NASPA Georgia Drive-In Conference

Program Proposals Open Now through November 15.

The NASPA-Georgia Conference Committee invites you to join us February 4-5, 2027 to reflect on our collective and individual goals, passions, and purposes of NASPA and student affairs. We invite engaging, reflective, and interactive proposals that speak to the theme of reigniting purpose, energy, and commitment in higher education. 

We encourage presenters to focus on the four pillars of NASPA - Inquiry, Inclusion, Integrity, and Innovation. However, we have also listed below several key topic areas that can contribute to our theme.  We also want to note that if you have a program proposal that may not fit clearly in one of the topic areas below, you are highly encouraged to still submit your program proposal.

🧭 Leadership & Professional Growth

• Leading without a title: building influence at every level
• Developing leadership skills before becoming a supervisor
• Building confidence in decision-making and problem-solving
• Navigating difficult conversations and workplace conflict
• Communicating effectively with senior leadership
• Mentorship, networking, and career advancement

💬 Communication & Collaboration

• Building stronger cross-departmental partnerships
• Giving and receiving feedback effectively
• Strengthening team communication and trust
• Navigating conflict with professionalism and empathy
• Building relationships across campus silos
• Collaborating effectively with limited time and resources

🧠 Mindset, Wellbeing & Resilience

• Preventing burnout and practicing sustainable work habits
• Setting boundaries while maintaining a culture of care
• Managing stress and emotional labor in student affairs
• Building resilience during uncertainty and organizational change
• Balancing competing priorities without losing focus
• Finding fulfillment in demanding student-centered roles

🎯 Skills & Impact

• Turning data into meaningful decisions and measurable outcomes
• Moving beyond attendance to measure student engagement and success
• Using AI and technology to work smarter, not harder
• Improving processes and eliminating unnecessary work
• Making fair, consistent, and defensible decisions
• Demonstrating the value and impact of student affairs

🛠️ Practical Tools & Everyday Work

• Time management and prioritization in a fast-paced environment
• Managing limited budgets, staffing, and resources
• Navigating complex student situations with confidence
• Developing effective crisis-response and decision-making skills
• Translating policies into practice
• Building workflows, templates, and tools that improve efficiency

🌱 Student Success & Engagement

• Strengthening student belonging and connection
• Coaching students toward independence and self-advocacy
• Designing programs with intentional learning outcomes
• Supporting students with complex needs through collaboration
• Reimagining student engagement in a changing higher education landscape
• Balancing empathy, student support, and institutional expectations

🚀 Innovation & Change

• Leading through organizational change and uncertainty
• Embracing innovation while maintaining student-centered practices
• Creative problem-solving when resources are limited
• Adapting to evolving student needs and expectations
• Identifying opportunities to improve campus services
• Turning challenges into opportunities for growth

🤝 Supervision & Team Development

• Building a culture of accountability and care
• Motivating and engaging teams through challenging times
• Delegation, coaching, and developing employees
• Supporting new professionals as they transition into the field
• Addressing performance concerns with confidence and compassion
• Creating teams that thrive through trust and shared purpose

🎙️ Reflection, Learning & Peer Connection

• Lessons learned from mistakes, challenges, and unexpected outcomes
• Sharing campus best practices that others can adapt
• Learning from colleagues across institutions and functional areas
• Case studies: solving real-world student affairs challenges
• Skills labs: practicing the conversations and decisions that matter
• What I wish I had known: lessons from experienced student affairs professionals

Proposals will be evaluated based on content; relevance to conference theme, current issues, and the Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners; evidence of clearly stated outcomes and objectives; contribution to the knowledge and practice of student affairs; and adherence to program submission guidelines.

Proposal Submission Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026

For questions regarding the proposal process, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Click here for NASPA's Global Health and Safety Guidelines

 We hope you’ll be comfortable learning and networking alongside your peers knowing that these precautions are being taken at the conference. If you have questions about these guidelines, please reach out to us at [email protected].