Registration Form
Submit a Proposal
College students experience many changes and transitions throughout their undergraduate years. As educators, we must provide support for the entire undergraduate experience - from the transition into college through graduation. The 16th National Conference on Students in Transition focuses on this wide range of experiences including the first college year, the sophomore year, the senior year, and the transfer transition. Attendees have the opportunity to share with and learn from each other the latest trends, initiatives, best practices, ideas, research, and assessment strategies focused on supporting student success in these and other transitions. We invite you to be a part of this exciting learning experience!
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Brigham Young University
Salt Lake City Community College
University of Utah
Utah Valley University
Westminster College
Educators interested in the college student experience from the first year through graduation, the collegiate curriculum, and innovative pedagogies impacting the undergraduate student should attend. Graduate and undergraduate students are also encouraged to attend and participate in conference sessions.
The conference typically has a wide variety of session topics, but many sessions focus on the following four themes: (a) sophomore issues, (b) the transfer student experience, (c) the senior year, and (d) the first-year of college. However, proposals are invited that highlight any student group that might have unique transition experiences.
Marcy Shankman
Marcy Levy Shankman has been training and consulting in leadership development and organizational effectiveness with higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, and high schools since 1998. Shankman co-authored the recently released Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide for College Students (Jossey-Bass, 2008). She has also published two assessments: the EI Profile: An Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment (2003) and the EI Full Spectrum, a 360° evaluation tool (2005). Shankman applies her unique insights and capabilities to deliver meaningful and lasting impact for individuals and organizations interested in improving their effectiveness. In her consulting practice, she specializes in strategic planning, designing and facilitating leadership retreats, and presenting on topics related to leadership, including emotional intelligence and generational cohorts. Shankman teaches as a Presidential Fellow for the SAGES program at Case Western Reserve University and in the Brain Leadership Program at Baldwin-Wallace College. Since 1996, she has served as a Lead Facilitator for LeaderShape, Inc. Prior to establishing her training and consulting practice, Shankman held professional positions with the Indiana University, the Hillel Foundation, and the University of Iowa.
Lee Cuba
Lee Cuba is professor of sociology at Wellesley College and currently serves as the Principal Director of the New England Consortium on Assessment and Student Learning, a longitudinal study of the Class of 2010 involving seven selective liberal arts colleges funded by the Teagle, Spencer and Andrew W. Mellon Foundations. This collaboration seeks to better understand the intellectual, social, and personal engagement of students as they progress through college. In addition to faculty appointments in the sociology department, he has held a variety of administration positions at the college: chair of the sociology department, associate director of the Writing Program, associate dean of the college, and dean of the college. As dean, Cuba led the faculty in a revision of the Wellesley curriculum, shaped and expanded experiential learning opportunities for students, and led strategic reviews of a number of issues important to the college: the role of instructional technology, the impact of electronic discourse, the honor code, multicultural education and faculty development through the life cycle. Cuba's research is concerned with the acquisition and meaning of place identities, with a particular focus on how migrants come to feel at home in new places. More recently, he has turned his attention to how college students acquire a sense of "at-homeness" on their campuses.
Lunch is included with all preconference workshops.
W-1 Retention Strategies for At-Risk, First-Time-in-College and Transfer Students: Using a Data-Driven Approach to Identify Target Populations and Assess Intervention Programs Friday, November 6, 2009 <> 8:00 am - 12:00 noon <> $135
DeLaine Priest, Associate Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Services; Charlene A. Stinard, Director of Transfer and Transition Services; Bernadette M.E. Jungblut, Assistant Director of Assessment and Planning for Student Development and Enrollment Services (SDES) and the McNair Scholars Program Faculty-in-Residence - University of Central Florida
How does the academy identify and use targeted intervention programming for at-risk, first-time-in-college students (FTICs) and transfer students confronting retention failure? This data-driven session examines retention challenges for specific sub-groups of FTICs and transfer students, the results of programs designed to address those challenges, and the transferability and scalability of these experiences to different campus communities. This workshop engages participants in a three-dimensional mapping of data and findings with reference to at-risk students, program options, and institutional contexts. Attendees will devise at least three retention strategies for implementation in their respective campus communities.
W-2 Permeating Career Development into the Undergraduate Student Experience: Connecting Theory and Practice Friday, November 6, 2009 <> 9:00 am - 12:00 noon <> $125
Leon C. Book, Director, Student Transitions & First-Year Experience - Southeast Missouri State University; Paul Gore, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology - University of Utah
Presenters briefly review career development theory to establish a baseline for subsequent activities and discussions. They demonstrate how institutions can connect theory and practice in order to infuse career development into students' undergraduate experiences to facilitate successful transitions into, through, and out of academic programs. They provide models of successful programs, including one institution's efforts to connect the first-year seminar, career development, and liberal education so that students receive developmental career practice throughout their undergraduate experience. Workshop participants compare their institutional policies and practices against concepts and models presented to take away myriad ideas for consideration at their own institutions.
W-3 Effective Educational Practice in the First Year: What Works and Why in Hard Times and Beyond? Friday, November 6, 2009 <> 9:00 am - 4:00 pm <> $245
Betsy O. Barefoot, Co-Director - Policy Center on the First Year of College; Fellow, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition - University of South Carolina; John N. Gardner, Executive Director - Policy Center on the First Year of College; Senior Fellow, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition - University of South Carolina
For more than three decades, a significant investment has been made by many colleges and universities to improve the beginning college experience. But funds spent have often not yielded expected returns in student learning and retention. In this workshop, the presenters will explore the question, "What works in the first year and why... or why not?" What are we currently doing to improve the first year, and what should we be doing? How do we continue to move forward even in a financial downturn? The presenters will draw from recent research findings and provide a variety of examples of effective educational practice, especially those that can be implemented at low or no cost. Participants will be challenged to reflect on the first year on their own campuses and to consider the overriding intellectual questions- What might constitute an excellent beginning college experience on my campus? and What initiatives are making a positive difference in the first year and what challenges remain?
