ProfCon 2026 Agenda
A three-day event designed to energize, educate, and inspire
Get ready for three days packed with powerful keynotes, hands-on sessions, and practical strategies you can take back to the classroom. Below, you'll find a breakdown of each day’s schedule so you can plan your experience.
Day 1, March 5, 2026
3:00 p.m.
Welcome
Kick off ProfCon 2026 with a warm welcome and important event logistics.
3:45 p.m.
Opening Keynote
Mindful-Pro for Professors
Sunish Mehta CPA. CGMA
California State University Northridge
Session Description
4:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Redefining Career Readiness in the Age of AI
Jennifer Little & Mike Cearley
Southern Methodist University, FleishmanHillard
Session Description
Using Interactive Activities to Strengthen Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking
Chanda Gilmore, M.S.
University of Delaware
Session Description
6:00 p.m.
Networking Fiesta
Expect drinks, a live mariachi band, chef-led guacamole making, a light fajita dinner, and a local keepsake. This evening is all about easy conversation, shared experiences, and starting ProfCon on a high note.
Cowboy boots encouraged.
Day 2, March 6, 2026
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Welcome
8:45 a.m.
Keynote
Let Students Cook: Building Confident, Career-Ready Professionals in an AI World
Karen Freberg, Ph.D. & Dustin York
University of Louisville, Maryville University
Session Description
9:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
Soft Skills in the Age of AI
Dr. Benton Jones
Bryan College
Session Description
From Onboarding to Consulting: Building Courses That Turn Students into Professionals
Christine White, M.S.
University of Tennessee
Session Description
10:45 a.m
Breakout Sessions
Purpose-Driven Learning: Uncovering Student Strengths Through Ikigai
Erika Mayor
University of Miami
Session Description
The Simternship Effect: How Simulations Drive Student Outcomes
11:45 a.m
Breakout Sessions
Building Student Accountability: Practical Strategies to Empower Success
Jason Van Acker
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Session Description
Designing A Dual-Layer GenAI Project for Marketing Courses
Dr. Kai-Yu Wang
Brock University
Session Description
12:30 p.m.
Catered Lunch and Stukent Reveal
1:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
GenAI Essentials: Integrating Ethical, Human-Centered AI into Your Classroom
Lincoln Sorenson
Stukent
Session Description
Stories and Students: Creating Connection in the Classroom
Dr. Christian Thompson
Associate Professor at Frederick Community College
Session Description
2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
The Experience Assessment Tool Every Marketing Educator Needs
Kathy Fredrickson & Ella Roux
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Session Description
Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies for Today’s Adult Learner
Professor Harjit Singh
National University
Session Description
3:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Bridging the Classroom and the Profession: Simternships, Industry Access, and Career-Ready Learning
Dr. Lois Jones
Assistant Professor of Communication, Lipscomb University
Session Description
Between the Clicks: What’s Actually Slowing You Down?
Mandy Anger and Jon Jensen
Stukent
Session Description
4:45 p.m.
Keynote
The Teaching Sin of Omission: Unintentionally Setting Students Up to Fail
Alex Skinner
Mountainland Technical College & Utah Valley University
Session Description
Day 3, March 7, 2026
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Welcome
8:45 a.m.
Keynote
Teaching Tomorrow’s Workforce: AI Skills Every Student Needs, No Matter Their Major
Marcia Gomez, M.S.
University of Miami
Session Description
9:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
The Happy Accident: Building Resilience in the Classroom when Things Don't Go as Planned
Dr. Shelley Wigley
University of Texas at Arlington
Session Description
Bringing Real-Life Tools and Trends into the Classroom Learning Experience
Melanie Kennedy
University of Oregon
Session Description
10:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions
From Classroom to Career: Advancing Social Mobility with High-Impact Practices
Joie S. Hain, DBA
Clayton State University
Session Description
Belonging in the Age of AI: Preparing Students for College and Career Success
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn and Ms. Leanna Davis
Virginia Union University, Clinical Specialist with Inspire
Session Description
11:45 a.m.
Closing Keynote
Is Anybody Listening? Maintaining Student Attention Through Influence
Dr. Danaka Porter, PMP, Dan Farkas MBA, Nichole Santee
University of Lethbridge, Ohio University, University of Texas Arlington
