2025 Conference Schedule

Wednesday, November 5 - Friday, November 7

Wednesday

8am Wintergreen shuttle begins

11:00am - 11:45am Planning Committee Meeting

11:45am - 12:30pm Welcome Lunch (Planning Committee)

12:00pm - 3:00pm Conference Setup

3:00pm - 6:30pm Conference Registration & Associate Setup

5:00pm - 7:00pm Dinner on your own

7:00pm - 10:00pm Opening Reception & Social

9:45pm Wintergreen shuttle ends

Thursday

8am Wintergreen shuttle begins

7:30am - 10:00am Conference Registration

7:30am - 9:00am Breakfast & Opening Keynote

9:15am - 11:15am Senior Student Affairs & Senior Housing Officers meetings

9:15am - 10:00am Learning Experience Block #1

10:15am - 11:00am Learning Experience Block #2

11:00am - 11:45am Associates Showcase

11:45am - 1:30pm Lunch & Speaker Panel

1:30pm - 2:00pm Wellness Break

1:30pm - 6:00pm Meditation Space

1:30pm Associates Hall Open

2:15pm Afternoon Snacks in the Associates Hall

2:15pm - 3:00pm Affinity & Connections Block

3:15pm - 4:00pm Learning Experience Block #3

4:00pm - 4:45pm Happy Hour with Associates

4:30pm Associates’ Raffles

5:00pm - 6:00pm Organization Meetings (VACUHO, NASPA-VA, VACPA)

6:30pm Banquet

6:45pm - 8:00pm Welcome Announcement of New Officers & Awards

8:15pm - 9:30pm Night two social: S’mores & More

9:45pm Wintergreen shuttle ends

Friday

7:30am Terrace Cafe opens

8am Wintergreen shuttle begins

8:00am - 9:00am Wintergreen recommended check out

7:30am - 9:30am Juice service

8:00am - 9:00am Organization leadership meetings

9:15am - 10:00am Learning Experience Block #4

9:15am - 11:00am Graduate Student Symposium

9:15pm - 12:00pm Meditation Space

10:15am - 11:00am Learning Experience Block #5

11:15am - 12:00pm Learning Experience Block #6

12:15pm - 1:30pm Send-Off Lunch

1:30pm - 2:00pm Conference Breakdown

  • Thursday, November 6th

Learning Experience Block #1

Thursday 9:15 - 10:00 AM

  • Presenter: Susie Bruce, Marc Sloan, & James McGhee

    Shamokin

    The Federal Stop Campus Hazing Act was signed into law on December 23, 2024. Do you know how the requirements may impact your campus role? In this program, we will review the core requirements of the law, how it relates to Virginia’s Adams’ Law, and discuss promising strategies for moving beyond minimal compliance. Our panelists represent public and private institutions with enrollments between 1,500 and 17,500 students. Strategies to incorporate hazing education into mental health and well-being programs will be addressed.

  • Zak Chandler

    Upper Crust

    Amid funding constraints and shifting federal policies, universities are facing changes in the services and support available to students. These shifts have increased what has always been true; students have conflicts and concerns that are impacting their success and wellbeing that do not have any formal procedures or departments to address them. This presentation explores conflict coaching as a vital skill for student affairs professionals navigating this evolving landscape. Attendees will learn the foundational philosophy of conflict coaching, practical strategies for integrating it into student interactions, and programmatic applications in areas such as Residence Life training and Academic Integrity adjudication. These examples will demonstrate how conflict coaching empowers staff to support students through concerns that lack predefined processes and enhances existing procedures, especially when institutional capacity for change is limited.

  • Presenter: Kelsey Snyder

    Piedmont

    American College campuses have an important role in American history. The Colonial Colleges played a vital role in the American Revolution. The ideas being discussed and works being studied at these colleges laid the foundation for Revolution. These types of movements have continued in American history. From the Civil War, to the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, to the Vietnam Protests, to modern day, Israel and Palestine, college campuses have been vital to all of these. This presentation will discuss these past movements and how they connect to modern day.

