambassadors during the recruitment process can be like searching for multiple one-man bands. Not only are you looking for candidates who have strong interpersonal and public speaking skills, but you also want students who are passionate about their school, can think critically, work well with others, and be professional while still being personable and relatable to prospective guests on tour. The old recruitment process for tour guides at the University of Houston failed to help our hiring committees gauge if candidates were truly fit for the job. Over the past year, we have altered our recruitment and interview process completely so that we are holistically evaluating candidates on their leadership, communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking skills. The results from this new method have brought us stronger, more capable ambassadors who are coachable, enthusiastic about their work, and eager to grow their professional competencies. Attend this session to learn how to rethink your approach to recruiting and interviewing candidates so that you are onboarding students who will emerge as harmonious leaders within your office and on your campus.

“A League of Their Own:’’ Creating a High Impact Honors Student Event

Aleya Tylinski, Coastal Carolina University

Room Location: Seneca

Coastal Carolina University (CCU) annually hosts an engaging "day in the life" open house, specifically curated for highachieving admitted students interested in becoming a part of the CCU community. This event serves as a gateway to introducing accepted honors students to the College. A notable facet of CCU's commitment to academic excellence is the Atheneum Scholars event, designed exclusively for admitted honors students. This session will explore strategies for involving faculty, fostering collaboration among academic departments, college deans, department chairs, the honors program, current honors students, tour guides, admissions, and representatives from financial aid and housing The session will intricately discuss effective methods for showcasing the campus to high-achieving students who are actively considering multiple college offers. Despite not traditionally attracting this demographic, the initiation of this program has significantly strengthened CCU's honors college applicant pool, reflecting the program's success in attracting a more competitive and diverse group of prospective students.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 10:15 - 11 a.m. continued

Connecting with our CIVSA Community: Utilizing Discourse to Your Advantage

Danielle Schlough, Lehigh University; Jordan Glover, Penn State University; and Gillian Stine, University of Florida

Room Location: Jefferson

Are you part of CIVSA’s Discourse community, but do not know how to use it to your advantage? Do you think you do not have enough time during the work day to look at Discourse? Do you not have enough time to wait for responses within your post? CIVSA’s educational resources committee has you covered! Join as we go through Discourse to provide you with tips and tricks to utilize Discourse to your advantage. From posting to creating Group DMs to using the Discourse app on your phone as opposed to your computer

Snap! You’re STILL a Team!

Patrick Frazier, Western Carolina University

Room Location: Willow

Following up on 2022's "SNAP! You're a Team!" presentation, this presentation expands even further on interactive activities that can be used when training students and staff! Training student employees can always be a challenge Whether you are training new student staff or returning staff members, finding ways to connect and train staff is an ongoing issue. Knowing that this can be a challenge, learning new ways to form and develop team synergy can be a tasking ordeal. Instead of just talking about training methods and activities, you are going to be able to participate in some of the new activities that Western Carolina University has found most effective when training student staff each year!

Beyond Collaboration: Mastering the Art of Engaging Local School Districts and Community Partners

Michelle Sanchez, Valencia College; Keisha Jordan, Valencia College; La’Tasha Graham, Valencia College; and Carnard Johnson, Valencia College

Room Location: Ravenna

This presentation targets professionals in collegiate information and visitor services, focusing on the coordination of events for high school counselors and community partners. Problem/Issue: Many higher education institutions face challenges in effectively engaging with local school districts and community partners. This session addresses the need for strategic and impactful events that foster collaboration and build lasting relationships. Key Takeaways: Attendees will gain insights into designing and hosting successful events tailored to high school counselors and community partners. Emphasis will be placed on strategies for effective communication, partnership cultivation, and creating meaningful experiences that contribute to increased student enrollment and community involvement. Interactive Elements: Participants can collaboratively brainstorm event ideas, share best practices, and develop action plans for implementation at their institutions. Real-life case studies and success stories will be discussed to provide practical guidance for overcoming common challenges in event planning and execution. This presentation promises a dynamic exploration of the art of engagement, offering actionable insights for professionals to enhance their collaboration efforts with local school districts and community partners.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 11:15 a.m. - Noon

Choose Your Own Adventure: Designing and Implementing a Customizable Visit Experience

Valerie Smith, Northwestern University and Emily Coffee, Northwestern University

Room Location: Redwood

How can institutions with large visitor numbers still provide a personalized visit experience for prospective students? Join this session to learn how Northwestern University redesigned the campus visit experience to provide students with a relevant, customized experience across all stages of the college search process. We’ll share how we now provide nearly 60,000 annual guests with the ability to build a custom visit schedule and personalize their campus experience to fit their interests. This session will provide a comprehensive, high-level overview of the redesign. We will discuss the strategy and campus partner collaboration that drove event structure and scope, including how we prioritized current student accessibility and leveraged intel about digital programming to maintain visit flexibility and accessibility. From there, we’ll share how we built a registration process via Slate to automate the changes without increasing hands-on staff work. We will end with a brief recap of the outcomes and takeaways from the first year of implementation and time for questions. This session aims to provide tangible recommendations for implementing a more customizable visit model and will be particularly relevant for conference attendees who are responsible for daily visits and student ambassadors.

How to Discuss DEI in our Current Environment

Kate Reuter, University of Missouri; Jordyn Meyer, University of Minnesota-Morris; and Liz Alliss, Appalachian State University

Room Location: Cedar

As diversity, equity, and inclusion regulations and restrictions increase throughout the country, many universities are having to find new ways to navigate this vital topic. With some states forcing dismantling of DEI programs completely, many universities are left wondering how to move forward with making students of all backgrounds feel included and welcomed The fact is that DEI efforts help craft a sense of belonging, build inclusive learning environments, and increase student success on college campuses. Join the CIVSA Diversity & Inclusion committee as we discuss ways that institutions can still provide these experiences to our students while treading the fine line of recent legislation This session will discuss adjustments made at multiple institutions, as well as ways to support and train student ambassadors to speak to their experiences

Empowering Admissions: Transform your Prospective and Admitted Student Events with Guidebook

Leilani Potgieter, Northeastern University and Casey Johnstone, Guidebook

Room Location: Willow

This session explores the innovative use of Guidebook throughout Northeastern University's yield cycle to showcase campus and enhance the student and visitor experience. In this session, we will explore how Guidebook’s mobile app platform has transformed prospective and admitted student events at Northeastern.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 11:15 a.m. - Noon continued

Beyond the Paycheck: Building Community and Maintaining Morale with Student Employees

Caeli Koizumi, Loyola Marymount University and Brianna Grubb, High Point University

Room Location: Grand Ballroom A

With prospective students visiting our campuses from around the world, a significant part of Admission work centers on a “student-first” approach. However, the current students working within our offices, those who allow us to meet the needs of prospective students and their families, can often become lower priority. Working around class schedules, ensuring proper and thorough training, and most importantly, maintaining morale can create additional challenges. Multiple studies have shown that employees work best in environments where they feel that their wellbeing is valued. So, beyond the paycheck, how do you create a workplace where students want to engage? This session will cover numerous issues encountered regarding morale within the program – why it is so vital, how to tackle it head-on, and how to keep morale at its peak through social engagement, professional development opportunities, and a culture of respect. We will discuss techniques for motivating through friendly competition, creating spaces of community within a professional context, and the trial-and-error process that we worked through when trying to find a maintainable solution to these obstacles.

Campus Events in their Road Trip Era

Stephanie Gavin, Syracuse University and Carly Signor, Syracuse University

Room Location: Jefferson

Visiting campus is one of, if not the best way for a student to get a full understanding of what an institution offers but for many students, access to our campuses is not always easy. Regional events are one of the many ways that students can interact with a college without making the trip to campus, but they come with their own unique challenges At Syracuse University, our team travels to host regional recruitment and yield events through various partnerships with our regional centers and local event sites to bring our Orange spirit to new communities. Join us to learn more about how we secure locations, decorate spaces, involve campus partners, engage with students and their guests, and have some fun to help them see their futures as a Syracuse student without leaving their hometown!

Winter is Coming: Preparing Your Area for Staffing Changes

Kaylee King, University of New Haven

Room Location: Issaquah

Is someone on your team resigning? Going on leave? What happens now? This session will address the ongoing challenges higher education professionals face in regard to staffing shortages, hiring and how to navigate staffing turnover and absences Good for both managers and non-managers alike, this session will address the ways to make transitions smooth from both perspectives: the staff member leaving and the manager hiring their replacement or covering their leave It will outline tips and tricks to preparing both individuals and teams for curveballs: staff resignations, hiring replacements, and shortages. It will introduce key strategies to navigating inevitable staff turnover and showcase ways to minimize team impact while simultaneously covering, hiring and training.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 11:15 a.m. - Noon continued

Other Duties as Assigned: How to Say No, When to Say Yes, and the Power of Delegation for Small Teams

Stella Santos, Amherst College; Shari Foglesong, Truman State University; and Owen Posey, Western Kentucky University

Room Location: Ravenna

Exhausted of saying yes to “other duties as assigned?” This presentation explores the delicate balance of professional responsibilities It will delve into strategic decision making, guiding you on when to accept new tasks, practice the art of tactful refusal, and unlock the potential of effective delegation. Learn strategies to navigate the intricate terrain of work obligations for optimal productivity and career advancement. Hear from colleagues from three institutions who have first hand experience in wearing many hats, developing careers in higher education, and managing resources to get the job done (or failing and learning what to do differently)! Attendees will have the opportunity to share and reflect on their own experiences while hearing advice from others in this position.

Crystals, Dinosaur Poop, Kettle Corn

Nathan Cheesman, New Mexico State University and Amanda Barber, New Mexico State University

Room Location: Aspen

Are your open house programs and presentations stuck in a rut? Is your institution showing off the same pieces of campus event after event, year after year? Come hear how one institution worked on new campus collaborations to provide exciting new demonstrations and change up some boring presentations to provide more enjoyable experiences to prospective students.

