Student Success Conference | Thriving in the Unknown
ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Our Annual Conference
The ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Student Success Conference is sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Division of Student Life and Enrollment Management.Ìý
Save the date: The Student Success Conference will take place Feb. 17, 2027.
This annual event is open to all staff and faculty and serves as an opportunity to:
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Engage in personal and professional developmentÌý
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Enhance and share student success practices across campus
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Connect with and learn from colleagues who are committed to maximizing the success of our students
Conference Proposals
Thriving in the Unknown
Today’s students are navigating a world defined by rapid change, uncertainty and evolving expectations. In parallel, all of us in higher education are navigating that same landscape.ÌýThriving in the Unknown challenges us to consider not only how we prepare students to succeed amid uncertainty, but how we must evolve our own approaches to student success to meet the moment.
We’re looking for the content of our conference to address how we as a community can:
- Build capacity to navigate change.ÌýExplore how we help students, faculty and staff develop the confidence, adaptability, resilience and agency to navigate uncertainty - academically, personally and professionally.
- Create conditions where every student can thrive.ÌýExamine the environments, relationships, practices and systems that foster belonging, well-being, engagement, innovation and academic success, particularly during moments of transition or uncertainty.
- Connect learning today to an uncertain tomorrow.ÌýConsider how we help students recognize and articulate the knowledge, skills and experiences they are developing—and prepare to apply them in careers, communities and futures that continue to evolve.
- Reimagine how we support student success.ÌýChallenge ourselves to adapt our own practices, partnerships, structures and use of data and technology to better meet changing student needs.Identifying ways that we are building inclusive practices that produce meaningful outcomes to elevate the student experience.Ìý
Conference proposal submissions will open Oct. 26, 2026.
Faculty and Staff Student Success Champion Awards
Conference Champion Team
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Lory-Ann Varela
Assistant Vice Provost, Office of Undergraduate Education
Executive Sponsor
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Joe ThomasÌý
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Division of Student Life
Executive Sponsor
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Dawn Folston
Project Manager, Academic Affairs
Executive Sponsor
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Dylan Dybedahl-West
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Enrollment Management
Executive Sponsor
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Scarlett Pontón de Dutton
Director of Campus Advising Initiatives & Strategy, Office of Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate Education & Advising Lead
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Colin Spaulding
Associate Director for Events, Division of Student Life
Logistics Lead
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Nash Albrecht
Assistant Director - Assessment & Program Review, Division of Student Life
Assessment Lead
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Meagan Goulian
Director of Student Life Communication & Marketing, Division of Student Life
Communication Lead
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Rachel Bryan
Accommodation Support Coordinator, Disability Services, Division of Student Life
Co-Chair of Awards Committee
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Suha Rabah
Associate Director of International Admissions, Enrollment Management
Co-Chair of Awards Committee
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Hilary Brenneman
Assistant Director, Conference Services, Division of Student Life
Co-Chair of Education Sessions Committee
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Sonia Adame Tarin
Coordinator of Scholarship Advising and Partnerships, Scholarship Office, Enrollment Management
Co-Chair of Education Sessions Committee
Conference Champion Roles
ÌýÌýExecutive Sponsors: Provides strategic oversight, resources and support to ensure the event aligns with student success initiatives, ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ priorities, and accreditation needs. They determine the overall budget, choose the leads, and provide the overarching vision for the ongoing conference.ÌýÌý
ÌýÌýLogistics Lead: Ensures the facilities and materials needed for the conference are in place. They work closely with other committees to ensure the appropriate space and setup for each element of the conference achieve the goal.
ÌýÌýCommunication Lead: Led by Student Life Communication, this person will work toward marketing all aspects of the conference, including the call out for committees, volunteers, ed sessions, awards, general marketing of the event via campus channels, along with any swag or branded materials. This person leads the registration process of the conference and maintains virtual and print materials for the conference and works closely with other committees to provide up-to-date information.Ìý
ÌýÌýAssessment Lead: This person works to collect and analyze data each year to inform quality and educational improvement of the conference over the year, both from volunteer leader/committee perspectives and participants. They work to integrate learning outcomes with overarching campus goals and accreditation needs.
ÌýÌýEnrollment Management Lead: In addition to fully participating in conference planning activities, this person serves as the primary liaison to the enrollment management community (admissions, financial aid, scholarships, bursar, precollege, registrar) to ensure participation and representation from those areas.
ÌýÌýUndergraduate Education & Advising Lead: In addition to fully participating in conference planning activities, this person serves as the primary liaison to the advising community, the OUE community, and the faculty community to ensure participation and representation from those groups.Ìý