Please note: Conference sessions are subject to change.

Session Block 2

Session Location: Hancock Center 2005

Session Title: A Solution for a Flawed System: The SCOIR College Network

Session Description:

What if colleges could find students who are interested in their university and connect with them during the search process? What if students were more confident in their college choice, minimizing the gap between acceptance and enrollment, and reducing transfer rates? With the use of a College Network, we believe we can open the lines of communication during the college admissions process to find actionable answers and solutions to these questions and more. Join us during this session for an open discussion regarding these topics. Utilizing technology and innovation, see what SCOIR has already created for all constituents of the application process, discover the possibilities of a college admissions network, and see how SCOIR is already making it happen.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Gerry McCrory, SCOIR, Founder & CEO

Presenter 2: Lauren Hoyer, Content Marketing Manager, SCOIR

 

Session Location: Hancock Center 1020

Session Title: Addressing "Summer Melt": Counselor Perspectives on Successful Coach Interventions

Session Description:

The New Visions Bridge to College program utilizes a peer-driven model to decrease “summer melt”. College Counselors who have served as both program participants and College Coach supervisors will share insights on how to prepare to run a program successfully, and how to best utilize your College Coach.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Amy Perlow, College Access Consultant, New Visions for Public Schools

Presenter 2: Darlene Miller, College Counselor, HS for Public Service, NYCDOE

Presenter 3: Veronica Quinn, College Counselor, KAPPA  International High School, NYCDOE

Moderator: E. Lydell Carter, Senior Program Officer, New Visions for Public Schools

 

Session Location: Music Building 3202

Session Title: Building a Holistic Model of College and Career Readiness

Session Description:

This session will discuss ACT's Holistic Framework. We will discuss connecting Social and Emotional Learning and College and Career Readiness to build a holistic model for student success. Attendees will learn about resources for assisting students with Social Emotional Learning and ways to help students prepare for the ACT.

Conference Track: Secondary Counseling Best Practices

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Sean Corcoran, State Lead, ACT

 

 

Session Location: Music Building 4001

Session Title: Challenges in the Admissions Process

Session Description:

While the process of applying is easier than ever before many questions remain for students and counselors regarding what colleges expect on those applications. What are the additional factors considered? Does demonstrated interest matter? Does diversity matter in admissions anymore?

Conference Track: The State of Higher Education

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Emmanuel Cruz, Assistant Director of Admissions, SUNY Oswego

Presenter 2: Michael DiPiazza, Director of Admission and Recruitment, Assumption College

Presenter 3: Janeale Gottlieb-George, Director, Upward Bound, George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Presenter 4: Bryan Rothstein, Director of Undergraduate Admission, Iona College

 

 

Session Location: Music Building 3201

Session Title: Context Matters, and So Do Relationships

Session Description:

Relationships with our colleagues on the other side of the desk don’t just make our work more rewarding; they are vital to helping us do our jobs well. In this session, join the discussion and take away some new ideas that will make the work you do more meaningful.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Tim Kelly, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, Northeastern University

Presenter 2: Jeff Bates, Director of College Counseling and 12^th Grade Dean, Rye Country Day School

Presenter 3: Erin Lyman, College Counselor, Northfield Mount Hermon School

Presenter 4: Stephanie Espina, Director of Freshman Admissions, Adelphi University

 

 

Session Location: Hancock Center 2023

Session Title: Demystifying the CSS Profile

Session Description:

Join us as we discuss the CSS Profile. Financial aid administrators will debunk myths about the CSS Profile and provide information on new features. Hear how school and CBO counselors support students and families in submitting the form and how admission counselors communicate why the CSS Profile is required.

