The 2009 Impact Conference has solidified its dates and location.  Registration is now open, and we're hoping that lots of students (and staff) from Bonner campuses will be there.  Last year, more than 300 attended, and we'd like to top that.  Bonner schools receive a DISCOUNT on registration BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT IN TIME (January 23rd).  Also, this year's conference (in the DC area) will feature a special LOBBY DAY on March 9th, with additional training and the opportunity to lobby on Capitol Hill.  This is a great potential Bonner trip (perhaps a Second Year Exchange; connect with another school and make some plans in DC).  

In addition, this is a great conference at which Bonner students and staff can present workshops on a multitude of issues.  Anyone attending can submit a workshop. The deadline is January 23rd!  See full information at www.impactconference.org/workshops.  The conference features more than 75 workshops. Submit a session for one of the tracks including:

• Action (Service): This track features workshops on components and strategies for building strong service programs, such as recruitment, retention, training, program structure, evaluation/outcomes, funding and organizational sustainability, and strategic partnerships
• Connecting Action & the Classroom (Service Learning): This track features workshops on ways to connect community engagement with your academic work, including working with community partners, teaching pedagogy, service-learning and community-based participatory research, building research questions, reflection, engaging departments, and working with faculty 
• The Politics of your Work (Politics, Policy, and Advocacy): This track will feature workshops on how to take your work and influence decision-makers from the local level to the White House
• Changing the World 3.0 (Technology): With so many digital ways to impact the world, this new track will provide one collective space for those interested in using technology to enhance their work. Workshops will using technology to advance your work (i.e., using facebook, web outreach, etc.)
• Taking on the Issues (Issue-Based Workshops): This track features workshops on countering racism, classism, sexism and other forms of prejudice; environmental justice; addressing domestic poverty; international public health; economic justice; addressing climate change; education policy; hunger and homelessness among other topics
• Leading your Work (Management & Skill Based): This track features workshops on leadership development, management skills, nonprofit career paths, and graduate education. This track will also include “how-to” topics (i.e., how to write a press release, how to create a budget, etc.)
• Administrators' Focused: While not a specific track, there will also be special designation for workshops targeted at administrators of campus programs

See announcement below and visit the IMPACT CONFERENCE website at www.impactconference.org

This is the place to jot ideas.  

The following schools have registered students and/or staff for the IMPACT CONFERENCE:

Allegheny College

Amherst College

Berea College

Berry College

Possibly Burlington County College

Carson-Newman College

College of Charleston

DePauw

Dickinson College

Guilford College

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Lynchburg College

Macalester

Mercer County Comm College

Middlesex County College

Morehouse College

Pfeiffer University

Rider University

Richmond

Siena College

Spelman College

Sonoma 

Stetson University

The College of New Jersey

Tusculum College

Union College

University of Dayton

University of Richmond

Warren-Wilson

Washburn College

Wofford College

The following Bonner Programs have workshops: 

Anybody staying for Lobby Day or doing a Second-Year Exchange (or longer trip), making the conference and lobby day part of it?

Who is helping out with the Administrators Forum and track (students are welcome to help!):

• Ripon College (Charles Oberweiser)
• Siena College (Mathew Johnson)
• Stetson University (Savannah-Jane Atkins)  

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT (feel free to circulate)

Registration for Bonner students is $155 if you do it by January 23rd, and $185 for administrators.  Bonner is going to help organize the Administrators Track (so if you want to help and offer trainings, please let Ariane know (ahoy@bonner.org).  If you wish to register folks for the optional Lobby Day, you MUST register and pay separately for that event through Brown Paper Tickets.  The cost for the training (which includes dinner on Sunday evening) is $25.00, and registration can be found at:www.BrownPaperTickets.com/event/50110 (new window will open).  This should be a great opportunity, especially given what may be going on within government.

Here's the full information!

IMPACT: National Student Conference on Service, Advocacy & Social Action 

Date: March 6 – 8, 2009 

Location: University of Maryland, University College -- Adelphi, MD (Washington, DC, metropolitan area)

Website: www.impactconference.org

Join college students, administrators, faculty, national nonprofit organizations, and many others this spring in our nation's capitol for the historically largest national convening of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics, advocacy, and other socially responsible work across philosophical and ideological lines.

Following the historic 2008 election and set against the backdrop of Washington, DC, this event is the 25^th anniversary of the legacy set forth by the C.O.O.L. Conference and the Idealist Campus Conference. IMPACT is an opportunity to connect with other campuses, learn from their best practices, and share your campus' experiences in working toward social change.

You won't want to miss this inspiring three-day conference! It will include thought-provoking forums, plenary sessions, and student-led workshops as well as an Opportunities Fair, Oxfam America Hunger Banquet, powerful Opening Ceremony -- and even a few new surprises!

Learn from campus and nonprofit leaders in the following topics:

We will also make sure to keep you entertained through inspiring keynote speakers, social events, and plenty of entertainment!

To learn more about the IMPACT Conference and to register to attend, please visit www.impactconference.org. Be sure to register by January 23 to receive the discounted student registration rate!