When Your Visitors Aren’t Students: A Session on Hosting Counselor Visits

Erin Milin, Colgate University; Rebecca Eriksen, Bryant University; Kaitlin Oliver, Hamilton College; and Lilia Tiemann, Union College

Room Location: Seneca

In addition to overseeing campus visit programming for prospective students and admitted students, many of our institutions offer visit programming to another important population: counselors. As our industry navigates significant changes, as our offices strive to reach ambitious goals pertaining to enrollment, and as students pursue the college search with some trepidation and uncertainty, investing in our partnerships with our colleagues across the desk is imperative to our success and to empowering students in the college process. Hear from admission counselors and events coordinators from four Region 4 colleges and universities – Bryant University, Colgate University, Hamilton College, and Union College – about developing counselor visit programming that speaks to this visitor population. This session will offer best practices that pertain to communication and planning; strategies for implementing counselor visits that align with and support goals for enrollment; approaches on collaboration with other institutions to plan and host counselor visits and tours; and sample itineraries for impactful counselor visits.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 4:15 - 5 p.m.

Enhancing the Transfer Experience through Prospective and Admitted Programming

Joey Tamburo, University of California, Los Angeles

Room Location: Seneca

Come learn about UCLA's four student groups but more specifically, our transfer student group, STOMP (Student Transfer Outreach & Mentorship Program); whose main focus is prospective transfer students. Learn what STOMP does and how they bring over 1000 prospective/admitted to a transfer conference that they put on for all California Community Colleges and how they also talk to high school students about the transfer path. Also, see how UCLA has really enhanced all aspects of the transfer experience by doing a transfer path during open house, having a transferonly admitted student day (Transfer Bruin Day) and have transfer-specific admitted tours during the month of May Attendees will also see how our four student groups come together with our transfer student leaders in each program to support all of these events and partnering with our Transfer Student Center to help out with many of these programs and the changes we enacted to enhance their experience at UCLA

Strengthening Campus Collaborations: It’s A Real Workout!

Kalee Castanon, Texas A&M University and Kelli Hollinger, Texas A&M University

Room Location: Issaquah

Have you been trying to hit the gym more? Instead of lifting weights, try flexing those visitor services muscles by building better relationships with your campus partners. Our office works year-round with all academic colleges and departments, along with campus offices including Residence Life, Education Abroad, University Libraries, the Alumni Center, Transportation, the Offices for Student Success, and more. Our campus partners are an integral part of creating an exceptional visit experience and play a pivotal role in the work we do. We host daily visits, regular targeted recruitment programs, and our largest open house of the year, Aggieland Saturday. The faculty and staff we collaborate with assist on panels, at resource tables, with educational presentations, one-on-one visits, and even interactive demonstrations. The Visitor Center created a network called the Campus Experience Committee. This group meets monthly to discuss best practices for recruitment, upcoming events, changes to Slate, campus safety and more. Our campus network helps create consistency for visitors. Learn how we established ourselves as recruitment experts and the central point of contact on a large campus. Attendees will leave with tips on how to do the heavy lifting and stay in shape for better engagement across campus.

We’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat

Whitney Rollerson, University of Southern California

Room Location: Redwood

What happens when big is too big? Join the University of Southern California on a journey to create an admitted student Open House that is the right size in the wake of recent exponential growth in attendees causing downstream issues on capacity, available room space and experience. Learn the trials and errors of initial changes, data collection and survey responses that lead to a change in agenda structure and working with campus partners to implement changes without compromising the event experience. Also discussed will be event logistics of the new changes and changes in day-of coordination Intended for event coordinators, managers or visit coordinators experiencing rising registrations and attendance numbers in their events or anyone who wants to rethink their larger events

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 4:15 - 5 p.m.

Finding Your Flock: Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Oregon

Camille Erskine, University of Oregon

Room Location: Aspen

Interested in learning how to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion at your institution? Want to hear about the Multicultural Recruiter (MCRs) role at the University of Oregon (UO), who have been serving prospective students of color, first generation and low-income students for over two decades? Join me for this 45-minute educational session, where I will share our history, role, and best practices for helping incoming students find their flock. In this session, you will learn about: the history of multicultural recruiters: How the UO recognized the need for MCRs in 2000-2001 and how the program has grown and evolved since then. Multicultural Recruiter role: How we help prospective students realize that higher education is attainable, regardless of their background or circumstances. Utilizing our differences: How MCRs leverage their diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and involvements to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students. Community building: How we foster a sense of belonging among MCRs and incorporate DEI topics in trainings/meetings for all ambassadors? Specialized events: How we work with campus partners to provide specialized events for multicultural students at the University of Oregon?

Discover. Create. Solve.

Doneri Mayhay, Illinois Institute of Technology and David Coons, Illinois Institute of Technology

Room Location: Jefferson

Managing student engagement and events is hard enough but it doesn’t have to be. During this session we will explore how we can harness the tools and technology at your disposal to implement data-driven, user-focused experiences to better understand and serve clients. Learn how we can use various platforms to ensure cohesive and accurate data communication across campus stakeholders. We will identify effective strategies to collect and analyze visitor data and create innovative solutions for future engagements. Let’s focus on the methods - not just the toolsto ensure your staff is the link between the user and the technology in this ever changing digital age.

Invisible Obstacles for Women in the Workplace

Shadelyn McOsker, University of North Texas; Alexis Broussard, Texas A&M University; and Mel Baxter, University of North Texas

Room Location: Grand Ballroom A

Mother Teresa once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples ” Regardless of one’s gender identity, we all have a role in leveling the playing field for women in the workplace In this session, we’ll shed light on three invisible hurdles women scale throughout their careers: managing emotional labor, competing against women, and overcoming low self-confidence. This session is built for two audiences: 1. Women at any point in their career. 2. Anyone who wants to better support their female colleagues, regardless of your gender identity. It is our hope that this session helps you uncover non-inclusive behavior that may be holding the women in your office back.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Wednesday, May 29 | 4:15 - 5 p.m.

Offer Your Guests the Best of Both Worlds with Themed Visits

Cassandra Chmielewski, Concordia University Wisconsin and Lydia Nuechterlein, Concordia University Wisconsin

Room Location: Willow

Nobody’s Perfect at creating a personalized experience that resonates with each unique guest, but just like Hannah Montana, we'll explore the Best of Both Worlds with themed visits that blend personal interests and campus culture To bring excitement to our visit experience at Concordia University Wisconsin, we began theming our visit days (and unintentionally all our staff potlucks). Join us to find out how two new professionals (turned co-workers, friends, and roommates) transformed Concordia’s visit experience and brought fun and engagement back with themed visits. You will discover creative methods that build lasting memories to ensure your institution Could Be the One. Learn to recognize campus partners who excel in program management, ensuring your institution's visit program leaves a lasting impression through strategic collaboration and personalization. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your visit program and create memorable moments that resonate long after the themed visit concludes.

Strive to Stay: Unveiling the Secret to Ambassador Retention

Marguerite Troutman, Lipscomb University

Room Location: Ravenna

Working with students can be challenging due to competing priorities, commitments, and low hourly wages, often leading to high turnover At Lipscomb University, we've developed a retention strategy that boosted student ambassador retention by 51 5% in one year. From recruiting the right kind of student to navigating difficult conversations when a student contemplates leaving, we've identified the crucial elements for cultivating committed student ambassadors. Discover how to create a nurturing space that fosters purpose and professional development, resulting in a cohesive team of dedicated student ambassadors. The session Strive to Stay: Unveiling the Secret to Ambassador Retention offers actionable approaches for any manager of student ambassadors to redefine your retention strategy, ensuring the longevity and vibrancy of your ambassador community. Attendees will leave this lecture-style session understanding how to identify quality applicants, steps to ensure commitment during training and onboarding, and management tips to promote engaged ambassadors. Session attendees will leave with an example job contract, interview questions and layouts, and professional development opportunities to provide that can drastically change the culture of the ambassador position.

What Majors Do You Offer? Creating Impactful Recruitment Experiences with Campus Partners

Katherine Chastain, Auburn University and Andrew McGill, Auburn University

Room Location: Cedar

High school students sometimes struggle connecting how a major relates to the type of job they want after college What do you do when a tour of a program just isn’t enough to help a student decide on a major? Join two campus partners from Auburn University as they take you on a trip to War Eagle World – the imaginary theme park they created to allow high school juniors to explore the different careers and majors that work together to create theme parks Hear how this unique campus visit experience utilized workshop experiences to allow high school juniors to better understand different majors and careers by doing a project that would mirror a classroom experience in a college course Learn how to garner faculty support to create experiential learning opportunities for your prospective students who are at the start of their campus visit and college decision journey We hope you are inspired to host an event like this at your institution with your campus partners!

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Thursday, May 30 | 10:15 - 11 a.m.

Putting the YOU in University

Christian Heimall, High Point University

Room Location: Aspen

How do you tip the scales in your favor when your admitted students are struggling to make that commitment? Events are too large, tours are too generic, and time is running out. It's time to put the YOU in University. At High Point University, our HP-You Days have increased yield in Senior Decision Days by 12% in just one year! Learn about how we've made these days special for students (and their families!) and help them make their final college decision.

Like Sands Through the Hourglass, These are the Days of our Lives...As Campus Partners!

William Blakeley, Auburn University and Katherine Chastain, Auburn University

Room Location: Cedar

Prospective students seem to have deeper questions about academic majors than in years past. How can we ensure students have a robust campus visit experience with limited staff in the university admissions and recruitment office? Join two campus partners from Auburn University, representing one large college and one small college, for a discussion of a day in the life of a college-specific recruiter. Come learn the benefits of partnering with academic departments on recruitment events, how departments approach sharing information and giving tours of their programs and why increasing collaboration with campus partners will elevate the campus experience for campus visitors

Welcoming Students to Campus for 24 Hours

Jordan Glover, Penn State University and Kate Kishbaugh, Penn State University

Room Location: Issaquah

Join the Penn State undergraduate admissions visit team to learn about the ins and outs of planning and executing overnight recruitment events for underrepresented student populations. This presentation will give an overview of the events offered and provide general agendas and planning timelines. Discussion will also include tour guide involvement discussion, dos and don’ts, and what to do when things go wrong.

