CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Conference Chair

Nicole Levy, Adelphi University

Shari Foglesong, Truman State University (Chair)

Sydney Jones, University of Central Arkansas

Ashton Smith, University of Texas at Tyler

Programming & Education

Kristin Robbio, University of Southern California (Chair)

Chrissy Findlay, Bucknell University

Sophie Koff, Texas Christian University

Brandon McDonald, Penn State University

Neelam Savla, University of Southern California

Amy Vachon, Emerson College

Publicity & Promotions

Owen Posey, Western Kentucky University (Chair)

Kristen Sauer, Randolph-Macon College

Emily Stanley, Lasell University

Nearly thirty years ago, before we were the Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association (CIVSA), the first known meeting of professionals in our field gathered together. The group grew to include 15 members by 1990. Today, CIVSA is home to over 1,300 active members across 450 institutions internationally. We invite you and your institution to join this group of dedicated professionals. We think big, strive for excellence, serve as leaders in the field and take on challenges we could not have imagined thirty years ago.

We will host our 29th Annual Conference June 6 - 10, 2023 in St. Louis at Union Station. The conference will include educational programming, as well as small group discussions and networking events. Annual Conference attendees will hear from incredible professional speakers, with messages to empower the work we do. And thanks to the hospitality of Maryville University, St. Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis, attendees may also register for a pre- or post-conference campus tour. And of course, we will conclude the Annual Conference with a closing dinner.

While certainly hope you join us for the Annual Conference, I encourage your institution to first become a CIVSA member. Our members have access to reduced Annual Conference registration rates, yes, but being a CIVSA member yields year-round benefits. Member institutions range from community colleges to land grant institutions, from public to private and from small to large. Some members work exclusively in their institution’s welcome center or events office, while others work in an individual academic college at a large university or at an information center on their campus. The chance to network and develop professional relationships – to lean on your peers in times of challenge – is unique to CIVSA and unlike that of any other professional organization.

Let me touch on just a few benefits of CIVSA membership:

Spirit & Traditions

Cristobal Benavides, South Texas College (Chair)

Ricci Emmons, Anderson University (IN)

April Gonzalez, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Tiffany King, University of Houston, Clear Lake

Jacqueline Rush, Western Colorado University

Welcome & Volunteers

Stella Santos, Champlain College (Chair)

Paul Campbell, James Madison University

Katie Piedmont, Washington University in St. Louis

Tammy Ruebusch, Hanover College

CIVSA Conference & Events Manager

Betty Spengler, events@civsa.org

• Virtual discussions on topics concerning campus visits, technology, student workforce, event planning and more

• Our newsletter, The Welcomer, shares strategies and valuable insight

• Regional virtual and in-person events throughout the year

• Access to the association’s listserv and group discussion boards so you can find answers or ask questions at any time

• An online job posting site to find and showcase open positions

• Exclusive early registration rate for the CIVSA Annual Conference and early registration notices for CIVSA Student Development Institute

• Access to shared resources: staff manuals, tour guide contracts, recruitment programs and more

I hope to see you at the Annual Conference in St. Louis! If can help you with anything until then, please let me know at president@civsa.org.

Mel Baxter