Conference Track: Financial Aid

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Cassie Magesis, Director of College Access and Success, The Urban Assembly

Presenter 2: Ashley Bianchi, Director of Financial Aid, Lafayette College

Presenter 3: Michael Iorio, Director of Admission Recruitment, Saint Anselm College

 

 

Session Location: Student Center 3102-3103

Session Title: Don’t Get Jaded! Gain New Strategies for Challenging Support Staff

Session Description:

Lack of motivation, bad hires, rule-breakers, drama, not team players? Despite all the hiring, planning and training, learn how to troubleshoot when things go wrong with volunteers and student workers. Join our presentation and following group discussion surrounding these topics. Let’s talk about the bad, but focus on the good.

Conference Track: Post-Secondary Admission Challenges

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Jovan Ellis, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions, Champlain College

Presenter 2: Carrie LaBarr, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Clarkson University

Presenter 3: Bill Jack, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, University of Maine at Farmington

Presenter 4: Lauren Turenne, Assistant Director of Admissions, Central Connecticut State University

 

 

Session Location:  Lowell Thomas Communications Center 020

Session Title: Explain Fully on a Separate Sheet: the Special Circumstances Essay

Session Description:

How do you help a student who has the right academic credentials, but had a problem that requires further explanation? Colleges can be forgiving of arrests, suspensions, a history of substance abuse, etc. when the student owns the problem and explains the recovery fully and persuasively.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Hanna Stotland, Admissions Consultant, Independent

 

 

Session Location: Lowell Thomas Communications Center 027

Session Title: How do early admissions plans impact underrepresented students?

Session Description:

As more institutions rely on early admissions plans, there is a growing concern about the impact on historically underrepresented students. We would like to have an open discussion on the merits and challenges of early admissions plans as they relate to our underserved and underrepresented students.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity                       

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Marie Nocella, Assistant Director of Admissions and Multicultural Coordinator, Siena College

Presenter 2: Luis Barceló, Counselor, Pelham Memorial High School

Presenter 3: Danny Tejada, Director of College Counseling, CollegeBound Initiative, Longwood Preparatory Academy/Holcombe L. Rucker School of Community Research

 

 

Session Location: Hancock Center 1021

Session Title: Increasing Success for Two- to Four-Year Transfer Students

Session Description:

Graduate NYC's research fellow conducted a year-long qualitative study of transfer students that yielded six primary recommendations for colleges to increase transfer student success. We would like to present these findings and provide examples of low and high resource solutions that improve the experience of transfer students. We will also discuss other efforts and pilot programs that GNYC is supporting to increase completion rates for this population

Conference Track: Transfer

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Melissa Herman, Program Officer, Graduate NYC

Presenter 2: Christina Ciocca Eller, Doctoral Candidate, Columbia University

 

 

Session Location: Student Center, Cabaret

Session Title: Maintaining Major League Talent: Strategies to Scoring a Winning Team

Session Description:

Led by a team of “coaches” and student-run Executive Board of “team captains,” the Lexington League serves to INSPIRE, LEAD, & RECRUIT prospective college candidates and new team players. Through this presentation, the League will share their personal insights & experiences in the development of a successful, dynamic, Ambassador Program

Conference Track: Marketing and Recruitment

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Estrella Redondo, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Baruch College - CUNY

Presenter 2: Kristin Predicone, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Baruch College - CUNY

Presenter 3: Keith Geraldino, Admissions Recruiter, Baruch College - CUNY

 

 

Session Location: Lowell Thomas Communications Center 019

Session Title: NYSACAC Behind the Scenes: How does it really work?

Session Description:

Interested in learning more about NYSACAC? Executive-Board members will discuss how the Association is organized, what programming is offered (beyond the conference), how the Association is affiliated with NACAC, ways to become involved and more. They will explain how the Association functions and share the work that happens year-round.

Conference Track: College Admission Policy and Procedures

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Christine Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management, St. Joseph’s College

Presenter 2: Susan Davidson, Ed. M, Associate Director of College Counseling, Rye Country Day School

Presenter 3: Karen Archibee, Senior Admissions Counselor, SUNY Oswego       

 

 

Session Location: Student Center 3104-3105

Session Title: Preparing for College Success: Challenging the National Retention Rates

Session Description:

Come find out ways to ensure our students have a smooth academic and social/emotional transition from High School to College. What are high schools doing to help students become more College & Career Ready? What are colleges doing to prevent summer melt and keep students happy and successful in college?