I Hate Math but Love Being Right: Evaluating Event Data for Justifications, Advocacy, and Program Growth

Samantha Carroll, University of Cincinnati

Room Location: Jefferson

"Trust me" becomes a lot more powerful for you after you attend this session and start arming yourself with data. Learn how to use your event data to measure success, advocate for programmatic changes, justify spending and decisions, and to prove how great your programs really are! In this session, you will learn how to use event and guest data to measure effectiveness, growth, and guest satisfaction in order to make data-driven decisions. Hate math? Don't worry! This session is designed to make data analysis easy and approachable for the math-adverse. Slate queries will be shown as examples, but anyone can benefit. Note: this session is built around basic data analysis and simple math formulas and is intended for beginner/intermediate skill levels

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Thursday, May 30 | 10:15 - 11 a.m. continued

A Sneak Peek at Salve Regina’s “Counselor Getaway,’’ and How You Can Create Your Very Own Counselor Programming

Zakary Pereira, Salve Regina University

Room Location: Seneca

Each summer, Salve Regina hosts 30-40 high school and independent counselors on-campus for a two-night professional development program called "Counselor Getaway". During this time, invited counselors and their guests stay on-campus in one of our unique historic residence halls. We offer various professional development sessions during one of the days as well as several excursions around Aquidneck Island. Event planners...are you looking for new ideas on how to cultivate relationships with counselors, spruce up your visit program, or maybe simply curious to see what this is all about? We will discuss how we select attendees, execute this summertime event, and sell Salve Regina University to our counseling colleagues.

I’m The Captain Now: Ditching the Script as a New Supervisor

Maggie Baile, East Carolina University

Room Location: Willow

A lot can change in a year. One year ago, I quickly rose from a student leader on campus to a young professional responsible for over 50 student tour guides who were once my classmates. In this presentation, I will discuss the opportunities I navigated after months of observing, listening, and learning. This is the story of how I transformed ECU’s Pirate Navigator program and quite literally ditched the script for my tour guides by developing videos, rewriting expectations, and developing a handbook. Students who were once reluctant to change began to appreciate the added expectations and guidelines along with the freedom to not memorize a script but to share their own experiences on our campus Participants will view my training videos, tour guide manuals, contracts, and training plans to be able to take back ideas to their own institutions and tour guide groups. Supervisors will learn how a 23year-old took students who were once peers and turned them into Pirate Navigators. Climb aboard with me as I share how I am growing and differentiating ECU’s Pirate Navigator program into a group with a clear structure and expectations that impact current student leaders and prospective families daily

Networking Your Network

Stephanie Funderburg, San Jacinto College and Mel Baxter, University of North Texas

Room Location: Redwood

As visitor experience professionals, we are expert connectors. Through tours and events, we are constantly interacting with and building rapport with our visitors. How often, though, do you work to grow YOUR network? This session will discuss ways to better utilize your network, while also talking about ways we hinder ourselves from doing so. Attending this session will support you in overcoming your imposter syndrome and become more confident in networking your network.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Thursday, May 30 | 10:15 - 11 a.m. continued

The Redemption Arc of a 1st Generation Student: Applying Communication Theories to College Visits

Nick Eiginger, West Virginia University

Room Location: Ravenna

As a first-generation college student, I was terrible at visiting college campuses. I didn’t know what to look for or what questions to ask. My uncertainty around Higher Education was paralyzing and ultimately prevented me from learning more about the institutions I visited. Ten years later, I coordinate college visits for prospective West Virginia University (WVU) students and have looked towards communication theories to help reduce uncertainty first-generation students face when visiting campus Through the lens of three theories, Communication Accommodation Theory, Structuration Theory, and Social Penetration Theory, I’ll discuss how the audience can improve the visit experience of their institution Following each theories’ explanation, I’ll explain how I have incorporated these theories at WVU and generate discussion with the audience about how they can incorporate these theories themselves. Is it possible that slang can make someone feel more included? Is your idea of a success story the same as the visiting families’? Can talking about my own shortcomings make me a more trustworthy source of information? The audience of this presentation will be able to reference the wide range of communication theories to be more intentional in their decision making when planning and scripting visit experiences

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Thursday, May 30 | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m.

Remember Us? Using Psychology to Make Campus Visits More Memorable

Courtney Youngblood, High Point University

Room Location: Willow

What’s the best way to showcase your campus for prospective students? What do you want your visitors to remember most? How can we ensure that guests are leaving campus with the key factual and emotional concepts we have presented? This session will discuss the ways High Point University has utilized the psychological concepts of serial position, primacy, recency, and spaced repetition to improve the guest experience and encourage students and families to recall the visit in the most positive light. Join us for an interactive exploration of the mind- how we feel, how we learn, and how we remember.

Cultivating Candidate Competencies: Showcasing Student Soft Skills

Kelli Hollinger, Texas A&M University and Kalee Castanon, Texas A&M University

Room Location: Ravenna

How being a tour guide prepares you for life. Being a tour guide teaches the top skill sets employers want from today’s college graduates. Companies hire professionals who are critical thinkers, adaptable, superior communicators, who can collaborate with and lead others, actively listen, and acquire new knowledge. Through verbal and non-verbal methods, they communicate facts and feelings about your university and higher education. By effectively sharing information with others, they refine key interpersonal competencies that can differentiate them on the job market Hear tips for teaching these essential “soft skills,” which are the top competencies reported by Texas A&M University’s Career Center employer survey. Every time guides learn new rankings, avoid loud lawnmowers, lead a tour to safety after a lightening alarm, defuse conflict on a rowdy school group, or create a “transformational moment” that forever excites a prospective student about the possibility of college, they practice in-demand life skills Supervisors of students will learn the top five skills employers look for, tips for teaching them, phrasing to impactfully summarize tour guide work experience on a resume, and how to pitch this experience at job fairs

Yield Events: Creating a Culture of Belonging

Bethany Lestochi, University of Miami; Gabriela Nahous, University of Miami; and Cat Mora, University of Miami

Room Location: Redwood

Are your yield events suffering from information overload? Or do you find yourself just repackaging your recruitment season pitch for your admitted students? Join the University of Miami as they explain how they differentiated their prospective and yield events by focusing on a culture of belonging; by balancing community-oriented activities with the vital information students and families need, you can both create affinity and inform your admitted student population Staff will identity several key ways they sought to create community and connections during Future ‘Cane Days, including creating affinity spaces, integrating culture, utilizing student organizations and student talent, targeted programming by population, and marketing and logistic efforts.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Thursday, May 30 | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. continued

Maximizing Efficiency: Doing More with Less Through Google Tools

Tiana Hakimzadeh, American University

Room Location: Cedar

In an era where sophisticated CRM systems are the norm for employee scheduling and management, my journey at American University presents a unique perspective. Over the past decade, I have successfully orchestrated the entire semester's work schedule using Google Sheets, streamlining processes, and achieving remarkable efficiency. In this engaging conference session, we will delve into the innovative approach of "doing more with less" by leveraging the power of Google tools Attendees will see how Google Sheets has become the cornerstone for scheduling and organizing student work shifts, integrating Google Forms to collect tour guide availability, and illustrating the versatility of Google tools in managing group visit experiences. Join us for an enlightening session that proves doing more with less is not just a concept but a tangible reality achievable through the innovative utilization of Google tools

Turning Headaches into High-Fives: Expanding our Grade 7 Visit Program

Amy Watters, Thompson Rivers University

Room Location: Seneca

Join us for an exploration into our Grade 7 Visit Program, where we unravel the story behind transforming a perceived "headache" into a dynamic initiative that shapes our institution's future. Addressing event planners who might be hesitant to implement programming for middle-years students, we delve into the pivotal question: How can we become the institution of choice for local students, and why is early awareness crucial to our strategic recruitment plan? From the vital role of faculty and the school district to the budgetary considerations, we explore the nuts and bolts of the visit program Get ready for amusing anecdotes highlighting the transformative impact on students, with tales of aspiring high school skippers already wanting to start university. Join us as we share our journey, backed by numbers and future projections, showcasing the Grade 7 Visit Program's remarkable success and its promise for the future

Add a Little Bit of Spice

Holly Strother, University of South Carolina-Aiken

Room Location: Jefferson

Attendees will get to hear about our experience giving themed tours throughout the last school year. We prepared for and carried out "Spooky" tours, "Winter Holiday" tours, and "Egg-stravaganza" tours. This session will focus on how changing up a few weeks of our tour season allowed for better engagement of our student ambassadors, relationship building with different departments on our campus, and helped us interact with our prospective students in a fun, yet intentional way The presentation will discuss the preparation process, the budget, show pictures of the themed events, a prospective student’s statement as well as a student admissions ambassador’s statement on the event, and the results on our tour numbers

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Thursday, May 30 | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. continued

Stop! Collaborate, and Listen: Building and Fostering Campus Partnerships

Kaci Telford, University of Cincinnati; Jordan Weber, Iowa State University; Jessica Martin, Iowa State University; and Brylee Groskreutz, Iowa State University Room Location: Aspen

If there is a problem, hey, we'll solve it! Join Iowa State University and University of Cincinnati as we share tips, tricks, and resources to building, sustaining, and thriving in campus partnerships between central admissions teams and academic college partners. Our session will highlight how to build new or repair broken relationships with campus partners through active listening, how to collaborate and maintain established partnerships through workshops and problem solving, and how to thrive as one team to ensure successful visit experiences. At the end of the session, we will break into small groups to brainstorm how to take these ideas and implement them at your campus community Come prepared to stop! collaborate, and participate!

How to (Successfully) Fail as a Supervisor

Winston Franscini, University of North Texas Room Location: Issaquah

As a supervisor, you are called to lead your people into the promised land of productivity, efficiency, a fulfilling employee experience, and glorious success – or so both your team and your boss expect. You do your best to balance the complex needs of your staff, leadership obligations, and your own workload, but what do you do when your best just isn’t working? Join a recovering failed supervisor of an admissions events team for a personal and professional odyssey of making mistakes, admitting fault, embracing discomfort, and enacting positive change. You will learn how [not] to fail at planning, adapting, communicating, and becoming the leader your team needs. You will discover helpful tools and practical steps to take for improving organization, redefining priorities, clarifying expectations, combating burnout, and strengthening relationships with your employees. You will see how a leader’s openness to feedback and new perspectives can create the most efficient, successful, and healthy team possible. If you want to stop running a tight shipwreck and become the captain you and your team deserve, please join us. All failures are welcome.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Friday, May 31 | 9:45 - 10:30 a.m.

