[Updated March 6, 2008 with dates for 2008 conference.]
NOTE: The 2008 conference will take place October 5-8, 2008.
Back in February I talked about the Educational Travel Conference. For alumni staff working on travel programs, it's a good way to get exposure to tour operators and destinations while networking with other travel planners.
But if you have a broader charge and need to produce on-campus education events, regional seminars or faculty talks, an Alumni College, or even online educational programs, you need to attend the Minary Conference on Alumni Education. I attended the conference every year from 1989 until 2004, and had the opportunity to serve as conference chair as well. I could go on and on about:
- the close-knit peer network
- the relevance of the agenda
- the beautiful location
but instead of listening to me, take a look at the Minary Conference web site and even if you can't attend this year, consider joining the Minary listserv, an email discussion group for alumni education topics (including educational travel).
Princeton's Andrew Gossen heads up this year's program. Andrew is an insightful thinker on these topics and in his message on the Minary web site he says
...that’s really the great thing about Minary – you’re not just attending a conference; you’re becoming part of a community of professionals who, collectively, can help you address almost any challenge that you’re likely to face in alumni education.
And in case you're wondering, it's pronounced: min-AIR-y.
See you there.
photo credit: Stanford Sierra Camp