Inspiring success and ensuring dreams are achieved at the 2023 CollegeSource Annual Conference
The 2023 CollegeSource Annual Conference was held at the stunning Loews Coronado Bay Resort on June 25-28 in San Diego, CA. After a few years of virtual and hybrid meetings, this year felt like we were really “back,” with over 230 attendees (130 attending for the first time) from 111 institutions across 33 states.
Each year we host this conference as an opportunity to gather together as a community of higher education professionals, our goal being to foster a positive atmosphere conducive to learning and collaborating, provide quality sessions that enhance customer success with products, build and strengthen client relationships, prioritize networking opportunities, all while keeping registration costs low. Based on the surveys we have received, we feel good about the experience our attendees had this year.
Here are a handful of the comments we received:
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- “This was my first time attending in person (did virtual during covid) & that evening meal and event on Tuesday night was wonderful! Staff were amazing, and everyone leaned in and had so much fun. It’s great to get opportunities to interact, learn new things and have a great time. CollegeSource definitely understands how to have some fun at a prof. Conference!”
- “This was by far the most fun I’ve had at a conference. Every staff member I spoke with was positive, ready to help, and really helped set the atmosphere. The evening events were great! Thank you for hosting us.”
- “The location was absolutely beautiful! We really enjoyed getting to know all of the CollegeSource team throughout the conference and learning from them. As first-time attendees, we felt very welcomed from the start and left feeling like we were leaving friends.”
Having people come up and tell us this is the “best conference ever” never gets old, and we work hard to ensure that is how everyone feels when it’s all over. Thank you to everyone who attended this year; it was an extraordinary week.
A fantastic gathering of the user community at the 2023 CollegeSource Annual Conference.
Conference highlights
This year our conference theme was “No Dream Left Behind.” Our incredible CEO, Kerry Cooper, delivered a passionate and purpose-filled opening keynote about our shared beliefs, encouraging everyone to use their time at the conference to renew their commitment to student success.
Here is an excerpt of her remarks:
“Our belief in supporting student success extends beyond offering cutting-edge technology solutions; it lies at the very core of our purpose. By developing tools that streamline your processes and grant you more time to advise students directly, our shared belief in carrying that same light of guidance and opportunity is working to create a brilliant future. Our dedication to this mission has led us to collaborate with educators like you, who make a positive impact on students’ lives daily. We share a unique responsibility, one that illuminates the path for countless lives filled with growth and opportunity; this responsibility is the light that we all carry. As the torchbearers for future generations, each time we aid a student in their academic progression, our collective light shines brighter.”
Attendees could learn best practices and tips & tricks from not only CollegeSource staff but also their peers.
Sessions & networking
This year was especially exciting, as we got to introduce major feature releases across all of our product lines, including uAchieve 5.0 with a new Planner and TES Mode. We offered 4 pre-conference sessions, 2 of which were part of our certification program (TES Administrator Certification and uAchieve Basic Encoding Bootcamp); 45+ concurrent sessions; networking events like the first-time attendee meet and greet and networking lunch; and many fun things like yoga, spin class, Wizard bar, and even a paper plane throwing competition!
To say attendees were engaged would be an understatement. When sessions were underway, the rooms were full of attentive people, and the hallways and outdoor spaces (with their tempting, breathtaking views) were empty. During networking events, like the crowd-favorite Wizard Bar and Networking Lunch, attendees eagerly discussed ideas and connected with one another.
Sourcie awards
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 recognized:
California Baptist University (led by Jessica and Transcript & Records Analyst team) for successfully transforming their transfer guides using group reports in TES, resulting in improved accessibility and efficiency for stakeholders, including Admissions counselors, transcript evaluators, and students, while integrating with Transferology enhanced their transfer practices.
California State University Fresno, Harding University, Ozarks Technical Community College, and Portland State University for being exceptional development partners and for their invaluable feedback, dedication, collaboration, and engagement that resulted in a robust academic planning solution that caters to the diverse requirements of the CollegeSource user community.
You can read more about this year’s winners or view a list of past winners.
Various networking activities offered attendees plenty of opportunities to learn and connect in San Diego.
2024 Annual Conference
We will be offering passes to watch the 2023 session recordings. More information about that will be released soon.
It may be hard to imagine, but planning for the next conference begins immediately. As always, we will pore over our notes and attendee surveys to ensure next year is even better. The location and details for 2024 are being determined, and we will share a Save the Date reminder once it is confirmed.
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 how you can Level up with training courses, certifications, and mentorships! to get an overview of the fall training options.
Visual recap
On our Facebook page, you can check out the 2023 CollegeSource Annual Conference photo album and watch our Facebook Live videos, which capture our unforgettable week.
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