W-4 Pedagogy 2.0: Active Learning Strategies that Engage Millennial Learners Friday, November 6, 2009 <> 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm <> $135
Brad Garner, Assistant Dean for Teaching and Learning - Indiana Wesleyan University
The lecture is a standard feature of most higher education classrooms. It is also arguably the least effective means of engaging students in their own learning. The result is a prevalent malady common to college students around the world: Lecture Induced Mind Paralysis. This workshop will focus on a variety of active learning techniques. Learning outcomes include: identifying the challenges and limitations of the lecture as a teaching technique, thinking about alternate ways of conceptualizing lesson design, learning a variety of teaching and assessment strategies that actively engage millennial students in their own learning, and making a commitment to try at least one strategy in their own classroom within the next month.
W-5 Assessing Student Transition Programs: Developing a Comprehensive Plan Friday, November 6, 2009 <> 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm <> $135
John W. Lynch, Area Director, Residence Life and Housing; Benjamin M. Perlman, Area Director, Residence Life and Housing - Emory University
Trying to demonstrate the effectiveness of your program? This workshop will discuss ways to assess and report data about your programs and initiatives. Presenters will review assessment methods used to measure student learning outcomes and describe assessment plans from different types of institutions. Activities will include discussing and developing the beginnings of their own assessment projects and a comprehensive assessment plan for their office. This workshop will be useful for professionals working in a variety of practice areas and appeal to professionals who are currently pursuing assessment projects and to those who have never completed a project before.
W-6 Degreeconomics: Transitioning to a Value-Added Senior-Year Experience Friday, November 6, 2009 <> 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm <> $135
Joan E. Leichter Dominick, Senior-Seminar Course Coordinator - Kennesaw State University; Dan Doerr, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs; Director of Senior Transition and Engagement Programs - University of Connecticut
In these tough economic times, celebrating commencement can be a challenging endeavor for our college seniors. How can we best help them to make the transition out of college? This workshop explores new and innovative ways to view the senior-year experience as a value-added opportunity for graduating seniors and institutions. Some of the solutions participants will explore include new Web 2.0 technologies for networking our graduating seniors to career and global citizenship opportunities, innovative approaches for college portfolio development, online and hybrid delivery of senior-year experience transition seminars and programs, and a campus environment that promises and celebrates a shared vision of senior success. Participants will develop intentional plans for their institutions and have the opportunity to share their best practices.
The National Resource Center invites online proposal submissions. Concurrent session, roundtable discussion, poster session, and exhibitor presentation proposals are invited on topics addressing a wide range of student transitions.
Proposal Deadline Proposals must be received by July 13, 2009
Selection Criteria Program proposals will be reviewed for selection based on appropriateness and consistency with the conference focus, timeliness of session topic, creativity of approach, demonstration of expertise by presenters, appropriateness to session format, and ability to engage the audience.
For more information on session types and submitting an online proposal, visit our web site at www.sc.edu/fye/events/sit/proposal/html . The proposal form can be faxed to you upon request. If you have any questions as you complete this form, contact Shana Harrison at scharri2@mailbox.sc.edu or call (803) 576-6328.
In addition to the criteria mentioned, concurrent and poster proposals will be reviewed for selection based on evidence of assessment.
The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition invites applications for 2009-2010 Paul P. Fidler Research Grant. With a comprehensive award package, the grant will promote the development and dissemination of original research with the potential to have a national impact on college student success. The Center invites applicants to submit proposals addressing a variety of topics, including students of color, community colleges, advising, transfer and articulation, administrative policies, and other issues related to college student transitions. The author(s) of the winning grant proposal will be invited to receive the award at the 16th National Conference on Students in Transition.
Application Process The application and proposal form may be downloaded at www.sc.edu/fye/research/grant and must be submitted electronically to NRCrsrch@mailbox.sc.edu by July 1, 2009.
Salt Lake City combines the opportunities of a metropolitan area with the warm feel of a small, western town. Located in a mountain valley of the Wasatch Mountains, the city was founded in the mid-1800s by Mormon settlers. History and tradition provide a backdrop for a vibrant arts and outdoors scene. Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and hosts the Sundance Film Festival each year. The Salt Lake City region is known for its outdoor recreation, but also boasts great shopping, dynamic nightlife and entertainment options, along with rich history, traditions, and hospitality.
Conference Venue Marriott Salt Lake City Downtown 75 South West Temple Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 Reservations: (801)531-0800 or 1-800-228-9290 Guest Fax: (801)532-4127
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Marriott Salt Lake City Downtown at a special rate of $159 single/double occupancy plus tax. Reservations must be made by October 14, 2009 to receive this special rate. After this date, reservations are accepted on a space-available basis and may not be available at the conference rate. Additionally, once the room block is filled, we cannot guarantee the room rate will be available. Specify "Students in Transitions Conference" when making reservations.
Discount Airfares American Airlines is offering a convention discount of 5% off of applicable coach and first-class fares. To obtain this discount, call American Airlines Meeting Services Desk at 800-433-1790 and refer to Authorization Number STARfile A23N9AA (National Conference on Students in Transition).