  • Presenter: Justin Tarbell & Sandrine Sutphin

    Crawford

    Supervisory relationships are often the most critical factor in a professional's job satisfaction and growth. This session, presented by an Assistant Director and Director in a supervisory relationship, offers a unique, on-the-ground perspective on how to build a dynamic and collaborative partnership. We will share our own journey of developing a relationship built on mutual trust, open communication, and shared professional goals. This presentation will move beyond traditional supervisory models to explore a more fluid, two-way approach to leadership and feedback. Attendees will gain insight into how to give and receive constructive feedback, align individual professional development with departmental priorities, and navigate challenges from a place of shared respect. The session will be interactive, providing a forum for participants to reflect on their own supervisory relationships—whether they are a supervisor or a direct report—and leave with concrete strategies to enhance their professional experience.

9:15 - 11:15 AM

Senior Student Affairs Officers Meeting

Breezeway Room

Senior Housing Officers Meeting

Summitt Room

Learning Experience Block #2

Thursday 10:15 - 11:00 AM

  • Presenter: Val Hassard

    Shamokin

    When students face sudden financial crises, even a small amount of emergency funding can be the difference between staying enrolled or dropping out. However, the design and implementation of these programs can unintentionally exclude the very students they aim to support. This session will provide an overview of UVA's Hoo Needs Help program, with a particular emphasis on effective practices, collaboration between Student Affairs and Financial Aid offices for federal compliance, and pitfalls of the program. Participants will learn from a series of case studies that show how emergency funding policies may affect students of various faiths, immigration statuses, and financial backgrounds, as well as graduate versus undergraduate students.

  • Presenter: Alexis Plater

    Upper Crust

    Allow your RAs the freedom to choose their own experience! At JMU, we allow RAs to place themselves for the next academic year down to their specific room. This session will explain the “What, Why, and How” of Community Sign-Up; what Community Sign-Up is, why we do it, and how we do it. Attendees will also have an opportunity to experience a mock process. Refresh your placement system using Community Sign-Up!

  • Presenter: Steve Grande, Bella Cabaccan, Charlotte Crowley, Olivia Gill, Sherylyn Lengel, Lydia Storey, & Bridget Thomas

    Piedmont

    Liddell (2025) argues that education is the only sector where our job is to generate hope. But how? We live in a time of chaos and tumult where we are bombarded with a dizzying array of news updates, images, and posts about threats to higher education, democracy on decline, and daunting concerns like climate change. How do we work with students and our colleagues to foster hope or let alone feel hopeful ourselves? Being hopeful during a time mired in chaos and negativity may seem unrealistically optimistic. Friere (2015) though asserted that “without hope, there is no way we can even start thinking about education.” This session proposes a new formulation of hope as a force for student affairs educators to facilitate agency and community while acknowledging daunting odds and integrating emotions, such as anger and anxiety.

  • Presenter: Justin Tarbell

    Crawford

    Did you know that not everyone can be special? And that's okay! In fact, some scientists would argue that you don't want to become too special too quickly. Come learn about the rationale behind why being a generalist can lead to more sustained success and happiness in your career. Utilizing "Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World" we will look at how we can not only support ourselves in being more generalist, but also support our students to be okay being open in their career searches and passions.

Wellness Break

1:30 - 2:15 PM

Join us as we take the time to unwind, exhale, and relax our mind, bodies, and soul!

  • Summit Room

  • Courtyard

  • Outside Skyline Pavilion

Learning Experience Block #3

Thursday 3:15 - 4:00 PM

  • Presenter: Shanna Carmack

    Shamokin

    This session reviews the book "Glad We Met: The Art and Science of 1:1 Meetings" by Steven Rogelberg. We will review why 1:1's matter, how to make 1:1's meaningful, and you'll leave with practical tools to strengthen your relationships and effectiveness.