Small School, Big Impact!

Elizabeth Franks, California Institute of the Arts Room Location: Cedar

Developing a successful visitor experience program can feel like an uphill battle, and the challenges that come with working at a small institution can make the battle feel impossible. In this interactive, idea-sharing session, participants will look at CalArts, a private arts college with a student body of about 1,500, as a case study on how to maximize the resources you have. We will discuss the challenges our small teams face—budget and space constraints, gaps in staffing, less student support, and more—and the ways we have begun turning these setbacks into opportunities. Participants will have the chance to identify and share their own issues and ideas and plan how they can begin implementing what they learn from each other and the presenter.

College-Readiness Program: Early Exposure to Higher Education

Camille Erskine, University of Oregon Room Location: Issaquah

Are you interested in recruitment strategies around early awareness to higher education? Want to hear about the University of Oregon’s College-Readiness Program, which provides early higher education exposure for low-income, first-generation, and students of color in the Portland area? Join me for this 45-minute educational session, where you will learn about: Proposal Development: Identifying enrollment gaps to determine the recruitment focus for programming Determining short-term and long-term goals of the College-Readiness Program. Establishing a budget for the first year of implementation. Outreach: Collecting enrollment data, comparing to national databases, reaching out to middle schools, and establishing relationships with Portland Public School District. Curriculum Development: Creating monthly lesson plans surrounding post-secondary options, the importance of academic habits, financial planning, and goal setting. Coordinating a specialized campus visit including academics, student life, and athletics. Implementation: Establishing campus partnerships, determining Student Ambassador involvement, creating intentional branding and materials, and working with external connections. Evaluation & Future Planning: Evaluating the success and areas for improvement with the inaugural year of the College-Readiness Program. Brainstorming and determining future plans. Discussion: How can you take what you learn in this presentation and implement recruitment strategies around early awareness to higher education at your institution?

Say Goodbye to Google Sheets and Hello to Slate

Joey Tamburo, University of California, Los Angeles and Sue Newquist, Lafayette College Room Location: Willow

Are you searching for that Google survey from last year and that scrap of paper with a student’s phone number? Well, search no more! This session, meant for beginners and moderate Slate users, will show you how to use forms and portals to organize internal information (student ambassador information, applications for internal student positions, etc ) and provide methods for making automatic and seamless communications and schedules for external events

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Friday, May 31 | 9:45 - 10:30 a.m. continued

Leading in Your Lane: Leadership Across Levels

Lucy Bauer, Macalester College; Claire Howland, Macalester College; and Jill Steele, Macalester College

Room Location: Aspen

Leadership happens at all levels. Whether you supervise staff, students, or are a member of a team, everyone has a role to play in leading the work and each other. We are three admissions professionals at different ages and stages of our careers, who lead in various ways. In this session, we’ll talk about how we embrace each of our individual leadership styles, inspire others to do their best work, and how we have created a culture of open and honest feedback that’s centered around supporting each other. This session has something for everyone, from new graduates to experienced professionals.

Who is this Event Really For?

Shadelyn McOsker, University of North Texas

Room Location: Jefferson

With every incoming class, prospective student interests, values and needs change. Are your recruitment events as dynamic as your audience? How often do we stop to reevaluate who these events are actually for? The good news is, we don’t need to be marketing gurus to make students feel special. Even the busiest visitor services professionals can utilize accessible marketing tools to break the cycle of one-size-fits-all recruitment events. In this interactive workshop, you will first learn how to better understand, attract, and program for your target audience to create visitor experiences that actually stick. You’ll then develop a student persona (a marketing tool used to create a detailed profile of one’s target audience) for you to utilize when planning your institution’s next recruitment event.

You Can’t Sit With Us

Julee Mitsler, Lindenwood University and Laura Stansell, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Room Location: Ravenna

Imposter Syndrome – the internal conversation with yourself when you think you don’t deserve what’s in front of you. It hits hard and can rock you to your core. As you move through your career and earn new responsibilities like supervising others, leading projects, or heading up the office, these can often be accompanied by self-doubt. And, who wants to admit that they’re doubting their own abilities or lacking confidence in their work? We do. And we’re ready to talk about it This session will explore some of the pitfalls of imposter syndrome, strategies for managing your own self-doubt and tips for overcoming it. We’ll get vulnerable with sharing our own experiences and foster conversation in a space where we hope you’ll feel safe to share yours as well. You’ll walk away knowing that yes, you CAN and SHOULD sit with us.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Friday, May 31 | 9:45 - 10:30 a.m. continued

Here We Go. Pivot. Pivot! Last Minute Changes to Large Scale Events and How to Manage the Stress of it All

Danielle Schlough, Lehigh University and Jennifer Castro, Kutztown University

Room Location: Redwood

Have you ever planned an event for months, put your heart and soul into it, just to be volun-told you have to change part of the program a week before? We have, twice, and it can be a stressful process. Learn about the event crisis management strategies and the organizational event management skills we learned and how you can bring it back to your institution. Join us for candid conversation including event planning stress triggers and how to combat them. We all can use a little help pivoting in order to prioritize our mental health.

Orange You Glad You Came? Inside Syracuse University’s Fly-In Program

Carly Signor, Syracuse University

Room Location: Seneca

At Syracuse University (SU), we feel that the campus visit is a pivotal element of the college search process but recognize that it is not always financially feasible for every student. In 2022, SU brought back their Orange Travel Grant Program which funded admitted students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and underrepresented markets the opportunity to visit campus in the month of April. Now with two years of data, learn how SU revamped their fly-in program in 2023, applied what they learned to enhance the program in 2024, and what trends we have observed over the past two years We intend our audience to be schools that offer or are looking to start a fly-in program at their own institution The presentation will go through our planning process and execution of the program as well as data we have gathered about students that took advantage of the program We would leave time at the end to answer any questions and/or have a larger discussion of fly-in programming best practices

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Friday, May 31 | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m.

Ice Ice B-reakers

Kaitlyn Lankford, Middle Tennessee State University

Room Location: Aspen

Alright stop, collaborate and listen Icebreakers are back with a brand new invention. In this session, attendees will know the importance of icebreakers and how they can be transformative in their program. They will learn how their attitude affects the effectiveness of icebreakers and the participants' eagerness. This will lead to the first interactive portion of the session where attendees will learn and practice an icebreaker suitable for introductions. Once completed, we will discuss the effectiveness of the icebreaker itself, how it was introduced, and how the group felt about it. After this, attendees will learn about different icebreakers they can use in their tour guide or ambassador training. They will learn how to identify the purpose of an icebreaker and how it may target a specific skill, such as communication, collaboration, etc. Following this, attendees will learn about icebreakers that can promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity in their tour guide or ambassador programming. Attendees will be shown examples and may have the opportunity to participate in some of them (depending on the time). Time will be saved at the end for questions.

Reframe the Narrative: Group Visits

Erica Mills, Bowling Green State University

Room Location: Grand Ballroom A

The conversation around group visits can be fatiguing - especially when it feels like an impossible problem to solve. Join this presentation to hear about how Bowling Green State University (BGSU) has "reframed the narrative" around hosting group visits in both small- and large-scale ways. From a change in philosophy and attitude to communication adjustments that decreased no-shows and late arrivals, we'll cover all the ways we've adjusted our approach in the past 18 months in order to improve the group visit experience for our team, and the groups visiting campus.

Now That’s What I Call Games Workshop: Vol 3

Mark Reeder, The University of Texas at Arlington; Karen Moser, The University of Texas at Arlington; Arianna Carrillo, The University of Texas at Arlington; and Jocelyn Huang, The University of Texas at Arlington Room Location: Redwood

The University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) is facilitating games…again? You better believe it. Because you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it play games. But you CAN make your students play games. And they will thank you for it. Join UT Arlington for our third games workshop hosted at Annual Conference! If you missed either of the first two workshops, don’t sweat it. In this active session we’ll be playing a set of games introduced at our first workshop back in 2018, as well as facilitating additional activities you can use for meetings, retreats, socials, or any other times you’ve gathered your team together. We’ll also provide a facilitation manual with clear instructions on how to run each activity, plus some coveted bonus games we won’t play during the session. This workshop is perfect for anyone looking to start incorporating more interactivity with their teams, or for those looking to add new games to their repertoire

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Friday, May 31 | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m.

continued

Leveling Up Your Counselor Fly-In: Strengthening Your Program Around Your Institution’s Best Assets

Rachel Sloan, Allegheny College; Jess Burkley, Allegheny College; Bethany Lestochi, University of Miami; and Gabriela Nahous, University of Miami

Room Location: Issaquah

Since the pandemic, the University of Miami and Allegheny College have completely restructured their counselor fly-in programs – moving away from a heavy emphasis on academics. Our planning teams will share key takeaways including: the strategy around diverse and intentional invitations; integrating culture into the programming; student involvement; showing your campus experience, rather than just telling; building sustainable relationships with high school counselors; and other logistical factors that helped our planning process. Attendees will see two examples of creative programming aimed at showcasing your institution in its best light. See why these fly-in programs have been rated as “exceptional” or “hands down, the best fly-in I have ever been to,” and learn ways you can adapt our success in your own programming – whether you host a multi-day program or a one-day drive-in for local counselors!