Conference Track: Retention, Completion, and Success    

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Patrick Doyle, School Counselor, Garden City High School

Presenter 2: Natasha Khan, School Counselor, Garden City High School

Presenter 3: Kimberly Harvey, Ed.D. Director of Admissions, SUNY Geneseo

Presenter 3: Kristen Capezza, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Adelphi University

Moderator: Gina Christel, Director of Guidance, Garden City Public Schools

 

 

Session Location: Hancock Center 2019

Session Title: Preparing Low-Income Students for a PWI

Session Description:

Being a low-income student at a PWI is not easy, yet many students are pushed to apply to these schools. This session will break down the challenges many high-need students face at how both sides of the desk can work together to better prepare students to face these challenges.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Aaron Ray, Assistant Director (Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program), Skidmore College

Presenter 2: Zee Santiago, College and Career Planning Manager, New York City Department of Education

Presenter 3: Taaha Mohamedali, Director of College Attainment, The Academy Group

Presenter 4: Beth Davis, Assistant Director of Admissions, Temple University

 

 

Session Location: Student Center 3101

Session Title: The Importance of Campus Visits and Current Trends in Admissions

Session Description:

When today’s students visit college campuses, they expect a mobile experience that is engaging. This panel will explore how some colleges are modernizing their campus visit programs to meet the needs of a new generation. We’ll discuss what students are saying, how to monitor visiting data, and interpret the analytics.           

Conference Track: Marketing and Recruitment

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Jose Flores, COO, VisitDays

Presenter 2: Sujoy Roy, CEO, VisitDays

Presenter 3: Lisa Sohmer, Independent Counselor, Sohmer College Counseling

 

 

Session Location: Hancock Center 2020

Session Title: The Postgraduate (PG) Year Explained aka "Ripening The Green Tomato"

Session Description:

Often misunderstood, the "postgraduate" or "PG" year has been around for half-a-century. This session will explore why a PG today is more important for today's generation.

 Covered:

 -Why should someone consider a PG year?

 -What are the benefits of taking ‘one more year’ to prepare for college?

 -Q+A.

Conference Track: Retention, Completion, and Success

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Chris Webb, Chief Enrollment & Advancement Officer, Bridgton Academy

Presenter 2: Don McMillan, CEO, McMillan Education

Presenter 3: James Ash, School Counselor, Needham High School (MA)

 

 

Session Location: Hancock Center 2017

Session Title: The Stigma of 13th Grade-Benefits of Community College Enrollment

Session Description:

This interactive presentation will cover the benefits of enrolling in a community college. Topics will include the recruitment of non-traditional students, workforce development and transferring to a four-year institution.

Conference Track: Marketing and Recruitment

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Dave Follick, Dean of Admissions, Nassau Community College

Presenter 2: Sarah White, Nursing Admissions Specialist, Connecticut Community Colleges

 

 

Session Location: Lowell Thomas Communications Center 021

Session Title: The Ultimate Balancing Act: Working Admissions While Pursuing Further Education

Session Description:

Are you considering pursuing another degree while working in Admissions? This panel will feature members of the college admission community who are currently pursuing further education in different programs. Join them as they share their personal experiences in choosing a program and managing their time between work and school.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Kelsey Mahoney, Assistant Director of Admissions, University of Saint Joseph

Presenter 2: Courtney Kipp, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions, Northeastern University

Presenter 3: Sydney Morgan, Admissions Counselor, Simmons College

 

 

 

Session Location: Lowell Thomas Communications Center 129

Session Title: Transparency in the Diversity Fly-in Program

Session Description:

Visiting a college campus is one of the most important aspects for a prospective student to determine “fit”. Diversity fly-in programs allow students to experience what campus is really like. As staff members, how do we portray our college environment in a positive, yet honest light?

