NCAN National Conference Call for Proposals Guide

September 8-10
New Orleans, LA

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is pleased to announce the opening of the call for proposals for the 2025 NCAN National Conference.

We invite you to submit a proposal highlighting your effective practices, research and outcomes, or experiences and learnings to share with your peers in the postsecondary attainment field. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 24, at 11:59pm ET. Late submissions will not be accepted. 

The Conference attracts a range of postsecondary access and success practitioners, leaders, and advocates from around the country. We unite to find inspiration and develop context for the educational equity we are creating in all our communities. We are looking for proposals to inform, improve, and challenge current practices related to career advising and degree attainment. 

Choose your Session Format

Concurrent workshop sessions at the NCAN conference will be held in two formats. You may select the option to be considered for both but only topics marked with a star (⭐) below are eligible for both formats.

Identify Your Topic

There are 10 main topics this year. They are listed below with subtopics we have determined to be hot topics to guide submissions.  

Roundtable Discussions have been limited to eight select main topics this year and they are indicated by a star symbol (⭐) below.

1. Connecting College and Career ⭐ 

• Aligning advising and partnerships with labor market needs 
• Expanding work-based learning (internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing) 
• Leveraging CTE to build pathways toward degrees and careers 

2. Data Into Practice ⭐

• Using data to improve advising and student outcomes 
• Measuring and reporting for equitable impact
• Leveraging AI and technology for data-driven student support 

3. Financial Aid and Literacy

• FAFSA 2025-26 updates and promising practices 
• Effective need-based aid and scholarship alignment 
• Addressing financial trauma through literacy, budgeting, and debt management 

4. K-12 Practices for Postsecondary Success ⭐

• Leadership and resource allocation for college and career readiness 
• Strengthening K-12, higher ed, and CBO partnerships
• Building whole-school college and career readiness cultures  
• Early awareness and parent engagement strategies

5. Organizational Leadership and Capacity Building ⭐

• Talent management and succession planning 
• Fundraising and sustainability solutions 
• Board development and governance best practices 

6. Policy and Advocacy ⭐

• Advancing affordable, debt-free college pathways 
• Federal and state policy updates impacting students 
• Messaging the value of college and postsecondary education 

7. Postsecondary Access and Readiness ⭐

• Advising in a post-affirmative-action landscape 
• College access strategies for rural students 
• Increasing family engagement and support
• Trauma-informed advising and addressing basic needs insecurity (food, housing, financial trauma, etc.) 

8. Postsecondary Success ⭐

• Supporting student retention and persistence post-affirmative action 
• Ensuring success for students with learning differences and diverse backgrounds 
• Strengthening transfer pathways between community colleges and universities 
• Connecting students to campus and community resources (addressing food/housing insecurities, financial trauma, etc.) 

9. Student Inclusion

• Strategies for supporting underrepresented student populations 
• Building inclusive, identity-affirming environments
• Supporting justice-impacted students and opportunity youth

10. Rural Strategies ⭐

• Programing and advising methods to increase access for rural students
• Financial aid advising for rural students
• Rural student retention

Author Details

General demographic information is needed for all authors.

LinkedIn (or link to employee bio): In addition to demographic information, we are asking for biographic information that allows us to get to know potential speakers outside of a general summary of their resume.  

There is a maximum of 3 co-authors proposals can submit. We limit all panels to one moderator and three panelists for a maximum total of four speakers.  

Select Target Audience and Method of Engagement

Target Audience: Identify up to two audience types your proposed session will target.

• Advisors/Coaches (practitioners working directly with students)
• K-12 Counselors
• Agency staff or policymakers
• Leadership staff (executive directors, presidents, CEOs, superintendents/principals)
• Funders
• Higher education staff
• Local/state college access network staff
• Program staff (managers, directors, fundraisers, administrators)
• Researchers
• School district staff

Target Skill Level: Identify up to two skill levels your proposed session is best suited for.

• New professionals: For individuals new to this content or their role (less than two years of experience)
• Mid-level professionals: For those who are familiar with this content and are looking to enhance their skills or knowledge (three-to-seven years of experience)
• Senior-level professionals: For attendees with significant content knowledge or experience (eight or more years of experience)

 Audience Engagement: Please choose your format of engagement:

• Dialogue
• Lecture
• Panel
• Other

Finalize your Presentation’s Details

1. Presentation Title: Please provide a title that will capture your audience's attention (max. 100 characters, including spaces) Note: Titles may be edited for length and clarity. 
2. Abstract: This abstract will be used in conference promotional materials including the conference website and platform to draw conference attendees to your presentation (max. 1,500 characters). Note: Abstracts may be edited for length and clarity. 
3. Learning Outcomes: Please list two to three specific skills or strategies participants will learn and be able to use when they leave this session (max. 300 characters, including spaces).  

Timeline: What to Expect

February 25: Call for Proposals opens

March 24: Call for Proposals closes

March 25–April 25: Submissions are reviewed by NCAN staff committees and scheduled

Beginning April 28: Initial notifications sent via email to applicants

Beginning May 16: Final waitlist and rejection notifications sent via email

May 30: If you have not received a status notification for your proposal, email speakers@ncan.org 

📢 Once notified, presenters are required to actively confirm their accepted proposal within ONE week of receiving their notification. Please make sure to check your email for important status notifications from Speakers@ncan.org

Thank you for submitting a proposal to present at the 2025 NCAN Conference!

Late submissions will not be accepted.  

Applicants will be notified of their proposal status between April 28 and May 30. Please make sure to check your email, including your spam folder, for important status notifications from speakers@ncan.org. 

Questions? Contact speakers@ncan.org