  • Presenter: Ashley Matera & Brooke Vosteen

    Upper Crust

    At the University of Virginia, we've spent the past three years developing a culture of peer accountability within our student-led resident staff program, one that centers student voice, clear expectations, and compassionate leadership. This session will explore our Accountability Council process, where resident staff hold one another accountable through structured peer-led review of program and community expectations. This session won’t ask you to replicate our system, but rather to reflect on how transparency, clearly articulated expectations, and student-led accountability might strengthen your own program.

  • Presenter: Kristie Filipchuk & Megan Becker

    Crawford South/Central

    In times of rapid transition, the role of supervision and leadership becomes even more critical to sustaining strong teams and student-centered outcomes. This session, facilitated by two experienced Student Affairs professionals, will provide practical strategies for navigating the challenges of supervising staff and leading with vision during periods of change. Participants will explore approaches to fostering trust, building resilience, and maintaining accountability, while also centering empathy and adaptability in their leadership practice. Through case examples, reflective discussion, and shared lessons learned, attendees will leave with actionable tools to support their teams, strengthen their own leadership capacity, and approach change as an opportunity for growth and innovation in Student Affairs.

  • Presenter: Marc Sloan

    Crawford

    This presentation explores the landscape of trauma-informed work in higher education to give practitioners a basic understanding of the skills and science behind a trauma-informed approach. Using a systems theory lens, this session provides a foundational understanding of trauma and explores the intersection between trauma and stressors unique to the college environment, such as academic pressure, financial insecurity, social isolation, and campus climate challenges. Grounded in research, including an introduction to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study, participants will gain insight into the landscape of trauma from a systemic perspective with a goal of understanding how trauma impacts learning, behavior, and retention.

Membership Meetings

5:00 - 6:00 PM

  • Upper Crust- Shrapshire

  • Crawford South/Central

  • Shamokin

  • Friday, November 7th

Organization Leadership Meetings

Friday 8:00 - 9:00 AM

  • Shenandoah

  • No meeting scheduled

  • Rockfish

Graduate Student Symposium

9:15 - 11:00 AM

Session 4 & 5

  • Session 4 (9:15 - 10:00 am)

    Shenandoah

    Presenter: Gavin Wilkerson, Cassie McGhee, Brian Larson, Dr. Krystal Allen

    Transitioning from graduate school to the professional world can be both exciting and overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone! Join a panel of student affairs professionals, from recent graduates to senior leaders, as they share insights on navigating the practicum search, building meaningful professional relationships, balancing self-care, and making the most of your grad experience. The session will wrap up with an open Q&A where you can gain real-world advice and ask your own questions about thriving during and after graduate school.

  • Session 4 (9:15 - 10:00 am)

    Rockfish

    Presenter: Tyler Dillon

    This session will support graduate students and new professionals looking to prepare for their job search in the higher education arena. We will cover how to be successful in the process from creating your first resume all the way through finding success in the offer negotiation process. Come learn how to be confident in your job search and how interview preparation can be your biggest tool as a high quality candidate navigating the application process.

  • Session 5 (10:15 - 11:00 am)

    Shenandoah

    Presenter: Lydia Storey

    Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, but what if you had a 24/7, no-judgment coach who never gets tired of your “Tell me about yourself” answer? In this session, student affairs professionals will learn how to turn ChatGPT into a free, on-demand interview prep partner. We’ll explore how to feed it real job postings to create personalized practice questions, use it to uncover what’s really behind interview prompts, and discover other creative ways AI can level up your professional toolkit. Expect live demos, quick challenges, and a few “wow, I didn’t know it could do that” moments. Whether you’re job searching now or planning for the future, this session will show how AI can become your ultimate career-coaching partner.

