2008 Peer Connections Conference

Join us in New York City as we share best practices in Alumni Career Services! 

Connect with your Alumni Career Services colleagues!  Please join other alumni career services professionals for a 2-day conference to discuss how we can effectively meet the growing need for life-long alumni career services.

June 16-17, 2008

New York City, NY

Monday, June 16, 2008
 

9:30	Registration & Ice Breaker
10:00	Opening Speaker - Allison Hemming, is an established career authority and the driving force behind the world famous Pink Slip Party, a networking event that benefits the recently downsized. Her commentary about career and workplace issues has been featured in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, USA Today, Fast Company and other media venues including CNN, CNBC, ABC Good Morning America, Fox 5 Good Day New York, and CBS Marketwatch.
11:30	Alumni Career Services Network – where we’ve been, where we’re going
12:30	Lunch
1:30	Technology Best Practices- Peers will conduct technology demonstrations on their experiences with popular career services tools such as CAREERBEAM, AFFINITY CIRCLES, NACELINK, and others
4:30	End of first day
5:00	Dinner at McQuaid’s Public House (optional)
7:00	Harbor Lights Cruise (optional)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008
 

10:00	Getting Involved in the Alumni Career Services Network: Officers and Committees
10:30	Roundtable Discussions – for Newcomers, Experienced Professionals, and Those Starting a Program “Best Practices” Topics to include: Assessing alumni population needs Counseling/coaching Career events Young alumni programming
11:30	Roundtable Discussions Repeated
12:00	Roundtables – Report Out
12:30	Lunch
1:30	Taking Care of Ourselves While Taking Care of Our Clients
2:30	Trends in Industry and the Economy - Allison Ryan, Assistant Director of Career Services at DePaul University, has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors.  She obtained her law degree from the University of Wisconsin.  She then worked for a boutique firm in Chicago dealing with employment and labor laws.
4:00	Wrap-up and Evaluation
4:30	Close

Registration is closed due to full capicity.  Please check back next year.

Professionals representing independent alumni associations, university career centers, and various alumni offices will share what is happening in the field of alumni career services.  The conference will primarily benefit established alumni career services programs, but organizations in the process of adding alumni career services will find discussions regarding constituents, services and programming useful.  A resource table will be provided for you to share program materials.  Last year's participants brought brochures, booklets, newsletter, DVDs, and more. 

Where: New York City! The Conference is hosted by Syracuse University, at the Lubin House located on 11 East 61st Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues- only a block away from Central Park. 

Conference Hotel Information:  The Wellington Hotel is conveniently located on the corner of 7th Avenue and 55th Street, near Times Square and Central Park.  It is a short taxi-cab ride or brisk walk to the Lubin House, our conference site.  The Wellington is SOLD OUT for the nights of June 16 and 17.  For those interested in staying with other conference guests check out the Times Square Manhattan Crowne Plaza Hotel.  They are offering government rates of $244 a night for guests.    

It's Not All Work and No Play: After Monday's conference sessions, there will be an opportunity to dine at McQuaid's Public House on the corner of 11th Avenue and 44th Street and later cruise around the New York City Harbor. This will provide an excellent time for networking. Dinner is not included in the conference registration cost, but plates range from $7-$12 at McQuaid's. The Harbor Lights Cruise is $24 per person. If you are interested in the Harbor Lights Cruise, please pay in advance through the conference registration page (insert link) to get the group discounted rate.   Please join us for one or both of these conference-enhancing events.

Transportation to New York City and how to navigate your way through a city of millions:

Airports: JFK International Airport (JFK) LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Newark International Airport (EWR) Airport Shuttle services generally pick up passengers at designated spots along the curb. Please consult the airport’s ground transportation desk in the baggage claim area for more details. SuperShuttle - (212) 258-3826: Courtesy phones available at the airport. Fares range from $15 to $25. New York Airport Service - (718) 875-8200: Service to Grand Central Terminal, Port Authority Bus Terminal, and Penn Station. The fare ranges from $10 to $15. Buses operate from 6:00 am – 11:10 pm from the airport. AirTrain Newark: Connects Newark International Airport terminals to the Rail Link station, where passengers can transfer to New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains to New York Penn Station. The fare is $11.15 and runs from 5:00 am to 2:00 am. New Jersey Transit Airlink: Buses leave Newark Airport every 20–30 minutes from 6:15 am to 1:45 am for Penn Station in Newark, New Jersey. The fare is $4 (exact change required). From there, you can take the PATH Trains into Manhattan. The fare is $1.50.

Taxis: Taxi stands are available outside the baggage-claim area where a uniformed dispatcher helps passengers find taxis. From JFK: taxis charge a flat fee of $45 plus tip and tolls (which may be as much as $4) to Manhattan. From LaGuardia: taxis cost $15 to $30 plus tip and tolls (which may be as much as $4) to most destinations in Manhattan. From Newark Airport: taxis charge flat rates from $40 to $60 (depending on the destination zone) plus tolls ($8).

Please note: if you are traveling to New York City on Monday morning, you can store your luggage at the Lubin House to eliminate missing any of the conference to check in to the hotel.  Please contact Susan Filkins to arrange for space for your luggage to be stored.

Subways and Buses: It is easy to travel inside the city by bus or subway.

Conference Contact: Susan Filkins, Coordinator of Alumni Programs, Syracuse University, sefilkin@syr.edu (315) 443-1180.  If you are having problems registering, please contact Melissa Bowen, Assistant Director for Alumni Involvement (479) 575-4842 or mabowen@uark.edu.  

Registration is closed due to full capacity.  We hope that you can join us next year!  Download a printable brochure.