A week of collaborative learning with actionable takeaways at the 2024 CollegeSource Annual Conference
The CollegeSource Annual Conference wrapped up last month, leaving attendees energized and brimming with ideas to tackle the challenges presented by the ever-evolving landscape of higher education. Held in San Diego, CA, at the Bahia Resort Hotel on June 17-20, the conference brought together 227 professionals (127 of which were first-time attendees) from institutions across the country with a whopping 4569 combined years in higher education! While the conference focused on empowering attendees to maximize their use of TES, Transferology, and uAchieve, it also provided opportunities to meet with our staff, network with peers, share processes and feedback, and boost knowledge to bring back to their campuses.
With a vibrant, exciting 70s theme running throughout the conference, attendees could see firsthand why CollegeSource is “Where the Action Is.” From groovy decor and swag to retro session topics and activities, this immersive experience showcased the spirit of innovation that has driven CollegeSource since its founding in 1971. Check out photos from the conference by visiting our Facebook page.
The amazing user community engaging in sessions and activities at the 2024 CollegeSource Annual Conference in San Diego, CA.
Here is what attendees told us they liked most about the conference this year:
-
- “It is the highest impact conference that I attend each year. As our system’s product owner, the conference provides me with the information and networking I need to assess the horizon.”
- “The community and amount of knowledge and expertise the teams brought. I loved all the theme-related activities and swag. The mixer and theme party were amazing. Honestly just the sense of community – everyone was welcoming and friendly and really just happy to talk about their products and connect.”
- “This was my first time attending and I enjoyed it tremendously! You all were so organized, kind, and informative. I especially enjoyed meeting staff from CollegeSource and making connections with folks from other institutions.”
- “I appreciated the number of user presentations this year. I felt it encouraged more networking and client-to-client chats since we learned more from others how they are using the products from their presentations. I always appreciate how friendly and kind the CollegeSource staff is, and it makes the whole conference experience more enjoyable. It doesn’t matter who you talk to, from product reps and staff I talk to on a regular basis, marketing team, development team, leadership like Kerry and Troy, or staff I am meeting for the first time – everyone is wonderful and a joy to be around.”
- “I loved the location and the energy. Everyone was so excited to learn from one another. CollegeSource fosters a fun environment that is welcoming and allowed me to jump right in!”
The 2024 CollegeSource Annual Conference was action-packed with learning and networking opportunities for users.
Key highlights of the conference
Networking
The conference provided a unique opportunity for advisors, registrars, admissions officers, and other higher education professionals to meet new people and reconnect with familiar colleagues. They shared best practices, exchanged ideas, and built valuable relationships throughout the week, especially at social events like the First-time Attendee Meet & Greet, Welcome Mixer, Dinner with the Client Advisory Board (CAB), and the ‘Where the Action Is’ Beach Bash with dinner and live entertainment. Additionally, attendees were provided a two-hour Networking Lunch where they discussed topics of interest and had the opportunity to schedule 1:1 appointments with our resident CollegeSource ‘Wizards’ who have expertise in various areas.
Training and customer presentations
The conference provided four concurrent breakouts each hour so users could choose between various topics and knowledge levels. CollegeSource staff led informative sessions designed to help attendees gain new skills and enhance their use of the products. Beginner sessions, like product demonstrations and recent updates, and intermediate and advanced topics, like product integrations and in-depth looks at features and functionality, were offered.
The conference also featured presentations and panels from over 30 users! These sessions allowed attendees to learn from real-world examples of how other institutions use CollegeSource products to achieve increased student success. Many thanks to our customers who took the stage to share their knowledge and tips.
Pre-conference and certifications
To fully maximize the conference week, 55 attendees took advantage of the intensive pre-conference sessions on uAchieve and certification opportunity tracks for TES Administrator, Transferology Administrator (NEW!), and uAchieve Encoding Boot Camp. All three of the tracks provided a deep dive into their respective products, with TES and Transferology users achieving certification by the end of the conference week and uAchieve Encoding Boot Campers successfully completing a requirement toward uAchieve Degree Audit Encoder certification. Extra kudos to the Transferology Administrator participants who became the first-ever certified cohort for the nationwide transfer network.
CollegeSource Keynote
The CollegeSource Keynote session was kicked off by Alanna Fenton-Esquinas, VP of Sales & Marketing, who welcomed attendees and provided brief remarks on what to expect and how to get the most out of the week. CEO Kerry Cooper followed with inspirational words on the current state of higher education as well as an appreciation for the dedication of our user community by stating, “No one can do what you do, and often, you’re the only one in your position at your institution. Not only do we recognize and appreciate your roles within higher education, but we hope to help make your job and days a little bit easier.” Troy Holaday, President of CollegeSource, then shared data points to illustrate the progress and growth that TES, Transferology, uAchieve, and the CollegeSource user community have experienced over the past year. Highlights include:
-
- TES – currently houses over 159 million courses (+6%) and 188K catalogs and is now used in all 50 states
- Transferology – over 33 million equivalencies, 1.1 million sessions (+18%), and 1.9 million match views (+13%)
- uAchieve – 64 million audits were processed, and over 36,000 degrees were found through Degree Discovery
Additional updates included the market share and recent enhancements for CollegeSource products.
Sourcie awards
The CollegeSource Best Practices Awards, also known as The Sourcies, honor exceptional schools, organizations, and professionals within the CollegeSource user community who have demonstrated remarkable achievements and best practices in leveraging CollegeSource products in transfer and degree achievement. This year, we congratulate our esteemed recipients: Kansas State University, Dena Lawrence of Illinois MyCreditsTransfer, and Kim Diawara of the University of Colorado Boulder. Learn more about the 2024 Sourcie winners.
Fitness action & blood drive
Getting the most out of the week goes beyond expanding the mind and incorporates our bodies and health. Many attendees stretched and reinvigorated at two yoga sessions: an evening session on the sunny bayside beach and a morning session in a lush, tranquil setting. For the first time ever, we also had runs led by CAB members who guided a group through the beautiful Mission Beach.
CollegeSource is proud to partner year after year with the San Diego Blood Bank since 2018 to host blood drives at our annual conference. This year, the bloodmobile bus made its way to the Bahia Resort Hotel and got a surprise appearance from team member Eric as the ‘Vampire!’ We collected 9 units that go toward helping 27 people in need. The donations help save lives in the community, so we greatly appreciate all who took the time to give blood.
See you next summer!
2025 CollegeSource Annual Conference
Mark your calendars and join us at the 2025 CollegeSource Annual Conference on June 16-19, 2025. The upcoming user gathering will be hosted again in San Diego, CA, at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, a stunning waterfront venue overlooking the Mission Bay marina. Registration will open before the end of the year, so be sure to keep an eye on the newsletter for more details.
The 2025 CollegeSource Annual Conference sets anchor at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego, CA, on June 16-19.
Planning for the conference is underway, and we are diligently reviewing your feedback to make the event the best experience possible. More information regarding the 2025 conference will become available on our website in the coming months. We hope to see you there!
In the meantime, we have many great training options to help you or new staff on your team get the most out of our solutions. Read about our training and certifications and register for a free introductory or topical webinar.
0 Comments