Advanced Topics in Financial Aid Leadership Pathway Sessions

Sunday, February 2, 2020

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Registration Opens

6:45 pm - 10:00 pm - Optional DC Bus Tour

Monday, February 3, 2020

7:00 am - Registration Opens

7:00 am - 8:00 am - Networking Breakfast With Leadership Conference Exhibitors/Attendees

8:00 am - 9:15 am - Welcome and Washington Update

9:15 am - 9:30 am - Break

9:30 am - 11:00 am - Idea Lab 1: Examining Leadership

Speaker: Dr. Helen Rothberg, author of the "Perfect Mix:  Everything I Know about Leadership I Learned as a Bartender"

As anyone who has had a good boss before knows, good managers and good leaders are not always the same people. This session offers research into what makes a good leader, and will provide you with the knowledge and confidence to direct others. You will explore your leadership style, analyze what has worked and what needs improvement, and learn how to lead with courage and grace.

11:00 am - 12:30 pm - Idea Lab 2: Strategic Planning

Speakers: Kathy Bialk, University of Kentucky and Rachelle Feldman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Strategic planning is an imperative in the financial aid office to anticipate and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of higher education, new regulations from Congress, and a continuous reduction in resources.  A focus on strategies that align with the office's mission and vision, as well as embrace its values, could help the financial aid office operate more efficiently, make smarter choices among competing priorities, and set the course for a sustainable future. This session will provide participants with tips on how to lead an effective strategic planning session and will provide time for participants to share their experiences with the strategic planning process.

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm - Networking Lunch With Leadership Conference Exhibitors/Attendees

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm - Idea Lab 3: Owning Your Bias in Ethical Decision Making

Speaker: Craig Slaughter, Kenyon College

Leaders in financial aid must navigate many ethical situations in their day-to-day work. This session focuses on helping financial aid professionals to recognize how implicit bias shapes their approach to ethical issues.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm - Idea Lab 4: Leading Through the Demographic Waves

Speaker: Anne Loehr, Director of Anne Loehr & Associates

The U.S. is experiencing a significant shift in demographics, as the last wave of baby boomers are set to retire in the next five to 10 years and will be largely replaced with millennials, and as the number of high school graduates in the Midwest and East Coast continues to decrease. This session will provide comprehensive information on demographic trends that the financial aid profession will have to lead and manage through.

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm - Networking Reception With Leadership Conference Exhibitors/Attendees

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

7:00 am - 8:30 am - Networking Breakfast With Leadership Conference Exhibitors/Attendees

8:30 am - 9:45 am - General Session

Speakers: Jesse O’Connell, Lumina Foundation and Sarah Sattelmeyer, The Pew Charitable Trusts

9:45 am - 10:00 am - Break

10:00 am - 11:30 am - Idea Lab 5: Managing Demographic Changes in the Workplace

Speaker: Anne Loehr, Director of Anne Loehr & Associates

The current generation of students entering the workforce has different expectations about the labor market than the generations before them. This session will tease out the implications of demographic shifts in the workplace, and answer questions such as how will institutions manage succession planning, remote employees, flexible schedules, the growth of contract works, and other developing trends.

11:45 am - 1:00 pm - Networking Lunch With Leadership Conference Exhibitors/Attendees

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm - Idea Lab 6: Managing and Leading Through Challenging Conversations and Situations

Speaker: Anne Loehr, Director of Anne Loehr & Associates

Are you comfortable leading through times of challenge and change? This lab will review a philosophy on how to build candid relationships and create a culture of open communication among your staff. Learn how to drive results collaboratively without resorting to aggression, insincerity, or empathy, and how to be an exceptional boss without losing your humanity.

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm - Idea Lab 7: Managing Up: How to Get a Seat at the Table and Stay Off the Menu

Speakers: Brad Barnett, James Madison University; Brent Tener, Vanderbilt University; Kelly Morrissey, Community College of Rhode Island

Proactive communication with the leadership at your institution is crucial for your success. If you want a seat at the table, you need to develop strong, trustworthy relationships with the people who can make you or break you. In this lab, we will review some of the ways you can proactively prove your accountability and gain credibility with your supervisor and other institutional executives.

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Hill Visit Briefing With Q&A

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

8:30 am - 1:00 pm - Hill Visits

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm - Hill Visit Debrief