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Katie Phung, Assistant Director of Admissions, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Presenter 2: Brenna Kelly, Assistant Director of Admissions & Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, College of the Holy Cross

Presenter 3: Emmanuel Tejeda, Associate Director of Admissions, University of Vermont

 

 

 

Session Location: Lowell Thomas Communications Center 133

Session Title: Utilizing Peers in College Access Work With Recent Immigrant Students

Session Description:

Working with recent immigrant students can pose unique challenges (and joys!) for college access professionals. This workshop will address how utilizing peer and near-peer mentors can help this population a more comprehensive understanding of the college access work and address socio-emotional through strategies, hands-on scenarios, and best practices.

Conference Track: Access and Opportunity

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Erin Dowding, College & Career Advisor, The Flushing International High School

Presenter 2: Liang Lin, Program Manager & College Advisor, The Flushing International High School

Presenter 3: Melissa Rivera, College Bridge Coach, The Flushing International High School

 

 

The following sessions are part of a 7-14-28 format. Sessions will be rapid fire at 7 minutes each.
Location: Student Center, Nelly Goletti Theatre (#31)

Session Location: Student Center, Nelly Goletti Theatre

Session Title: Don’t let shiny things distract you: Tips for working from home

Session Description:

Thinking about working from home? Do you want to be effective on reading days? In this interactive workshop, you’ll hear from seasoned admission professionals (and everyone they polled) on tips and best practices for an effective work-at-home life. Our goal is to provide real ideas you can implement right away!

Conference Track: Post-Secondary Admission Challenges

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Allison Sherlock, Regional Associate Director of Admission (MA), Saint Michael’s College

Presenter 2: Melissa Ward, Regional Associate Director of Admission (MD), Saint Michael’s College

 

 

Session Location: Student Center, Nelly Goletti Theatre

Session Title: From Policy to Reality: Early FAFSA/PPY Reflections from the Field

Session Description:

Early FAFSA and PPY are here to stay, but what has the impact been? We’ll examine national data trends to identify the significance of these changes. Presenters will reveal financial aid best practices and provide attendees with insight and practical recommendations to inform their work with students and families.

Conference Track: Financial Aid

Audience: High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: Claire Dennison, Senior Vice President of Advising, uAspire

Presenter 2: Amy Christie, Senior Director, College Access and Success, Team College, Achievement First

 

 

 

Session Location: Student Center, Nelly Goletti Theatre

Session Title: It's More than Financial Aid: Articulating the Value Proposition

Session Description:

In a changing landscape where financial aid and affordability have become the cornerstone of enrollment conversations, how do institutions flip the focus from price to their unique value?

Conference Track: Marketing and Recruitment

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Donna Shaffner, AVP of Enrollment Management, Utica College

Presenter 2:  Austin Brass, Associate Director of Admissions, Utica College

 

 

Session Location: Student Center, Nelly Goletti Theatre

Session Title: Outreach on a Budget

Session Description:

From emails to mailers, texting to videos, the communication options now available to connect with students seem endless. How do you know where to put your money? Are there affordable options that are still effective? Join the discussion about some low-cost ideas that can be implemented immediately in your office.

Conference Track: Marketing and Recruitment

Audience: College Admission Professionals

Presenter 1: Jenna Stolarik, Associate Director of Admissions, American International College

Presenter 2: Jonathon Scully, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, American International College

 

 

Session Location: Student Center, Nelly Goletti Theatre

Session Title: The Financial Side of Persistence: College Financial Matching & Planning

Session Description:

Of the 50% of students who drop out, 70% do so for financial reasons -- a big driver of the student loan default problem. This session will evaluate a framework for ensuring students are supported through every financial decision on the road to college graduation.

Conference Track: Financial Aid

Audience: College Admission Professionals High School, College, and Community Based Organization Professionals

Presenter 1: David Helene, Founder & CEO, Edquity