Checking Out Conference Formats
by Marilyn Emerson, IECA Member (New York)
Once again, I am on the road. This week I am attending two events in Virginia. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is offering a two day workshop—Critical Components: Mastering the College Admission Process and PCACAC is giving a one-day College Counseling Boot Camp.
NACAC’s two-day mini conference is focusing on helping counselors to plan for the future in light of our current economic climate and the Obama administration’s call to produce 8 million more college graduates by 2020. All of the workshops and the talk by keynote speaker, Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, professor and chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Services at Johns Hopkins University, will revolve around this theme. The agenda for the “Boot Camp” includes a conversation with deans and directors of college admissions, and discussions about Technology to Assist Counselors and Helping Students to Conduct a Thorough College Search.
As a member of IECA’s task force focusing on whether IECA should only offer one conference a year, and as vice president for education, I am excited to attend these two meetings. Over the past few months some of our members have suggested regional meetings and other smaller types of continuing educational opportunities, as alternatives to our second conference. As a participant, in both the workshop and the boot camp, I am experiencing both one- and two-day format options (with an optional third day for college tours). I plan on reporting my experiences and observations to the Board, the E&T committee, and the Conference Task Force. And, I will report my perceptions to you in my next blog.
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Dear Marilyn,
I will be attending our Annual NJACAC Conference next week, June 6th and 7th, and will be doing the same research from my end. Should be an interesting conference with many good break-out sessions, a College Fair, exhibitors and a keynote with our good friend, Jacgues Steinberg. So I will be learning a lot, re-connecting with lots of friends on the college and high school side as well as seeing my IEC friends from around the state.
with a smile,
Carolyn