
September 15, 2023
Early Bird Registration Deadline
October 8, 2023
Regular Registration Deadline
September 29, 2023
Awards Nomination Deadline
2023 NASPA Florida Drive-In Conference
Regional Drive-in/Small Conference
October 19 - October 20, 2023 USF (Tampa, FL)
NASPA-FL is proud to present the 2023 Annual Drive-In Conference for members of the NASPA-FL community.
Please note that our program lineup has changed for this year's event, including:
Welcome Social for participants - sponsored by Varsity Health - on Thursday evening, October 19th, from 6-8pm at World of Beer (2815 E Fowler Ave).
Full day of speakers, concurrent sessions, and the annual awards presentation on Friday, October 20th
UPDATES TO SCHEDULE:
The Undergraduate Symposium has been postponed and will be offered in a virtual format at a later date. More information will be available shortly.
The Case Study Competition has also been postponed. Registered teams will be notified about next steps by October 13th.
Presented By

About
Make sure you save the date for October 19-21, 2023. This event is an affordable opportunity for professional development, networking, reconnecting with old friends, and creating new ones! The 2023 NASPA-FL Drive-In Conference is open to all student affairs professionals, graduate students, institutional partners, and undergraduate students considering careers in Student Affairs.
This year’s Drive-In Conference will feature the NASPA-FL Social on Thursday; and educational sessions, guest speakers, and awards on Friday.
The annual NASPA-FL Social, sponsored by Varsity Health, will be held on Thursday, October 19th at 6:00PM at World of Beer (2815 E. Fowler Ave).
The one-day Drive-In Conference will be hosted at the Marshall Student Center on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa.
PARKING INFORMATION:
Daily Guest Parking is available within a short walking distance of the Marshall Student Center in Lot 3, Lot 5A, or the Crescent Hill Garage. The daily fee is $5 (full day). Additional information can be found at https://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/permits/visitor-daily-permits.aspx
If you have any questions about the 2023 NASPA-FL Drive-In Conference, please contact Dr. Kerrie Montgomery Orozco, Conference Chair, at [email protected].
Registration
LATE REGISTRATION for the 2023 NASPA-FL Drive-In Conference is NOW AVAILABLE.
On-Site Registration will be available on Thursday, 10/19 from 3-5:30pm and Friday, 10/20 starting at 8am at the Marshall Student Center.
Pricing for the conference is as follows:
Registration Type | Early Bird (through 9/15/2023) | Regular (through 10/08/2023) | Late/On-Site (10/19 & 10/20/2023) |
NASPA Member | $90 | $120 | $150 |
NASPA Student Member | $50 | $65 | $80 |
Non-Member | $165 | $195 | $225 |
Student Non-Member | $80 | $95 | $110 |
Registration as a member is based on individual membership status at the time of the event. If your current membership will expire prior to the event, you will have the option to renew at the time of registration to receive the member rate.
If you are not a current member and are employed by a college or university that is an institutional member, you can join as a professional affiliate member for $80. If your institution is NOT a member, you can join as an associate affiliate member for $250. Both membership types provide access to the individual member rate for the event. Please visit the membership section of the NASPA website to learn more about membership types and benefits. We hope you’ll consider joining today!
For a comprehensive listing of NASPA registration policies, please visit this page.
Drive-In Conference Schedule
THURSDAY, October 19 | Event | Times | Location |
NASPA-FL Closed Board Meeting | |||
Conference Check-In/On-Site Registration | 3:00-5:30pm | Marshall Student Center Atrium | |
NASPA-FL Social | 6:00pm - 8:00pm |
World of Beer |
|
FRIDAY, October 20 | |||
Conference Check-In/On-Site Registration | 8:00am | Marshall Student Center - 2nd Floor | |
Continental Breakfast | 8:30am | 2nd Floor Landing | |
Welcome & Opening Keynote | 9:00am | Marshall Center - Oval Theater | |
Concurrent Educational Session 1 | 10:15am | Various | |
Concurrent Educational Session 2 | 11:15am | Various | |
Lunch/Networking | 12:00pm | Marshall Center - Ballroom | |
Concurrent Educational Session 3 | 1:15pm | Various | |
Afternoon Keynote | 2:10pm | Marhsall Center - Oval Theater | |
Awards Ceremony and Closing | 3:15pm | Marhsall Center - Oval Theater | |
SATURDAY, October 21 | |||
Case Study Competition |
10:00am - 1:30pm |
Marshall Center - Various |
Morning Keynote Speaker