  • Session 5 (10:15 - 11:00 am)

    Rockfish

    Presenter: Monique Williams

    Graduate Assistants (GAs) serve as the next generation of professionals, and the quality of their supervision directly impacts their career readiness, confidence, and trajectory. Drawing from the presenter’s lived journey from Graduate Assistant to Director, this session will highlight how Graduate Assistants can maximize their assistantship experience as a foundation for future roles, as well as how supervisors can move beyond task management to mentorship, accountability, and professional skill-building.

Learning Experience Block #4

Friday 9:15 - 10:00 AM

  • Presenter: Justin Tarbell & Sandrine Sutphin

    Shamokin

    The mid-level manager role in student affairs is unique and complex, often serving as the crucial link between departmental leadership and frontline staff. This roundtable discussion is designed to be a collaborative and supportive space for professionals to share their experiences, challenges, and successful strategies for thriving in this pivotal role. We will explore common pain points, such as managing up and down, navigating change, and fostering professional growth in a team. Unlike a traditional presentation, this session will be driven by attendee participation, encouraging open and honest dialogue about the day-to-day realities of mid-level leadership. This roundtable discussion will be led by a mid-level professional and an upper mid-level professional who work in Residential Life & Housing at Virginia Commonwealth University. We hope that participants will leave with a stronger professional network and a collection of practical ideas from their peers to implement in their own practice. This program will be facilitated as a roundtable.

  • Presenter: Emily Gerst

    Upper Crust

    Conflict is an inevitable part of life on campus (and beyond). Yet most people avoid it, let it build up and only address it when it can no longer be ignored, inadvertently getting trapped in bad conflict that leaves everyone frustrated, disconnected, and drained. While conflict may never become fun, it can become good and transformational for you and for your students. Led by William & Mary’s director of conflict resolution & education, this session will focus on practical tools and skills that you can use in a wide range of conflict scenarios. This interactive session includes lots of discussion, time for questions, and applying skills to real scenarios. Whether you directly mediate student conflict, coach students to resolve their conflicts, or navigate interpersonal challenges in your own workplace, this session is for you!

  • Presenter: Rebecca Caldwell & Joe Wilder

    Piedmont

    In 2022, Virginia Tech sunset its residence life program and launched the Residential Well-Being (RWB) initiative to provide infrastructures to engage students in building inclusive communities, improving individual and community well-being, and finding meaningful campus engagement. The result is a matrixed model among six departments within Student Affairs who collaborate to supervise a care and concern model while promoting primary divisional strategic goals. Join us to hear about the joys, challenges, and messiness of partnership, the outcomes from the first three years of the RWB model, and what arriving at the fourth year of this new model looks like.

  • Presenters: Octavia Marsh

    Crawford

    In today's fast-paced, ever-evolving work environments, leaders and teams are challenged not only to keep up with the constant change, but to thrive within it. This dynamic session explores strategies for cultivating a harmonious workplace, where resilience, engagement, and collaboration thrive. Attendees will gain practical tools for recognizing and addressing burnout, navigating organizational and personal transitions, and cultivating a team culture that supports wellness, trust, and sustained impact. Through reflection and shared strategies, this session offers a roadmap for staying grounded, connected, and mission-driven - even in the midst of stress.

Learning Experience Block #5

Friday 10:15 - 11:00 AM

  • Presenter: Lauren Garrett

    Shamokin

    Supporting new students is a university-wide endeavor. Regardless of when and how you work with them, your processes play a crucial role in how they experience the mission and values of our communities. Join us in a conversation around how we can work together to cultivate a congruent and holistic new student community experience. This program will be facilitated

  • Presenter: Bri Yancey

    Upper Crust

    This presentation aims to address the current trends in hiring, retention, and job satisfaction seen across higher education within the past five years. Research shows that in the post-lockdown era, high turnover rates across institutions of higher education are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in areas such as Student Affairs and Residence Life. Using both national and state-wide data, this presentation provides an opportunity to discuss the most cited concerns from Student Affairs professionals, the root causes of high turnover, as well as possible solutions to contribute to a healthy campus climate. Professionals of all levels will take away data-driven strategies and solutions to better serve their staff, students, and themselves.

