The 2011 IMPACT Conference: Service, Advocacy, and Social Action
The IMPACT Conference is historically the largest annual conference in the nation focused on engaging college students in service, advocacy and social action. This event continues and builds on the legacy of the COOL (Campus Outreach Opportunity League) National Conference and the Idealist Campus Conference, spanning an incredible 26-year history. The Bonner Program grew out of COOL's work on service, advocacy, and social justice. The Bonner Network sends about 200-300 Bonners annually.
Details on the 2011 Conference
The IMPACT Conference, in its 26th year, is a platform for college students to gather together across issues, ideology, geography, and philosophy of social change. Conservative, moderate, and liberal students will be there. Students passionate about climate change will exchange ideas with students passionate about homelessness. Students from Miami can build on the work of students in Burlington and New Orleans and Los Angeles. At its most basic, it is a chance for students to share their thoughts and passions with one another, so that you’re able to build off of your peers’ work.
This year’s conference will provide a platform for college students to set, engage in, and lead a national agenda for social change, as well as:
- Ways for active and engaged college students to meet, network with, and share resources with other active and engaged college students across the country
- Opportunities for nonprofit professionals and campus administrators across the country to meet, network with, and share resources with others working primarily with college students
- Means for students, nonprofit professionals, and campus administrators to share resources, tell stories, and re-ignite a passion for justice in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.
How the Bonner Network is getting involved:
The Bonner Network is assisting in the planning and facilitation of the meeting. Bonner students in our network may facilitate workshops, participate in issue tracks, and share ideas with others outside the network. Campus administrators can take part in the Administrator's Institute, which is designed with some Bonner initiatives in mind, such as our Professional Development Initiative. National and local Bonner Partners are invited to sponsor the conference in a variety of ways, giving workshops, attending sessions, sharing with other organizations, and tabling at the networking fair.
The Bonner Network is assisting in the development of tracks for 2 particular social justice issues: Youth Empowerment and Refugee/Immigration Issues. With the workshop proposal deadline quickly approaching (January 21), we are asking that Bonner students and staff contact the appropriate Foundation staff person if they have a personal interest or a relevant contact that could present a workshop or participate in the planning of these tracks. More information on the development of these tracks will be posted here:
This track is designed for students, administrators, or partners who have an interest or experience in working with refugee or immigrant groups. Typically, students engage with these populations through their service in schools, refugee/immigrant support agencies, English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, or health clinics. Not only does this topic cross over a wide range of social services, but it has reached national news this past year through debates over the DREAM Act and related policy, making refugee and immigrant rights one of the foremost political discussions around contemporary civil rights in the United States. This track will enable participants to share their experiences, discuss the issues, and learn about opportunities for advocacy and social action.
This track is designed for students, administrators, or partners who have an interest or experience in working with youth groups. Youth empowerment entails the structural and cultural process by which young people gain the ability, understanding, authority to implement change in their own lives and in the lives of others. Students work with youth through youth groups, youth councils and after school and mentoring programs. This topic embodies all social services and allows the opportunity for youth to organize and voice an opinion for positive community change on issues domestic and abroad. This track will enable participants to share their experiences, discuss the issues, and learn about opportunities for advocacy and social action.
Administrators Track | coordinated by Savannah Griffen (Stetson), Gretchen Mielke (Siena), Ariane Hoy (Bonner), and Heather Schill (Berea), email gmielke@siena.edu and ahoy@bonner.org
Bonner will also be supporting the IMPACT Planning and Workshop Committees to coordinate and create sessions designed for administrators and campus professionals from around the country. These workshops will be flagged as part of the Administrators Track. These workshops will be designed to provide professional and personal development and networking opportunities for administrators in attendance. Topics we anticipate covering include: achieving professional balance and staying energized; the coalition of projects model for building a campus center; program development and management; tools for engaging and training students as leaders; strategies for building inclusive programs and a respect for diversity; and program evaluation and assessment.
How YOU can get involved:
- Submit a Workshop
- Is there a particular topic you're interested in? Check out these workshop categories that the IMPACT Planning Committee is looking for, and submit yours according to the deadlines (Dec 10 & Jan 21).
- Connect an Organization or Partner
- Do you know of a local, statewide, or national organization that might want to be a part of IMPACT? Invite them to sponsor or attend the conference.
- Rep your Region
- The Bonner Student Congress is divided into 6 regions. Which region are you in? Find out here and get ready to network with your region at a special Bonner dinner at IMPACT!
- Engage with the planning of the Bonner feature tracks
- If you or someone you know is particularly passionate about the following issues, have them get in touch with someone here at the Foundation to help plan the track. It's a great leadership opportunity!
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