Carla L. McKnight is a speaker and educator dedicated to promoting growth and inspiring change. Her passion for higher education was ignited when she enrolled as a student at her local community college. Carla was surrounded by individuals from all walks of life who were
actively trying to have more, to do more, and to be more. Their commitment and drive inspired her to do the same despite her circumstances.
Carla’s experience spawned her belief that higher education is key to economic and social mobility. She asked herself a question: “What can I do to help students achieve their dreams?” Throughout her career, she’s done so in myriad ways including working with students in housing
and residence life, conduct, academic advising and as a professor. She states, “I always focused on creating spaces where my students knew how important they were to me. Then one day, it hit me: I am just one person that some students may encounter on their journey. What if every student knew, without any doubt, they mattered to everyone at the college?”
Therefore, after a decade of working directly with students, Carla shifted her focus to working with higher education professionals. She provides personal and professional training and development for faculty, staff, and administrators in colleges and universities across the country.
Ultimately, Carla hopes to inspire others to create an inclusive learning environment that bolsters the success of all students.
Carla currently serves as the Vice President of Organizational Development and Human Resources at Valencia College. She holds an Associates of Arts degree from Santa Fe College, of which she is most proud. She also holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Master’s in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education and Policy Studies, both from the University of Central Florida. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organization Development and Change at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Afternoon Keynote Speaker

