| Session Titles |
Description |
| Visit Programs: Best Practices |
This roundtable is centered around visit programs, including, but not limited to, on-campus events, virtual events, admitted student programming, prospective student programming, group visits, community-based organizations, stakeholders, and more. Come learn and share best practices for visit programming. Attention will also be given to COVID-19 era programming and programming for special student populations. |
| When Recruitment and Technology Combine |
Learn from two admissions professionals who started out as road warriors and have now moved to a more technology focused role. How did they get there? How can you start learning about technology at your institution? Do you want to work more harmoniously with your technical staff and IT department? Do you supervise or work closely with these roles and not have a tech background yourself? Whether you want to get more involved with technology yourself, or just want help translating “geek speak;” this session is for you. Bring any questions that you have! |
| The Sophomore Soar |
"You’ve made it past your first year - congratulations! You’re not new in the office anymore--whew! But you haven’t quite found yourself, either. What happens now? Many counselors in years two through five are unsure of what to do to advance their careers; enter the sophomore slump! The slump can cause you to become confused about your career goals, lose motivation, and feel disconnected from office life. So many times, we have seen great admission counselors leave the profession because of this - we don’t want that to happen to you! |
| Five practical steps: Moving from transfer-friendly to transfer-receptive |
There are multiple layers of policies and practices that make the transfer process challenging for students. In order to increase the number of students transferring and completing 4-year degrees, institutions must find and address these issues. This session will present a road map of practical steps for staff to identify and address these often-hidden barriers and challenges. Admission staff at any level will find ways they can be catalysts for change at their institution. |
| "Deus ex Machina" - ChatGPT and College Application Essays |
This session will provide a demonstration of ChatGPT for those unfamiliar with the technology and, in lieu of a traditional presentation, provide an opportunity for college admission professionals to discuss and share ideas about how to prepare for its seemingly inevitable intrusion into college applications. |
| Thoughts from the Grumpy Old Men |
Waves of change? Indeed, we've experienced a few of those. Three retired/retiring old boys will offer thoughts on their 120+ years in the business. With experience on both sides of the desk, they will reflect on "the good ol' days, discuss the current state of our profession and share their hopes for the future of college admissions. This will be an engaged and interactive session so please bring your questions. |
| Inclusion, Access and Success: What does IAS mean for you and WACAC? |
The Inclusion, Access and Success committee of WACAC has a long and rich history of supporting admissions professionals and students across the state. As we look ahead to the future of the committee and its membership, this is an opportunity for members of WACAC to come together and share ways in which they hope to see IAS grow, support membership and to learn about getting involved in the work or leadership of the committee. |
| Get Involved...Or Else! |
To say there is opportunity within WACAC to steer your career in a positive direction would be an understatement. Join the three sitting WACAC presidents for a candid discussion about how to get involved, why to get involved, and where WACAC can lead you in your professional life. |
| Agents of Change: Career and Technical Education |
The cost of college is soaring across Wisconsin and the United States. In Wisconsin, the Technical College System provides high-quality, transferrable education at an affordable price. In this session, hear about the pathways to high-paying jobs by earning credentials in as little as six months. Learn about what is new in the Technical College System, including new partnerships, guided pathways, and programs like the system-wide Liberal Arts Transfer Program initiative. Hear from three Admissions & Enrollment Leaders in the WTCS system. |
| Essay Writing Workshops - Easier Than You Might Think |
Nick Spaeth, Director of College Counseling at Brookfield Academy, will walk you through the optional four day summer workshop structure that has served his students well. This session will provide school counselors with actionable next steps, but also be an opportunity for attendees to discuss best practices with this particular segment of our work. There isn't one way to guide students in this process! |
| Case Study: Injecting Structural Change Through a Staff Centered Process |
Creating change at any organization can often be met with hesitancy at best and blockades at worst. Using a case study approach, join a discussion on how structural change was brought to an enrollment organization through a staff-centered process to cultivate greater buy-in. Through a series of focus groups, one-on-one conversations, data collection, and more, hear how WCTC transitioned its structure against the backdrop of a ‘return to work’ directive with a newly created position and leader. All with the goal of aligning the people, processes, and resources prospective students interact with and need when going through the college search. What lessons were learned? What could have been done better? How long did the change? And what have been the early results? |
| Really? A Caddy Scholarship?: A 101 Conversation about the Evans Scholars Foundation |
Yes. You read correctly. There is a scholarship for Caddies! The Evans Scholarship is a full tuition and housing college scholarship for high-achieving caddies with limited financial means. As the nation's largest scholarship program for caddies, the Evans Scholars Foundation has helped thousands of hardworking young men and women get to college since 1930. Come learn all about the scholarship including eligibility, the application process, and another pathway to receive the scholarship called the Caddie Academy! |
| College Attendance Motivations in a Post-Pandemic Environment: Breaking Down the Insights |
With the continued impact of a historic pandemic, considerable economic and political unease, and a shift in student demographics, now is the time to better understand why students are attending college. We surveyed 3,800 students about the many internal and external factors that influenced their choice to go to college. |
| Effectively Finding & Engaging Your Underserved Populations |
Join us for an interactive discussion on how you can make better use of the data already available to you to engage with the students who are most interested in hearing from you. We’ll also share the latest technology to help make that outreach more efficient and effective. This session will cover which prospective student populations have been the most underserved since the pandemic, new and innovative ways you can connect with students and their families, and how you can deliver the right messages on the right channels to speak directly to their specific motivations and preferences." |
| Burned Out Or Buoyed? Riding The Waves Of The Great Resignation |
Staff retention is one of the greatest challenges facing admissions leaders today. The problem has been analyzed and dissected in every way imaginable. But what can we do about it? This session will level set the data, focus on the evolution of the job of admissions counselors, and end with tangible proposals on how to make the job a better experience. |
| Meeting Students Where They Are: College Search for Gen Z |
This session will overview how all stakeholders can meet students where they are and better engage Gen Z in the college process. We’ll begin by overviewing how teens consume content today, with a focus on expectations around speed and personalization while breaking down common misconceptions around teen interests and engagement. We’ll then transition to focus on how different stakeholders can leverage Loper as a mobile platform to effectively reach students, helping them to make more informed college decisions. First, we’ll showcase different ways in which counselors can use Loper both in and out of the classroom through a conversation with a counselor who is currently using our product. Next, we’ll demonstrate how our on-platform marketing automations present a personalized alternative to the troves of generalized information students are receiving in email and mail today. Finally, we’ll close with an open dialogue on effective strategies for engaging teenagers on the college process. |
