While not new to higher education, this is my first position with a career college and my first time at this event. On the first day, I felt immersed in the content, which was augmented by being surrounded by my peers who shared the same goal - student success. I found the conference program to be highly relevant and contemporary in nature, hitting all of the big-ticket items facing career colleges and higher education today. Of special note, the programming on AI in Education was eye-opening and sparked multiple conversations with my PMI peers and those at subsequent events and sessions. Overall, a great sense of community was developed quickly, which enabled networking and powerful conversations during the planned social hours. This event was top-notch!

The Career Education Convention is always one of the professional highlights of my year. Annually, I look forward to reconnecting with friends in the sector, discovering emerging trends and innovations, sharing ideas, and expanding my professional network. I am consistently inspired by thoughtful keynote presentations like the one recently delivered by Robert Herjavec of the Shark Tank fame. This year, I was also thrilled to meet our Canadian colleagues and learn more about career education north of the border. Year after year, I find the Convention worth the time and investment and always encourage my Nightingale collaborators to join me in attending.

Attending the CECU conference is something I look forward to each year. Not just for the educational sessions, but more so to network and connect with colleagues. It is a great chance to collaborate with both schools and vendors, and I always walk away with wonderful tools to help strengthen our schools.

At Orbund we always look forward to the CECU conferences because they are part of the premier conferences in the higher education sector. As premier events, we get the opportunity to meet and interact with our fellow competitors, customers and prospects. They tend to be the sector's go-to events to learn new market trends and solutions; hence, it is worth participating and getting involved.

I had the most incredible time as a sponsor and speaker at the recent conference in Kansas City! The event showcased the powerful bond between Canadian and American educators, fostering an enriching exchange of ideas and collaboration. It was truly a testament to the strength of the CECU and NACC partnership, and I'm grateful to have been a part of such a remarkable experience.

Given all that is happening in the higher education landscape, I can’t imagine a better investment of time than the few days spent at the annual CECU Convention. The breakout sessions offer timely regulatory and compliance tips that have meaningful suggestions for school operators. The keynotes are always entertaining and inspiring and the comradery with peer school leaders is rewarding. Kansas City captured many of our hearts in 2023, and I am looking forward to seeing what Indianapolis has to offer in 2024!

Every detail of the CECU conference was intentional this year. The tour of Arrowhead stadium, the after-hours networking events, and getting to know the members of NACC were all complimentary to forming a great experience. Further, the sessions reaffirmed the sector's unity through information sharing on new regulations, governmental updates, and best practices.

The 2023 CECU Conference was a great way for us to connect with leaders around a topic they are passionate about – the student experience. We were thrilled to have the keynote speaker come to connect with people in our booth while continuing this conversation. CECU created a dynamic environment to network and share, and we look forward to future years of collaboration.

The Convention is the best place for us to reconnect with clients and sector leaders each year. As a longstanding sponsor and exhibitor, Becker Media has had the chance to watch the event develop and grow into the leading event for education professionals. It’s great to see familiar faces each year as well as the chance to meet with new contacts. We are excited to continue our partnership with CECU for years to come.