Gerald L. Hector, CPA is currently Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. He also held similar positions in higher education at Morehouse College, Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Johnson C. Smith University. His experiences span all aspects of higher education management that include, treasurer, debt management, controller’s office, information technology, post award management, policy office, student accounts/bursar, facilities, grounds, business operations, auxiliary services, risk management, purchasing and procurement, legal, financial aid, campus safety, compliance, and public private partnerships. He has also served as a liaison with local elected officials for construction projects.
With over twenty-four years of progressive leadership in finance and operations in higher education, he is known for his collaborative and focused leadership style that garners trust and builds confidence in his divisions and units to deliver on the mission of the institutions he serves.
In addition to being a finance and operations professional, he is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion after being thrusted into this work after racial tensions on college campuses across the nation in the fall of 2015. He hosted and appeared on national webinars, podcasts, and other media to continue sharing the message that diversity, equity and inclusion are not only moral issues, but given the continuing changing demographics in the nation, they are economic variables that must be addressed in a comprehensive way for the future financial health and vibrancy of institutions of higher education.
He is a published author and has written several articles and white papers that are still must reads. His landmark white paper, “Navigating the New Normal, Financial Imperatives for MSI Effectiveness and Avoiding Financial Exigency” is still read extensively by MSI leaders and stakeholders. His first published book, “It’s Easy Son, Quit Making Things Difficult” (It's Easy 'Son', Quit Making Things Difficult: Lasting Life Lessons from a Coach and Mentor: Hector, Gerald: 9781732478114: Amazon.com: Books) chronicles his journey from Kingston, Jamaica on a track and field scholarship to the varied roles he has occupied including Deloitte and UNCF. The book birthed a podcast of the same name, that features, corporate leaders, college presidents, Olympians, spiritual leaders, and educators. The show airs every Wednesday at 8pm on the HBCU Nation Radio Network and attracts an international audience (Stream TheHBCUNation | Listen to IT'S EASY SON-Life Lessons on the Journey to Your Promise with Gerald Hector playlist online for free on SoundCloud).
He is a sought-after speaker on matters of higher education finances and operations and continues to give back to the industry by offering his services as a peer reviewer with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and as a mentor and advisor of the Educational Leadership Internship at Clark Atlanta University.
Programs
SESSION TITLE | SESSION TIME |
Fostering Success: Tailoring Student Support for Military-Connected Students in Higher Education | 10:15-11:00am |
Plan(t)ing SEEDS of Success - A Curricular Approach to Student Staff Development | 10:15-11:00am |
Should I Stay or Should I Go? | 10:15-11:00am |
Building Morale in Un-engaged Undergraduate Student Leaders | 10:15-11:00am |
Conduct can be fun? A guide to programming and collaborating with the Code of Conduct. | 10:15-11:00am |
The Journey to a Doctoral Degree | 11:15-12:00pm |
Building Managers for a Better Tomorrow | 11:15-12:00pm |
Crafting Artifacts as Assessment in Undergraduate Workplaces | 11:15-12:00pm |
Implement-a-Bulls Student Advisors: A Student Government and Student Conduct Partnership | 11:15-12:00pm |
Curricular Approaches for Engaging Black College Men in Leadership Development | 11:15-12:00pm |
Student Affairs Council: An Interprofessional Approach to Serving Students in Health Professions | 11:15-12:00pm |
Collaboration and expansion of transfer student initiatives | 1:15pm-2:00pm |
L.E.A.D. Leadership by Empowering and Appreciating Differences - A Strengths-Based Philosophy | 1:15pm-2:00pm |
Getting Involved in NASPA-FL | 1:15pm-2:00pm |
Ease on Down the Road: Diversity Pathway Programs Still Matter | 1:15pm-2:00pm |
Learn to Speak Gen-Z | 1:15pm-2:00pm |
Training Peers to Support Student Success: The PeerKnights Coaching Model | 1:15pm-2:00pm |
Case Study Competition
The Case Study Competition has been postponed and will be conducted in a virtual format at a later date. Teams already registered for this event will receive additional information by October 13th.
Please contact the Case Study Competition Coordinator, Susan Trudeau, at [email protected] if you have additional questions.
Suggested Accommodations
Hotel Suggestions Within 1 Mile of the USF Campus (Tampa, FL)
Conference Location - Marshall Student Center (4103 Cedar Circle, Tampa, FL 33620)
A room block will not be available for this year’s Drive-In Conference, but each of the hotels listed below is within 1 mile of the campus. Many include breakfast and/or WiFi. (Note that a light, Continental Breakfast will be provided at the Drive-In Conference on Friday. October 20th and the Undergraduate Symposium on Saturday. October 21st.)
Note: We do not have any affiliation with these hotel properties, and there is no special rate for the NASPA-FL Drive-In Conference. These are suggested accommodations based on their proximity to the conference location.
Hyatt PlaceTampa/Busch Gardens
11408 N 30th St, Tampa, FL 33612
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/florida/hyatt-place-tampa-busch-gardens/tpazb/?src=corp_lclb_gmb_seo_tpazb
Free Breakfast and Free WiFi
Red Roof PLUS+ & Suites Tampa
11310 N 30th St, Tampa, FL 33612
https://www.redroof.com/property/fl/tampa/RRI1261?utm_source=GMB&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=GMB_Performance_RRI1261
Free WiFi
Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF (Located on the USF Campus)
3705 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/tpafres-embassy-suites-tampa-usf-near-busch-gardens/?SEO_id=GMB-AMER-ES-TPAFRES&y_source=1_MTExMDA3Ny03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24ud2Vic2l0ZQ%3D%3D
Free Breakfast
Home2 Suites by Hilton
11606 McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/tpasfht-home2-suites-tampa-usf-near-busch-gardens/?SEO_id=GMB-AMER-HT-TPASFHT&y_source=1_Nzk0MDk5Ny03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24ud2Vic2l0ZQ%3D%3D
Free Breakfast and Free WiFi
LaQuinta Inn & Suites
3701 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612
https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquinta/tampa-florida/la-quinta-usf-near-busch-gardens/overview?CID=LC:LQ::GGL:RIO:National:53065&iata=00093796
Free Breakfast and Free WiFi
Awards
Awards reviewers are an important part of the awards process. Sign up to be an awards reviewer!
Thank you to our PLATINUM SPONSOR - DME Delivers

Thank you to our PLATINUM SPONSOR - Varsity Health

Varsity Health helps colleges and universities of all sizes offer on-campus as well as virtual healthcare and mental healthcare to students, often with no impact to budget.