2026 College Changes Everything Conference

Save the Date: July 16, 2026
&
Call for Proposals

Because education matters, and everything about education matters.

Through conversations, storytelling, best practices, and calls to action, the College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference offers a space for learning, advocacy, and action. This year, for our 16th gathering, we call upon you to join us with intention, commitment, and passion as we explore this year’s powerful and dual-sided theme: Education Matters.

Education is consequential, transformative and urgent; it is the ladder of opportunity that helps transform lives. And, matters of education – the systems, policies, and barriers – require our attention and collective action.

Whether you work directly with students or are a part of shaping the systems they navigate, CCE 2026 is your opportunity to be part of that conversation, not as a passive observer, but as a contributor, change agent, and student advocate as we explore:

  • Which policies are quietly harming our students, and how do we work within imperfect systems while simultaneously pushing to change them?
  • How do we dismantle the visible and invisible barriers that prevent students from accessing the education they deserve?
  • How do we move from isolated programs to scalable institutional change that allows us to build educational ecosystems where innovation is not the exception, but the expectation?
  • If education truly matters, what are we willing to change about our institutions, our practices, and ourselves, to prove it?

Come ready to be challenged, inspired and most importantly, to act.

Call for Proposals: Due May 15, 2026

The most powerful moments at the CCE Conference happen when practitioners step to the front of the room and say: here is what I tried, here is what I learned, and here is what changed because of it. We invite you to be that voice by submitting a session proposal to help turn good ideas into real change for students. Please click here to access the session proposal form.

We welcome proposals that speak to the full landscape of college access, completion, and career readiness and demonstrate how your work contributes to what matters most: meeting the evolving needs of our students, closing the gaps that stand between them and success, and sharing honest, practical lessons learned that move our field forward. Priority consideration will be given to session proposals completed and submitted by May 15, 2026. For more details on submitting a proposal, please visit the conference website.

Please share this invitation with colleagues in your organization and across your networks – the more voices in the room, the richer the conversation. We look forward to seeing you and those you bring with you on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park, Illinois.

  • Deadline– Priority consideration will be given to session proposal forms completed and submitted by May 15, 2026.
  • Non-Commercial Policy – Please note that sessions are to be non-commercial forums. Individuals should refrain from using brand names or endorsing specific products. Sessions are not to be used as a place for direct promotion of products and services.
  • Conference Registration – Presenters must register for the conference. Conference registration will open later this spring.
  • Presenter Compensation Policy – The CCE conference does not provide any compensation for individuals accepted to serve as conference interest session presenters. This includes compensation for travel-related expenses and hotel accommodations.

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.

2026 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 Department of Employment Security
  • 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.

Providing Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.