  • Presenter: Nancy Loosle and Cierra Womack

    Piedmont

    Today's college campuses are more generationally diverse than ever. This presentation explores how generational identity shapes a student’s college experience. Using examples, data, and interactive discussion, this session will help attendees understand generational differences and learn practical strategies to create more engaging and impactive student experiences. In addition to generational dynamics, we will also examine through the multigenerational lens identities and associated challenges they may face in navigating academic, social, and institutional environments.

  • Presenter: Colton Goodman & Emilee Duffy

    Crawford

    Housing and Residence Life (HRL) knows that learning communities can be a high impact practice. HRL has developed lasting partnerships with a multitude of academic departments across campus to ensure learning community students get the most out of their learning experience. Are the relationships built between housing and academic units strong enough to sustain successful learning community programs? Are HRL and academic departments understanding each other’s needs in a way that prioritizes learning community effectiveness and growth?  In this session, we will highlight the strategies that have helped create a sustainable and strong partnership between the Schar School of Policy and Government and Housing and Residential Life at Geroge Mason University. Attendees will hear how aspects of this partnership helps support students and the departments themselves. Additionally, attendees will see examples of these strategies to help inspire them to adapt them in their own programs.

Learning Experience Block #6

Friday 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

  • Presenter: Cassie McGhee

    Shamokin

    How much transition is too much transition? In the current landscape of higher education, commitment to our students, passion for the profession, and a call to serve can keep us in roles that might not necessarily be the right fit. When is it time to move on, and how do you tell? In this session, we talk about the factors that often influence a career shift, as well as share helpful strategies, coping mechanisms, and suggestions for building community.

  • Presenter: Clay Donoghue & Beth Dale

    Upper Crust

    Student Conduct and Residence Life often intersect in critical ways, from addressing policy violations in residential spaces to fostering educational and restorative outcomes for students. While the goals may be similar across campuses, institutional structures, available resources, and approaches to collaboration can look very different. This session brings together two conduct professionals from neighboring institutions to compare their models of partnership with Residence Life, highlighting both common challenges and unique practices. Participants will gain insights into how structural differences impact student support and will leave with adaptable strategies for enhancing collaboration between Conduct and Residence Life on their own campuses.

  • Presenter: Faith Suhre

    Piedmont

    Ever wondered how to make the most of your live-in compensation package? Do you find that the financial advice that your friends—who work in other professional fields—may follow just doesn’t seem relevant to you? This session is designed to help new housing professionals navigate the complexities of non-traditional compensation structures which include housing and meal plans. Attendees will learn practical budgeting techniques and financial goal-setting strategies specifically tailored for their live-on situation. Through interactive exercises, participants will develop actionable steps to align their spending with their priorities, establish mid-term and long-term goals, and reduce financial stress. By mastering these essential financial skills, you’ll be better equipped to thrive personally and professionally.

  • Presenter: Joe Wilder & Jenn Porche

    Crawford

    How do we move student leadership development into empowerment? This session highlights Virginia Tech’s Residential Well-Being (RWB) model, which emphasizes support, care, and collaboration as the foundation for student leader growth. Participants will explore how clear role expectations, intentional training, and embedded partnerships create a culture where student staff thrive. Through interactive discussions, we will compare strategies for training student leaders, identifying both strengths and growth areas across institutions. The presentation will outline RWB’s year-round training approach—including seminars, in-services, and collaborative sessions with campus partners—designed to promote care, connection, and skill development through active, differentiated learning. We will share outcomes supported by survey data, partner feedback, and lived experiences, offering a transparent look at both successes and ongoing challenges. Attendees will leave with practical ideas to adapt within their own contexts and a renewed vision for cultivating student leaders through care-centered practices.