Wellbeing for Student Supervisors

Phoebe Blaisdell, Pomona College

Room Location: Ravenna

In this session, we will take recommendations inspired by the research of the NACAC Ad Hoc Committee to Establish Guidance for the Workplace Wellbeing of Professionals and Office Culture and use them to guide a discussion around their implementation to tour guide programs that are managed by junior staff (middle managers and younger) Starting with common understandings/definitions of terms such as “managing up” and “wellbeing,” we will then dive into what would be two sections of a workshop: 1) how to develop recommended best practices that fit your institution and 2) maintenance of personal wellbeing while managing up to senior staff and down to student populations

Unlocking the Potential of Educators: A New Perspective

Lizbeth Lupi, University of California, Merced and Jessica Teran Salazar, University of California, Merced

Room Location: Seneca

To meet the university’s 10-year growth plan, the Office of Admissions has had to find creative ways to engage counselors to learn about the educational opportunities UC Merced has to offer. UC Merced hosts a three day, oncampus event, in February bringing 50 high school and 20 community college counselors to learn why our beautiful campus could be the right fit for their students. Counselors learn about student life, admission requirements, current faculty research, and other opportunities for undergraduate students. Over time, the program has been adapted to showcase the campus’ life without overwhelming counselors with information. We’ve measured the success of the program by determining whether counselor event attendance was associated with SIR yield from associated schools and understand factors relating to counselor intention to recommend UC Merced to their students. Come learn how an educator focused event can help increase your yield efforts.

Educational Sessions Educational Sessions

Friday, May 31 | 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. continued

Step into Your Campus Visit Era

David Coons, Illinois Institute of Technology and Doneri Mayhay, Illinois Institute of Technology

Room Location: Willow

Take a tour of Illinois Tech’s 360-degree visit experience! Our processes for operating campus visits allows every student to have a unique stay on campus. Come hear how we work with university departments like athletics, financial aid, and student services to support prospective student needs. We will break down an Illinois Tech visit to go over communication before, experiences during, and optimization after a visit. Communication with visitors is essential to the success of a daily visit. Experiences during a visit shape the student’s perspective of the college as a whole. Post-visit survey feedback allows for making future adjustments to daily visits as a whole. Let us hone in on the “before, during, & after” together! Starting with a deep dive into the current student experience, in breakout session format, we will create three questions to be used on a visitor intake form Using these questions, and potential answers, we will map out a unique visit experience applicable to any institution. To bring the visit back a full 360-degrees, we will explore how to utilize feedback to measure success and to plan for the future! By sharing our insights and best practices, this session intends to equip participants with practical strategies to create a full wraparound campus visit for all students

The Importance of Campus Visit Data: Capturing Trends and Influencing Change

Donna Cowley, Jacksonville University and Trey Morningstar, Jacksonville University

Room Location: Jefferson

The campus visit experience is an interactive part of helping a student decide where they will pursue their college career There are many factors that go into making them successful. First, that come to mind are tour route, personalization, and customer service Something that I want to focus on that often could be overlooked is visit tracking and how it can influence many operations within not just the campus experience but staff morale and allotted budget for your department. The goal of my presentation is to show the benefits that come out of producing month, semesterly and yearly reports of daily visits. When I initially started tracking visits, it was merely to learn the flow of visits in a full cycle; I wanted to see our highs and lows so I could anticipate better in my role. What I didn’t expect was how I was able to use this information to show the success of new processes like better show rates of registrants with updated communications. I also was able to show increases in our visits to justify expansion of our ambassador program. I hope to inspire others to find how this data can help their success.

Let’s Talk/Text/Communicate!

Heath Sims, Hendrix College

Room Location: Cedar

We all have to communicate, but do we know with whom and how? During this session, explore how and why we should adopt a more inclusive pattern with our communication skills. With any luck, we'll leave with a new mindset that provides your audience a better understanding of what you're saying!

Special Activities Special Activities

May 29 | 3 - 4 p.m.

CIVSA Involvement Fair

Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Space

CIVSA will have a table set up during the sponsor fair where you can connect with members about different committees and involvement opportunities within CIVSA. To learn more about what the committee options are, take a look at the Who’s Who section of the program (pages 47-49).

May 29 | 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Game Night

Cirrus Ballroom

Whether you want a place to play games with other conference attendees, enjoy a takeout dinner in a social environment, or simply have a place to hang out, come to the Cirrus Ballroom for great views and camaraderie Pack your favorite card games! There will be some games and activities provided by CIVSA, too.

May 30 | 6:45 - 8 a.m.

Walk to the Space Needle with Spirit & Traditions Committee

Sheraton Grand Seattle Lobby

Join members of the spirit & traditions committee as we walk from the Sheraton Grand Seattle to the Space Needle! We’ll meet in the lobby then depart on a two mile round trip, mostly on 6th Avenue, to see the Space Needle from the ground up. There will be plenty of time to take pictures and a group photo before heading back to the conference hotel. It’ll be a great way to explore the city and start the day!

May 30 | 6 - 7:30 p.m.

CIVSA Amazing Race

Sheraton Grand Seattle Lobby

Compete against other teams of CIVSA members to see who can best navigate the Emerald City! This challenge will take members to different points around the hotel that no visit to Seattle would be complete without. Be on the lookout for road blocks and pit stops along the way to the finish line and learn more about what our host city has to offer! Plus, you’ll end the race near a great dinner spot.

Teams that complete the race will be entered into a drawing for several prizes However, the first team to complete the race will get all of the bragging rights Teams must consist of four attendees Don't have a team? No worries, we will get you matched with a team before the race begins.

Special Activities Special Activities

May 31 | 7 - 7:30 a.m.

Stretch & Flow Yoga with Owen Posey

Ballroom

A

Relax and re-energize with fellow conference attendees in this yoga-style class led by a CIVSA member! We’ll breathe through poses, lengthen limbs, and set positive intentions for the day. No mat? No problem! Bring a towel or go without - the ballroom is carpeted.

May 31 | 7:15 - 8:15 a.m.

Seattle Coffee Crawl

Sheraton Grand Seattle Lobby

Get ready for a taste of local coffee to kickstart your morning. The Spirit & Traditions Committee will lead a coffee crawl to three different shops: Voxx Coffee, Anchorhead Coffee, and Caffe Umbria. The walk is about a mile and will feature some specialty drinks that vary at each stop. This activity does require payment - both cash and card are accepted, but small bills are encouraged.

Throughout Conference

Mealtime Meet-Ups

Grand

Ballroom Pre-Function Space

Want to enjoy meals on the town with other conference attendees? When there are open meal times in the schedule, come to the pre-function space by the welcome desk to meet up with fellow attendees and decide on a place to eat (don’t worry, we’ll have a list of suggestions available). Suggested meet-up times are Tuesday after the Welcome Reception, Wednesday and Thursday between 6 -7 p.m., and Thursday at 11:15 a.m.

CIVSA Photo Scavenger Hunt

Various locations in the Sheraton Grand Seattle

Let’s go on a CIVSA Hunt! Each day a letter or two from the word CIVSA will appear somewhere in the conference hotel. If you see one of the letters, take a selfie with the letter! Once you collect selfies with all five letters, make a photo collage spelling CIVSA and submit it to the photo album in Guidebook All submissions must be received before the conference wrap-up at 2 p m Friday afternoon to be entered into a drawing for a prize

Closing Dinner Closing Dinner Celebration and Awards Celebration and Awards

Friday, May 31 | 6 - 10 p.m.

Museum of Flight

Join us for a first-class experience to mark the end of CIVSA's 30th Annual Conference! The Museum of Flight is the perfect venue for us to celebrate where we've been and where we're going as an association. Just like traveling first-class, we promise you a special evening to remember.

Attendees and guests are encouraged to wear semi-formal, cocktail, or aviation themed attire.

2025 Student 2025 Student Development Institute Development Institute

January 9-11, 2025

Houston, Texas

We invite you and your student staff to join us for this unique student-driven experience, including educational sessions, networking opportunities, campus visits, a keynote speaker, and so much more!

Our host hotel is the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria, located at 2222 West Loop South in Houston. The rate is $149/night plus tax for single or double occupancy.

Registration will open on August 1, 2024!

About CIVSA About CIVSA

CIVSA Mission & Core Values

OUR VISION

The CIVSA vision is to partner with higher education professionals to set standards of excellence in the field of information and visitor services.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to provide knowledge exchange, research and connections in an inviting arena that builds professional and personal relationships.

OUR CORE VALUES

Education: The act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills, as for a profession

Connection: Developing sound working relationships in an organization.

Involvement: A personal investment in the success of an organization

CIVSA Statement of Non-Discrimination

CIVSA is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all members, member institutions, and students Our Association is proud of its diverse membership from institutions throughout the United States and multiple countries from around the world. We commit to treating all members respectfully, equitably, and with dignity. Upholding the Association’s commitment to being an inclusive organization means that all cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, and countries of origin are embraced and valued

CIVSA stands in solidarity with advocates calling for greater diversity and enhanced inclusion The world faces many challenges that divide us, but what unites us together in this Association is a steadfast commitment to providing knowledge exchange, research and connections in an inviting arena that builds professional and personal relationships.

Association History Association History

Although campus information and visitor services programs at institutions of higher education stretch back to the establishment of the Campus Information Office at Boston University in 1925, the beginnings of a professional identity did not begin to develop until the mid 1980s. The first known meeting of professionals in the field was held at Purdue University in 1986, and the group grew to include 15 members by 1990. They were informally named U-VIPs but voted in that year to be named the National Collegiate Visitor Services Association (NCVSA) and began to establish a looselyorganized structure, coordinated through the newly-established visitor center at the University of Maryland-College Park.

After a few years of slow but steady growth, the first national conference of NCVSA was held at the University of Alabama –Birmingham in 1994 with 25 members in attendance. By the second conference in June 1995, it was clear that the association needed to broaden its scope and was renamed the Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association (CIVSA). This name better recognized the broad membership of individuals and programs that provide gateway services to their campus communities.

During the late 1990s and into the early twenty-first century CIVSA officers and members dedicated themselves to increasing the legitimacy of the campus information and visitor services field. CIVSA’s first national headquarters was established at Rutgers University in 1997, the annual conference continued with steady growth in participant numbers, and great effort went into the solidification and organization of this new professional association. An important development for CIVSA was being offered membership in the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) in 1998, followed by the significant milestone of having CAS approve Campus Information and Visitor Services Standards and Guidelines in 2000.

