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Back in person on July 13, 2023
8 am – 4:30 pm
Tinley Park Convention Center
Tinley Park, Illinois

2023 CCE Conference – DEIA: The Work We Need to Do

You’re invited to join other equity designers as we come together at 13^th annual College Changes Everything^® (CCE) conference live and in person.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) must consist of more than just policies, edicts and committees tacked onto the side of our organizations. Each of us and each of our organizations are a part of the larger educational system that impacts our students, their careers, and their entire life journey. DEIA work must take a holistic approach and be ingrained in the everyday work we do and in us who are doing the work. While we won’t change everything that needs to be changed in the system in one day, we can in one day have an impact on ourselves and scaffold collaboration with others. We make up the system, and change starts with us. Each of us has a perspective and a power to make positive change.

At the conference we will leverage the knowledge, expertise and personal experiences each attendee brings with them to examine how we bring more equity to Illinois students and families. Together we can focus on the DEIA issues needing attention and identify when and how they can be addressed. 

Conference Registration

Conference registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted. Space is limited and fills quickly.

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Who Should Attend

The annual conference is the state’s preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. Since the first CCE conference, equity has been an underlying tenet of the annual convening as it brings together caring professionals who want to ensure all students have opportunities for college access and success and are career ready.

A key strength of the conference is in bringing together a diverse audience from across the state to focus on educational opportunity and student success: college access practitioners; high school leaders, counselors, and case managers; college and university leaders and administrators; employers and workforce development professionals; and policymakers and elected officials interested in higher education and career readiness. The conference also serves as an opportunity for stakeholders to improve their practice of collaboration and collective leadership as we work toward the state's goal. We hope you will attend the conference as we stand together as a group of like-minded professionals committed to improving outcomes for all learners.

Sessions

Breakout interest sessions provide timely information and engage the audience in thoughtful discussions on the serious issues we face in reaching the state goal, and are presented by state and national experts and practitioners. The full agenda will be provided later this spring. Topics will include:  college readiness; navigating the college-going process; supporting special student populations; student support services; career readiness; changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®), and more.

Cancellation and Change of Attendee

Registration Cancellation/Change of Attendee Form

Cancellation Policy – If you need to cancel your registration, complete the Registration Cancellation/Change of Attendee Form and return it to ISAC via email to isac.collegechangeseverything@illinois.gov. Refund requests will be honored if they are received by ISAC no later than 5 pm Central Time, Friday, June 30, 2023. 

Change of Attendee – If someone will be attending the conference in your place, please print and complete the Registration Cancellation/Change of Attendee Form and fax it to 847-831-8508 or email to isac.collegechangeseverything@illinois.gov by 5 pm Central Time, Wednesday July 5, 2023.  After July 5, your replacement will need to bring the completed form to the conference.

Questions about the conference can be directed to isac.collegechangeseverything@illinois.gov.

Tinley Park Convention Center

The Tinley Park Convention Center is located just 30 miles from downtown Chicago at 18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477.

Please share information about the conference with colleagues in your organization and other partners.

2023 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee

• Illinois Student Assistance Commission
• Illinois Board of Higher Education
• Illinois Community College Board
• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
• Illinois State Board of Education
• Illinois College Access Network
• Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
• Advance Illinois
• Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
• ACT Now
• Women Employed

The College Changes Everything® Conference is sponsored
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025