Blog
2020 Virtual Conference a Success!
Thanks to everyone who joined us for our first Virtual Conference, June 29 - July 1! The event was a tremendous success, bringing together over 450 schools, employers and services providers for three days (36 hours) of connections, learning and engagement.
With the theme: Stronger Together: Empowering Talent at the Crossroads, the conference brought togehter attendees from 19 countries and 35 U.S. states. 36 hours of virtual programming culminated in 94 sessions, which encompassed:4 keynote speakers
6 plenary sessions, with 27 speakers
31 breakout sessions, with 77 speakers
23 group networking sessions
38 room hosts
43 Conference Committee members
Resounding themes surrounded the role of business schools in teaching students to translate skills and knowledge that will shape the world in the new normal, as well as shifting the value proposition from one of curating knowledge rather than generating knowledge. Another theme was the role of career services within the larger university and the need to shift from a service to an education model, becoming more of a strategic partner in connecting academia and the workforce.
Attendees noted that the skills of the future include adaptability, versatility, and persuasive communication. With jobs and industries fluctuating more than ever before, a shift from thinking about the professions of the future to thinking about the professionals of the future is in order.
A panel of diversity organizations discussed ways to build inclusive communities on campus and throughout the student recruiting experience.
Speakers also discussed personal development skills such as becoming a “creativist,” (or an activist for creativity), and being a continuous learner.
It wouldn't have been a virtual conference without robust discussions about technology, which included focusing not on what technology can do, but on what it should do. All in all, attendees and speakers agreed that virtual engagement is here to stay, and schools and employers alike will continue to feel the need to reshift programs and services within each of our next normals.
If you missed the event, you can still purchase access to the recordings on an individual basis or in bulk. Contact us for details.
Thanks to our conference committee for their hard work, and to our event sponsors and exhibitors:
12Twenty
Ellen Coaching
MBACASE
Think Business 360
Streeme
Vault
CareerShift
Case Questions
Life Sprint
Beyond B-School
FINRA
Relish Careers
GradLeaders
Jaymin Speaks