As CIVSA’s membership began to grow exponentially, the Association continued to expand the benefits provided to its members. The Annual Conference now rotates through a different region each year to maximize the ability for members to attend and is held at a hotel/conference center rather than on a campus to accommodate the large number of participants. Members can connect and share resources with one another through social media and monthly virtual events in addition to the Discourse webforum and the Welcomer newsletter. Smaller regional events are organized in addition to the Annual Conference, and the first CIVSA conference aimed at student employees was held at Furman University in January 2014.

As the organization increased its visibility in the world of higher education, much thoughtful planning went into behindthe-scenes development as well. CIVSA officially incorporated as a non-profit association in 2010 and has established a headquarters independent of a college campus. An Operations Manual was developed to streamline processes and guide newly-elected officials, a formal annual budget was created, and work continues on a Strategic Plan to lead the Association into the future.

Association History Association History

Previous Conference Locations

1994 – University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, Alabama

1995 – Baylor University | Waco, Texas

1996 – Colorado State University | Fort Collins, Colorado

1997 – Cornell University | Ithaca, New York

1998 – University of South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina

1999 – University of Wisconsin – Madison | Madison, Wisconsin

2000 – Rutgers University | New Brunswick, New Jersey

2001 –Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas

2002 – Indiana University | Bloomington, Indiana

2003 – University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska

2004 – Yale University and University of Connecticut | New Haven and Storrs, Connecticut

2005 – Brigham Young University | Provo, Utah

2006 – American University | Washington, D.C.

2007 – University of Notre Dame | South Bend, Indiana

2008 – California State Polytechnic University | Pomona, California

2009 – Boston University | Boston, Massachusetts

2010 – University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky

2011 – San Antonio, Texas

2012 – Denver, Colorado

2013 – Alexandria, Virginia

2014 – Chicago, Illinois

2015 – Nashville, Tennessee

2016 – San Diego, California

2017 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2018 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2019 – Portland, Oregon

2021 – Virtual Conference

2022 – Orlando, Florida

2023 – St Louis, Missouri

President

President-Elect

Immediate Past President

Treasurer

Secretary

Director of Communications

Council of Past Presidents

Who's Who Who's Who

Executive Board

Julee Mitsler | Lindenwood University

Andrew Cohen | Georgia Institute of Technology

Mel Baxter | University of North Texas

Kelvin Lee | Stanford University

Tiana Hakimzadeh | American University

Ashley Bair | University of Maryland

Karlene Kunigiel | Skidmore College (ex-officio)

Wes Sullivan | California Institute of the Arts (ex-officio)

Regional Directors

Region I

Region II

Region III

Region IV

Region V

Cassandra Kopriva | University of Puget Sound

Stephanie Funderburg | San Jacinto College

Misty Sparrow | Eastern Michigan University

Sam Webb | Carnegie Mellon University

Shelby Kuehl | Emory University

Past Presidents

1995-1997

1997-1998

1998-1999

1999-2000

2000-Dec 2001

Dec 2001-2003

2003-2004

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

Matt Weismantel, Rutgers University

Denise Wellman, University of South Carolina

Linda Hardwick, Baylor University

Fran Lane, University of Georgia

Sandy Roberts, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

Leslie Baumert, University of Oklahoma

Barb Dallinger, Illinois State University

LeAnn Stroupe, University of Missouri

Nancy Franco, Yale University

Troy Selk, Brigham Young University

Tami Tassler, Florida Gulf Coast University

Janey Wheeler, Oklahoma City University

Betty Spengler, University of Maryland

2010-2011

July 2011

Aug. 2011-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017- 2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

2021-2022

2022-2023

Julian Olivas, Texas Tech University

Jennifer McGowan, University of Michigan

Stephen Barnett, University of Kentucky

Jenn McKenzie, Hendrix College

Cindy Singley, Auburn University

Jaime Rensel, Arizona State University

Karlene Kunigel, Skidmore College

Tim Lipman, Illinois Institute of Technology

Laura Stansell, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Rob Patterson, Middle Tennessee State University

Wes Sullivan, California Lutheran University

Taylor Blair, University of Kentucky

Mel Baxter, University of North Texas

Communications Committee

Ashley Bair | Chair | University of Maryland

Who's Who Who's Who

Standing Committees

Rhonda Beatty | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Jen Cheng | St John’s University

Clayton Lott | Old Dominion University

Council of Past Presidents

Karlene Kunigiel | Co-Chair | Emeritus

Wes Sullivan| Co-Chair | California Institute of the Arts

Stephen Barnett | Emeritus

Taylor Blair | University of Kentucky

Barb Dallinger | Emeritus

Nancy Franco | Yale University

Tim Lipman | Emeritus

Jenn McKenzie | Hendrix College

Rob Patterson | Middle Tennessee State University

Laura Stansell | Emeritus

LeAnn Stroupe | Emeritus

Tami Tassler | Florida Gulf Coast University

Matt Weismantel | Emeritus

Denise Wellman | Emeritus

Janey Wheeler | Emeritus

Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Mark Reeder | Co-Chair | The University of Texas at Arlington

Stella Santos | Co-Chair | Amherst College

Liz Alliss | Appalachian State University

Katie Campbell | Northeastern University

Keisha Jordan | Valencia College

Caeli Koizumi | Loyola Marymount University

Jordyn Meyer | University of Minnesota Morris

Kate Reuter | University of Missouri

Abigail Speights | Arkansas State University

Educational Resources Committee

Larry Barroso | Co-Chair | South Texas College

Jordan Glover | Co-Chair | Penn State University

Jocelyn Huang | University of Texas at Arlington

Lisa McGrady | Florida State University

Danielle Schlough | Lehigh University

Gillian Stine | University of Florida

Governance and Contracts Committee

Jenn McKenzie | Co-Chair | Hendrix College

Jayne Reimel | Co-Chair | University of California Office of the President

Involvement Committee

Amber Fitzgerald | Co-Chair | Suffolk University

Maggie Keene | Co-Chair | University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Member Relations Committee

Mandy Harmon | Chair | Wichita State University

Emma Alvarado | Daemen University

Brandon McDonald | Penn State University

Gabbi Tolentino | Saint Mary’s College of California

Nominating Committee

Mel Baxter | Chair | University of North Texas, Region II

Karlene Kunigiel | Co-Chair of Council of Past Presidents (ex-officio) | Skidmore College, Region IV

Wes Sullivan | Co-Chair of Council of Past Presidents (ex-officio) | California Institute of the Arts, Region I

Andrew Huerta | University of Southern California, Region I

Cassandra Kopriva | University of Puget Sound, Region I

Shari Foglesong | Truman State University, Region II

Austin Rogers | Southeastern Louisiana University, Region II

Taylor Blair | University of Kentucky, Region III

Derek Faasse | Capital University, Region III

Jon Augustyn | Cornell University, Region IV

Paul Hovey | Fairfield University, Region IV

Shayla Marcum | Appalachian State University, Region V

Laura Stansell | University of Tennessee Knoxville, Region V

Research and Assessment Committee

Whitney Rollerson | Chair | University of Southern California

Ali Anderson | West Virginia University

Cody Clark | Catawba College

Patrick Pitoniak | Yale University

Tessa Rendina | Susquehanna University

Retention Committee

Who's Who Who's Who

Standing Committees

Owen Posey | Chair | Western Kentucky University

Andrea Crilly | Indiana Tech

Elizabeth Ward | Providence College

Scholarships Committee

Ashley Mitchell | Chair | University of Missouri

Gracyn Schriner | St Ambrose University

Casey Shubin | UCLA

Sandra Vance | Gonzaga University

Sponsorships Committee

Alex Galbreath | Chair | Oregon State University - Cascades

Christian Heimall | High Point University

Standards Committee

Paul Hovey | Chair | Fairfield University

Nathan Cheesman | New Mexico State University

Aly Cotte | Seattle University

Strategic Planning Committee

Mel Baxter | Chair | University of North Texas

Arianna Carrillo | The University of Texas at Arlington

Katie Holdgreve - Resendez | University of Colorado Boulder

Philadelphia Zimmerman | Flagler College

Student Development Committee

Rob Patterson | Chair | Middle Tennessee State University

Ilana Ciccone | St. John’s University

Kaitlyn Lankford | Middle Tennessee State University

Tera McDonald | Georgia Institute of Technology

Cristi Flood | St Thomas University

Brandon Gross | Stevenson University

Sarah Splinter | University of Wisconsin Madison

Joey Tamburo | UCLA

Quinn Munk | Wichita State University

Breezy Landman | University of Houston

Camille Erskine | University of Oregon

Region I Leadership Team

Cassandra Kopriva | Regional Director | University of Puget Sound

Christina Gunn | University of Nevada, Reno

Kelsey Morales | Brigham Young University

Jennifer Salazar | Northern Arizona University

Region II Leadership Team

Stephanie Funderburg | Regional Director | San Jacinto College

Alexis Broussard | Texas A&M University

Lori Eisenhour | Drury University

Winston Franscini | University of North Texas

Arin Morse | University of Missouri-Kansas City

Jennifer Schreiber | Midwestern State University

Region III Leadership Team

Misty Sparrow | Regional Director | Eastern Michigan University

Ricci Emmons | Anderson University (IN)

Brylee Groskreutz | Iowa State University

Nicole Herrig | Clarke University

Stephanie Lukezic | Miami University

Sean O’Melia | University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Region IV Leadership Team

Sam Webb | Regional Director | Carnegie Mellon University

Jennifer Castro | Kutztown University

Laura Chang | University of Delaware

Hannah Ford | Rider University

Stephanie Gavin | Syracuse University

Katy Mitton | Lehigh University

Ashley Reed | Dean College

Region V Leadership Team

Shelby Kuehl | Regional Director | Emory University

Carly Bailey | Furman University

Nora Beerman | Austin Peay State University

Samantha Buxbaum | Florida State University

Patrick Frazier | Western Carolina University

Madison Owens | Florida State College at Jacksonville

CIVSA CIVSA

Awards and Recognition Awards and Recognition

Nick Kovalakides Outstanding Member Award

The Nick Kovalakides Outstanding Member Award is named in honor of the dedication and service of Nick Kovalakides, the first national director of CIVSA’s predecessor group, the National Collegiate Visitor Service Association The award is presented annually to an active member who has shown outstanding service, devotion, and support to the success of CIVSA and does not currently serve on the Executive Board The recipient is selected by the Executive Board from those nominated by the membership and the award is presented at the closing dinner of the Annual Conference each year The Nick Kovalakides Outstanding Member Award is the most prestigious award bestowed by the Association

