Member Login
Search

Annual Conference Call for Proposals

The Marquette Minneapolis Hotel
November 20 - 22, 2024

The Midwest Association of Colleges & Employers (Midwest ACE) Annual Conference Committee will start accepting breakout session proposals later this spring. The conference will include a variety of breakout session tracks. The Program Committee will work to balance current, critical topics along with meeting the needs of our membership to further grow as leaders and managers in our corporate and institutional environments. Our mission is to craft a program that addresses the needs of career services and employer professionals. 

Proposals related to the conference theme and tracks are encouraged, as well as those related to current “hot topics”, such as alumni and mentoring programs, career development, diversity & inclusion, new technology, professional development, and recruitment at smaller institutions and community colleges, etc. Please note that your proposal does not need to be a program or initiative with a record of success. We want to hear what you are doing right now, including any new programs or services you are offering, or any collaborative efforts you have in place to enhance our profession.

The deadline for submitting proposals: May 30

Session Topics

We are especially focused on the following topics: 

  • Administration
  • Assessment and Data Analytics
  • Career Advising/Counseling
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Employer
  • Employer Relations
  • Experiential Education
  • Personal / Professional Development
  • Small Colleges and Universities
  • Technology

To read more detail about the session topics, click here.

Sessions must be noncommercial in nature. To maintain the educational integrity of the program, presenters may not use their session as a platform for promotion of their products and services, or for monetary gain.

Session Formats:

Hot Topics: Hot Topic discussions let participants dip quickly into up to four topics in an open environment for idea sharing, benchmarking and guided discussion. Hot Topic / Roundtable hosts/moderators will facilitate discussion and have talking points already established, but not make a formal presentation. Hot Topic participants will share contact information for the purpose of recieving post discussion materials.

Breakout Session: These one-hour sessions can take various forms, from a single presenter or panel presentation to a facilitated networking discussion. The length of one hour gives time for a more in-depth exploration of a topic.

 What you need to submit:

  • Presenter CVs and Bios
  • Session Title
  • Session Description (200 word max)
  • Brief Description for Conference App (75 word max)
  • Learning Objective (Minimum 1, Applies to Breakout Session submissions only)

Tips for Submitting a Proposal

Give it time - A good proposal takes time to create! Set aside a few hours to review past proposals, draft out your presentation outline, and craft your title and session description.

Tailor your sessions - Increase your chances of being selected by aligning with one of our topics above and think about a format that involves the audience and stimulates discussions (instead of straight lecture).

Make it Catchy - The title and description you create now will be listed in the app and program, so consider the audience, topic area and relevance to your presentation. Use action verbs and results-oriented words. Your title must be both attention-grabbing and give a good description of your session.

Share Takeaways - Think about the learning outcomes. What information will attendees learn? What new insights will you cultivate? What best practices or how-to’s will you share? Answer the following:
“By attending this session, attendees will gain…

Review past program topics - Click on this link to access past Annual Conference programs to see what topics have been selected in the past.

Additional Information

  • Presentations are expected to stick closely to what is proposed on this form. 
  • Presenters will not be compensated.
  • Midwest ACE will provide accepted presenters of break-out sessions with a projector and screen, laptop and microphone. 

FAQs

Who can submit a proposal?

Anyone who has a relevant topic to share! We’ve had submissions from graduate assistants, faculty, career counselors, vice president's, directors, recruiters and more.

Where is the 2024 Annual Conference?

The Marquette Minneapolis Hotel
November 20 - 22, 2024

How long should my presentation be?

Break-out sessions are 60 minutes.

When are proposals due?

May 30, 2024

When will I know if my proposal was accepted?

You will be notified in June of 2024 on the status of your proposal.

Who should I contact with additional questions?

Please contact MWACE Headquarters at [email protected].