Top 5 Reasons to Propose an NCAN 2021 Conference Workshop

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By Jamese Carrell, Member Services Associate, and Elizabeth Morgan, Director of External Relations

If you haven’t heard by now, the 2021 NCAN National Conference, “Rebuilding for Postsecondary Equity: Rising to the Challenge,” will be virtual. We believe in prioritizing the health of our staff, members, and constituents and plan to return to an in-person conference in 2022.

Although virtual, with your participation and proposal submissions, we will once again host a conference with timely and high-quality workshop sessions.

Here’s why you should submit a conference proposal:

1. Reach NCAN’s largest-ever conference audience.

Last year we had a recording-breaking attendance of 1,299 professionals. Wow! The virtual conference expanded access and reach that wasn’t available before. The lower registration cost and no need to travel meant more folks could attend than when the conference is in person. NCAN 2020 also achieved outstanding engagement and satisfaction: More than 95% of survey respondents said the conference met or exceeded their expectations.

2. Hone your presentation and storytelling skills.

As a wise person once said, there is no better way to learn something than to teach it to others. Your work to craft a compelling and educational presentation will pay off in many ways, perhaps by better supporting colleagues that you supervise or communicating clearly with partners or supporters. And public speaking is key professional development skill.

3. Give back to the field and cause you love.

NCAN was founded in order to share effective practices among communities around the country. We know from experience, whether it’s hearing from a CBO in California or from an organization in your home state, that when we come together at conference, we learn new ideas, strategies and approaches to the work. Just last year, the talk of the town was FAFSA drive-ins that ignited a new energy and strategy to get FAFSAs completed.

4. Meet new colleagues and build your network.

For some, it’s tough to meet strangers at a conference, especially in a virtual setting. But as a workshop presenter you will have a (virtual) line of attendees wanting to connect with you after your session. Our conference platform allows conference goers to connect easily by scheduling one-on-one time or via instant messaging.

5. Give a presentation in your slippers.

Because we are keeping the conference virtual for 2021, you won’t have to spend time or money on travel or wear dress shoes. We all miss seeing one another in person, but we’ll take the silver linings where we can find them and look forward to NCAN’s 2022 conference in Atlanta.

We’re offering 52 workshop slots this year, and if we can’t accommodate all the good sessions during the conference, we’ll program as many as possible as NCAN member webinars during the rest of 2021-22. Be on the lookout for future blogs and emails that will offer tips for submitting a great workshop proposal and what to look forward to during our virtual conference.

💡 Submit an NCAN 2021 Workshop Proposal