1995 – Linda Hardwick | Baylor University

1996 – Joel Seligman | Cornell University

1997 – Denise Wellman | University of South Carolina

1998 – Steven Saffian | University of Wisconsin-Madison

1999 – Matthew Weismantel | Rutgers University

2000 – David Watters | Community College of Philadelphia

2001 – Ryan Leigh Runyon | University of South Carolina

2002 – Barb Dallinger | Illinois State University

2003 – Kate Steinbach | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2004 – Betty Spengler | University of Maryland

2005 – Denise Mercier | Florida State University

2006 – Stephen Barnett | University of Kentucky

2007 – Sherry Case | Colorado State University

2008 – Kim Burdett | University of California Irvine

2009 – Nancy Franco | Yale University

Rising Star Award

2010 – Donna Bostwick | Florida State University

2011 – Lea Hanson | Colorado State University

2012 – Janey Wheeler | Emeritus, Presidents Council

2013 – Troy Selk | Emeritus, Presidents Council

2014 – LeAnn Stroupe | University of Missouri

2015 – Megan Nassau | American University

2016 – Jennifer McKenzie | Hendrix College

2017 – Wes Sullivan | California Lutheran University

2018 – Lindsey Darling | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

2019 – Karlene Kunigiel | Skidmore College

2020 – Natalie Mann | University of Georgia

2021 – Ebony Smith | The Ohio State University

2022 – Tim Lipman | Emeritus

2023 – La Dawn Duvall | University of California, Berkeley

The Rising Star Award was created to commemorate the 20th Annual CIVSA Conference, in Alexandria, Virginia as well as recognize the growing membership of our association The award honors someone who has been a CIVSA member between one and five years and has made an outstanding contribution to the profession of information and visitor services as well as our association.

2013 – Rex Oliver | Texas Tech University

2014 – Nick Gonzales | University of Wisconsin-Madison

2015 – Trent Sandles | Texas Wesleyan University

2016 – Taylor Blair | University of Kentucky

2017 – Annalise Miyashiro | Vanderbilt University

2018 – Julee Mitsler | High Point University

2019 – Mel Baxter | The University of Texas at Austin

2020 – Nick Reffuge | University of Pittsburgh

2021 – Kelvin Lee | Stanford University

2022 – Grace Johnson | University of Kentucky

2023 – Ali Anderson | West Virginia University

CIVSA CIVSA Awards and Recognition Awards and Recognition

Individual Achievement Award

The Individual Achievement Award recognizes a collegiate information and visitor services professional for significant achievement at their institution. It may be based on a single program, event or a more long-term development/ process that represents a milestone in information or visitor services management.

2017 – Olivia McGuckin | Randolph-Macon College

2018 – Barbara Loftus | Rutgers University

2019 – Gavin Waits | Illinois Institute of Technology

2020 – Jayne Reimel | University of California, Santa Barbara

2021 – Heather McFarland | Anne Arundel Community College

2022 – Chris Benavides | South Texas College

2023 – Ashley Mitchell | University of Missouri

CIVSA Service Award

The CIVSA Service Award recognizes a CIVSA member who has dedicated significant time in service and volunteerism to CIVSA The member’s service should come in the form of profound support of the association The CIVSA Service Award was presented for the first time in 2020

2020 – Eric Brodsky | Adelphi University

2021 – Nicole Levy | Adelphi University

2022 – Megan Adams | University of Louisville

2023 – BJ Heidlebaugh | Ohio University

Foot Awards

Foot Awards are a fun way to recognize conference participants for making an impression during our time together This impression can be one of fun, leadership, caring, or anything that helped make the conference special You are encouraged to recommend someone for this award by submitting our Wufoo form The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, May 31 at noon

Nominate a member

The executive board will consider all recommendations and present the Foot Awards at the CIVSA closing dinner celebration

25 Years

Beryl Bowden | New York University

Milestones Milestones Membership Anniversaries

20 Years 15 Years

Stephen Barnett | Emeritus Bryan Jue | University of California, Irvine

10 Years

Andrew Cohen | Georgia Institute of Technology

Amanda Craddock | Coastal Carolina University

Kim Crosby | University of Rochester

Aelita Early | Cornell University

Emily Ellis | University of St Francis

Mandy Harmon | Wichita State University

Avneet Johal | The University of British Columbia

Andrea Hitsman | Saint Louis University

Karlene Kunigiel | Emeritus

Lisa McGrady | Florida State University

Jen Hacke Sass | Iowa State University

Joe Tiesi | Binghamton University

Ross VanDyke | Baylor University

Jael Johnson | University of Nebraska at Kearney

Rebecca Johnson | University of South Carolina

Julee Mitsler | Lindenwood University

Kirsten Molstad | The University of British Columbia

Patrick Pitoniak | Yale University

Erica Pulaski | Penn State Berks

Shannon Wisecup | Illinois Wesleyan University

5 Years

Amy Alexander | Trinity Western University

Ali Anderson | West Virginia University

Lucy Arnold-Sikes | University of Alabama

Lucy Bauer | Macalester College

Rhonda Beatty | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kate Bellaud | Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Emily Bingham | Western Carolina University

William Blakeley | Auburn University, College of Sciences and Mathematics

Amy Carton | Augustana College

Conner Ellinghuysen | Buena Vista University

Molly Fasnacht | Eastern Illinois University

Lauren Findley | Jacksonville State University

Kim Fisher | Bemidji State University

Kelly Flemming | Oakland University

Cristi Flood | St Thomas University

Hannah Ford | Rider University

Karis Fowler | Piedmont University

Patrick Frazier | Western Carolina University

Elizabeth Gensemer | Monmouth University

Nicole Gerdes | Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Kassandra Haro | Yale University

Becca Haupt Aldredge | Bucknell University

David Heidorn | University of Alabama

Kelli Hollinger | Texas A&M University

Michelle Howell | Truman State University

Andrew Huerta | University of Southern California

Joseph Hughes | University of South Carolina Aiken

LeAnn Hughes | Illinois Wesleyan University

Carnard Johnson | Valencia College

Chad Johnson | Utah Valley University

Tori Jones | Auburn University, College of Liberal Arts

Maggie Keene | University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Shira Kerce | Berry College

Kate Kishbaugh | Penn State University

Mike Langford | Western Carolina University

Rachel Littlefield | The University of Rhode Island

Ashley Marsh | The Ohio State University at Marion

Dan McDermott | Fordham University

Paul McGuinness | Governors State University

Emily Messer | Jacksonville State University

Matthew Metzger | Penn State Abington

Erin Milin | Colgate University

Alexandria Mitchell | The University of Texas at Austin

Arin Morse | University of Missouri-Kansas City

Arianna Palumbo-Livshits | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Pam Pellegrine | University of Connecticut

Shannon Powell | Minnesota State University Moorhead

Erin Proudfoot | University of California, Berkeley

Kathryn Ramirez | The University of Texas at Tyler

Tracy Rastello | Chapman University

Kenneth Roach | Coker University

Sydney Riley | Auburn University, College of Engineering

Amanda Ritchie Ethridge | Angelo State University

Felicia Rivers | The University of Texas at Dallas

Norma Rodriguez | Knox College

Juan Roman | University of California, Merced

Nick Rosato | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Amanda Ross | Michigan State University

Marissa Salazar | Colorado College

Nicole Salimbene | Pace University

Erin Sanno | Messiah University

Stella Santos | Amherst College

Lise Schneider | Governors State University

Jennifer Schreiber | Midwestern State University

Kim Shank | Randolph-Macon College

Michelle Seaton | University of Guelph

Charese Shedrick | Hofstra University

Misty Sparrow | Eastern Michigan University

Jodi Straka | University of Minnesota Duluth

Alison Swanson | Simpson College

Jessica Taylor | Auburn University, College of Engineering

Sandra Vance | Gonzaga University

Jessica Wells | The University of Tulsa

Chelsea Wilkes | Piedmont University

2024 Election Results 2024 Election Results

PRESIDENT-ELECT

ILANA CICCONE ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

Ilana Ciccone is the assistant director of admission and student ambassador coordinator at St John’s University and has been since June 2008 Her responsibilities include the recruitment of new students in Georgia and New England She is also responsible for overseeing the student ambassador program and assisting the director of enrollment events with campus programming Ilana holds a bachelor’s degree in speech and language pathology and a master’s degree in sociology from St John’s University

Working with students in choosing their home for their college career is one of the highlights of Ilana’s job Having an impact on students finding the “right fit” not just for a campus but also for a career is a huge responsibility that she takes very seriously

Ilana has been a member of other professional organizations throughout her time as an admission professional Those organizations include the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC), the New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC), and the Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association (CIVSA) Finding CIVSA has made a huge impact on the way St John’s University views and executes our visits and event programs Ilana has served in various board roles over the years and served on the executive board for CIVSA In her spare time, she enjoys the beach, supporting St John’s University athletics, traveling, and spending time with family and friends

SECRETARY

TIANA HAKIMZADEH

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

Tiana Hakimzadeh is a seasoned professional in higher education, currently serving as the director for on-campus programs at American University in Washington, DC With a decade of dedicated service at American University and over 12 years of experience in college admissions, Tiana is passionate about creating enriching educational experiences for students Tiana's academic journey includes a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from American University, where her foundation in communication took root She further honed her skills by earning a master's degree in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University, showcasing her commitment to continuous learning

As the current 2023-2024 Secretary on the executive board, Tiana is deeply involved in shaping the future of the organization Since joining CIVSA in 2017, Tiana has been an active participant, serving as co-chair for the involvement committee and contributing significantly to conference planning committees for Virtual SDI in 2021 and SDI Washington, DC in 2022 Additionally, she has lent her expertise to the region IV leadership team, showcasing her dedication to the visitor services community In a delightful twist, Tiana balances her full-time role with part-time positions at four colleges and universities in the DC area, where she works on the scorer's table during college basketball games Her love for the sport extends to the professional realm, where she contributes her skills to the Washington Wizards, totaling over 100 basketball games annually

2024 Election Results 2024 Election Results

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

OWEN POSEY

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Born and raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, my journey has come full circle as I now proudly serve as the Assistant Director of Admissions, Orientation, and Events at Western Kentucky University (WKU) My immersion in the campus visit realm dates back to my days as a tour guide, a role that ignited my passion for this evolving industry Transitioning from student to professional, I've witnessed the dynamic shifts within the campus visit landscape, fueling my unwavering commitment to this field

The nomination for director of communications at CIVSA is a humbling honor, presenting an exciting opportunity to contribute to this association in a fresh capacity With a bachelor of science in strategic marketing and digital advertising from WKU under my belt, I'm keenly attuned to the dynamic relationship between communications and the realm of campus visits and events an area often overlooked yet profoundly impactful I pledge to champion resources for our diverse CIVSA community, fostering inclusivity and engagement regardless of how long you’ve been a member

My four-year tenure within CIVSA has been enriched by active involvement, including two consecutive years on the Annual Conference committee Steering the publicity and promotions (P&P) committee for the 2023 St Louis Annual Conference honed my design and communication skills, laying a solid foundation for leadership roles Guiding the retention committee and spearheading the inaugural new member orientations during my term on the CIVSA Board has been a highlight, propelling my dedication to our community forward

Beyond my professional endeavors, I am a certified yoga and pilates instructor, dedicated to promoting work-life balance and mental well-being An aficionado of coffee and New York Times puzzles, I also cherish moments spent with loved ones, fostering the harmony between professional growth and personal fulfillment

REGION I DIRECTOR

SANDRA VANCE GONZAGA UNIVERSITY

Sandra Vance is an experienced professional with a proven track record of excellence in admissions and visitor services Currently serving as the assistant director of admission and visit coordinator at Gonzaga University, Sandra has been an integral part of the institution's success since her hiring in 2018 Prior to that, Sandra worked in the Gonzaga visit office for all four years of her undergraduate studies, contributing to nearly 10 years of experience in the field Further, she holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University, completed in 2022

In her role at Gonzaga, Sandra oversees all operations of the visit office within the Office of Admission She leads a team of staff and students responsible for managing all on-campus prospective student visits and events Further, Sandra played an instrumental role in the implementation of Slate in 2019 and continues to manage and innovate within the CRM

Sandra's impact extends beyond Gonzaga's campus into the broader community As a dedicated member of CIVSA, Sandra has served in various roles, including as the region 1 director from July 2022 to June 2023 Her responsibilities included strategic recruitment and retention efforts, supervision of the regional leadership team, and contributing to the overall leadership and oversight of CIVSA Prior to serving as regional director, Sandra served on the regional leadership team for two years Currently, she serves on the scholarships committee and as a mentor Her commitment to professional development is further demonstrated by her attendance at all annual conferences since 2019, presenting at each since 2021, and attendance at SDI in 2023

2024 Election Results 2024 Election Results

REGION II DIRECTOR

STEPHANIE FUNDERBURG

SAN JACINTO COLLEGE

Stephanie Funderburg always had a knack for event planning and presentations Chalk that up to her days in community theater productions and being raised by her teacher grandmother! So, it seems inevitable that she ended up working in higher education After graduating from Stephen F Austin State University with a bachelor of science in hospitality administration and Communication, Stephanie went on to work for Barnes and Noble and the Houston Zoo before starting her career at San Jacinto College Her first role for the College was as an administrative assistant for career and employment where she was responsible for hiring and training student employees, connecting with campus partners, and developing career exploration focused events Stephanie then transferred to the Office of Outreach and Recruitment and spent five years as a recruiter before moving into her current position as coordinator of tours and events

She is solely responsible for group tours at four of the College’s campuses, coordinating outreach events, managing community event requests, creating K-8 outreach content, and maintaining relationships with campus partners She has also been an active member of CIVSA since she joined in 2019 Since then, she has served on the scholarship committee, communications committee, region II leadership team, and the community college engagement task force She has also volunteered and presented at multiple Annual Conferences Currently, she is the region II director and leads an amazing team who are dedicated to growing the region as well as connecting members through in-person events and intentional virtual conversations Stephanie is a Texas native who is married to her high school sweetheart and has two kids: Ryan and Maggie She’s a great person to have on your trivia team as she’s an avid bookworm, Disney adult, history nerd, and knows a surprising amount of random film trivia

MISTY SPARROW

EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

Misty Sparrow is the associate director of admissions, visits & events at Eastern Michigan University, located in Ypsilanti, Michigan She has worked at Eastern Michigan University for nine years; however, she’s been involved in this work since 2011--when she served as a tour guide at EMU Eastern Michigan University has been a space for personal and professional growth for her and her journey in this work Like many of us, she never imagined this as her career; however, it’s been a wild ride so far

Misty joined CIVSA in October 2018 - and has been involved in some capacity since It wasn’t until she experienced her first Annual Conference (Portland, 2019) that she realized there was so much more to gain from colleagues across the nation CIVSA for her provides the opportunity for growth and connection, and she’s excited about the opportunity to continue on this path

She has learned a lot over the last year and am humbly grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve, expand, and further connect within our region In addition to her time as a regional director, she also served on the SDI planning committee (2021, 2022) and was involved on the leadership team a few years ago

REGION III DIRECTOR

Outside of this work, she teaches yoga, loves gardening and spending time with my doggo and husband Reading and traveling bring her joy - but is a homebody at heart!

2024 Election Results 2024 Election Results

REGION IV DIRECTOR

PAUL CAMPBELL

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

Paul Campbell is an associate director of admissions at James Madison University A proud alumnus of both Virginia Tech (BS, Psychology 1991) and James Madison University (MS, Kinesiology 2004), Paul’s career in higher education began as the head fencing coach at James Madison in the fall of 1994 After stops in athletics, academic affairs, alumni relations, and dining (twice), Paul landed in the Office of Admissions in July of 2016 Paul’s current role sees him overseeing all aspects of visitation programming at JMU, as well as serving as co-advisor to the JMU Student Ambassadors, and on the leadership team in Admissions

During Paul’s eight years in CIVSA, he has attended six Annual Conferences and six Student Development Institutes At these conferences, he has volunteered in various roles such as resume review host (2 SDI), connections leader (1 SDI and 1 Annual Conference), educational session moderator (4 Annual Conference, 4 SDI) and presented in the advisor track at the 2023 SDI He has served on the nominating committee, the region IV leadership team, planned and led an in-person region IV event, was the local arrangements chair for the 2019 SDI, the programming and education chair for the 2021 Annual Conference, the spirit and traditions chair for the 2023 Annual Conference, and is currently serving as the 2024 Annual Conference chair He was also honored to receive a Foot Award at the 2022 Annual Conference

Outside of work, Paul is an avid golfer, a lifelong fencer, and a voracious reader A complete and utter sports fan, one of Paul’s favorite things is trying to fit in spectating at professional or college sporting events around any work or CIVSA related travel he can!

MADISON OWENS

FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE AT JACKSONVILLE

Madison is a dedicated professional, holding a Master of Science in college student affairs with a concentration in conflict analysis and resolution from Nova Southeastern University Prior to her master's degree, Madison completed a Bachelor of Science in business administration at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ)

Currently serving as the associate director of orientation at FSCJ, Madison manages the online orientation, and coordinates both in-person and virtual orientation sessions She has reimagined the in-person orientation based on student feedback and CIVSA resources Additionally, Madison spearheaded a comprehensive reconstruction of FSCJ’s tour system, introducing a new scheduling system, refining tour routes and scripts, and providing a fresh perspective for prospective students to engage with various programs

REGION V DIRECTOR

Madison's journey with CIVSA began with attending Annual Conference in Orlando The encounter ignited her enthusiasm for involvement, prompting her decision to become a part of the region V leadership team Madison's involvement with the team has been instrumental in contributing to regional chats, recruitment efforts, and event coordination She deeply appreciates witnessing the effective collaboration within the regional team, both internally as a cohesive unit and in their interactions with host institutions During her second conference in Saint Louis, Madison felt a true sense of belonging Meeting the regional team in person for the first time was a highlight, and reconnecting with friends from the prior conference added to the sense of community Madison's engagement at conferences not only underscores her professional dedication but also reflects her enthusiasm for building connections and fostering teamwork within the CIVSA community

Alongside her professional achievements, Madison finds relaxation in binge-watching series, with her cat, Rasper One of Madison's exhilarating passions is her love for thrill rides, and she harbors a dream of visiting every theme park in the United States!

Annual Business Meeting Annual Business

Collegiate Information & Visitor Services Association

Annual Business Meeting Agenda Friday, May 31, 2024 | Noon PDT

President – Julee Mitsler | Lindenwood University a

President-Elect – Andrew Cohen | Georgia Institute of Technology b Immediate Past President – Mel Baxter | University of North Texas c Strategic Planning Committee i Nominations Committee ii

Secretary – Tiana Hakimzadeh | American University d

Treasurer – Kelvin Lee | Stanford University e

Director of Communication – Ashley Bair | University of Maryland f Council of Past Presidents – Karlene Kunigiel | Skidmore College and Wes Sullivan | California Institute of the Arts

Region I – Cassandra Kopriva | University of Puget Sound a Region II – Stephanie Funderburg | San Jacinto College b Region III – Misty Sparrow | Eastern Michigan University c Region IV – Sam Webb | Carnegie Mellon University d Region V – Shelby Kuehl | Emory University e

Annual Conference Committee a Diversity and Inclusion Committee b Educational Resources Committee c Involvement Committee d Member Relations Committee e Research and Assessment Committee f Retention Committee g Scholarships Committee h Sponsorship Committee i

Regional Map Regional Map

This map shows how states and countries are divided into the five CIVSA regions

Region I

Region II

RegionIII

Region IV

Region V