Breakout sessions are the educational backbone of the MCCA Annual Convention. Our comprehensive programming is designed to give you a full range education, from the basics that every professional needs to the innovative ideas that are changing how you work. With a wide variety of topics during each time slot, these 45 minute sessions allow you to focus on the areas that are most relevant to your needs. No matter where you are in your career, there is something for you.
Program Tracks
Sessions are organized by seven thematic tracks designed to help illuminate overarching focus areas and help attendees easily navigate the event.
Sessions are organized by seven thematic tracks designed to help illuminate overarching focus areas and help attendees easily navigate the event.
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Recruiting, retaining and graduating students are ongoing challenges for community colleges. Join your colleagues in exploring new strategies and best practices for increasing enrollment and driving student success from start to finish.
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
A robust economy depends upon a highly skilled workforce. These sessions explore the many ways colleges are meeting the workforce needs of their communities, particularly through apprenticeship programs and partnerships with local employers.
Learning & Teaching
College professionals continue to develop new and innovative ways of approaching learning and teaching. These sessions afford educators the opportunity to share their ideas and innovations with colleagues.
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Accountability mandates, fluctuating funding, demographic shifts and the rapid pace of change within higher education continue to challenge college administrators to explore innovative strategies for leadership and organizational change.
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Every day, both teaching and non-teaching professionals work to advance the mission of Missouri’s community colleges and workforce partners. This ongoing track will explore innovative and forward-thinking initiatives that will impact the future of community colleges, from financial planning and human resources to continuous improvement, strategic management and everything in between.
HLC Accreditation
HLC accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution meets standards and is engaged in continuous improvement. HLC's institutional accreditation includes all degree levels as well as on-site and online offerings. This track will ensure participants going through this process or preparing for an upcoming review will have the most up-to-date information and communication about best practices.
Special Topics
Interested in something more specific? Explore a variety of targeted topics, trends and challenges within higher education today.
Business Meetings
Wednesday, November 4
12:00 - 2:00 P.M.
Grand Ballroom D1
Trustees
Grand Ballroom D2
Classified Staff
Grand Ballroom D3
CTE & Workforce Development Professionals
Jr. Ballroom B
Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAOs)
Jr. Ballroom C
IE Professionals
Jr. Ballroom D
Faculty
101
Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs)
102
Online, Instruction & AI
103
Health Sciences Deans
Windsor Room (Embassy Suites side)
Adult Education & Literacy (AEL)
Trustees
Grand Ballroom D2
Classified Staff
Grand Ballroom D3
CTE & Workforce Development Professionals
Jr. Ballroom B
Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAOs)
Jr. Ballroom C
IE Professionals
Jr. Ballroom D
Faculty
101
Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs)
102
Online, Instruction & AI
103
Health Sciences Deans
Windsor Room (Embassy Suites side)
Adult Education & Literacy (AEL)
12:00 - 4:00 P.M.
Jr. Ballroom A
Chief Academic Officers (CAOs)
Chief Academic Officers (CAOs)
2:00 - 4:00 P.M.
Grand Ballroom D1
P/C Council and Trustees
Grand Ballroom D2
Chief Financial Officers (CFOs)
Grand Ballroom D3
Marketing Professionals
Jr. Ballroom B
Chief Information Officers (CIOs)
Jr. Ballroom C
IR Professionals
Jr. Ballroom D
HLC-ALO
101
Grants Professionals
102
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Professionals
103
SkillUP Coordinators
Windsor Room (Embassy Suites side)
ABA2 (MoSEPWork)
P/C Council and Trustees
Grand Ballroom D2
Chief Financial Officers (CFOs)
Grand Ballroom D3
Marketing Professionals
Jr. Ballroom B
Chief Information Officers (CIOs)
Jr. Ballroom C
IR Professionals
Jr. Ballroom D
HLC-ALO
101
Grants Professionals
102
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Professionals
103
SkillUP Coordinators
Windsor Room (Embassy Suites side)
ABA2 (MoSEPWork)
3:00 - 4:30 P.M.
Room 104-105
MHPC Consortium
MHPC Consortium
Breakout Sessions
Our comprehensive program is designed to give you a full range education, from the basics that every professional needs to the innovative ideas that are changing how we work. No matter where you are in your career, there is something for you!
Our comprehensive program is designed to give you a full range education, from the basics that every professional needs to the innovative ideas that are changing how we work. No matter where you are in your career, there is something for you!
Thursday, November 5
8:45 - 9:30 A.M.
Fall Creek
Bold Leaders, Bright Future: Cultivating Talent From Within
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Tammy Robinson | Metropolitan Community College
Dr. Kimberly Beatty | Metropolitan Community College
Dr. Tyjaun Lee | Metropolitan Community College
Strong institutions do not wait for leadership—they build it. Yet too often, emerging leaders leave our organizations before their potential is fully realized. This session challenges that pattern by asking a critical question: What does it truly take to create a culture where talent stays, grows, and leads?
Join this dynamic conversation as we explore how Metropolitan Community College is intentionally developing leadership from within. Grounded in strategy and practice, this session will highlight approaches that foster belonging, mentorship, and clear pathways for advancement—ensuring that future leaders are not only identified, but supported and retained.
Participants will gain insight into building environments where leadership is cultivated at every level, where potential is recognized early, and where institutional commitment translates into opportunity.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
Climbing the Summit: How an Inaugural PD College Event Happened Twice
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Melissa Lloyd | Ozarks Technical Community College
Dr. Julie Coltharp | Ozarks Technical Community College
Community colleges serve every community by investing in their people—and by adapting when plans don’t go as expected. This session explores Ozarks Tech’s inaugural internal professional development conference, Eagle Summit, an ambitious initiative that ultimately unfolded in an unexpected way.
This session will highlight the importance of creating dedicated time for professional development, lessons learned from planning (and replanning) a large internal conference, and practical tips for colleges considering similar events. Participants will also explore how investing in employees positively impacts community and the students we serve.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Bite-Sized Learning: Snackable Skills From the Center for Teaching & Learning
Learning & Teaching
Dr. Cara Barth-Fagan | State Fair Community College
Jay Rozema | State Fair Community College
Big impact. Small bites. PD on your time.
State Fair Community College’s Snackable Skills offer short, fun, and practical professional learning designed to fit faculty schedules. Delivered through Canvas modules, each Snackable Skill includes brief videos and ready‑to‑use resources and takes just minutes to complete.
These bite-sized sessions explore big teaching ideas such as accessibility, Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI), and effective Canvas design, without the time commitment of traditional PD. Titles include Presenting as if You’re on the Weather Channel, Cognitive Load Theory, What Students Want in Canvas, and They Don’t Read: Now What?
The Center for Teaching and Learning also offers monthly PD shaped by faculty and staff suggestions. Join us to learn how Snackable Skills began, how ideas are developed, and what’s next. Grab a snack and see how small bites of PD make a big impact.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 3
From Literacy to Literature: Building Community Through Public Writing in Rural Spaces
Learning & Teaching
Terry Held | Crower College
In many rural and underserved communities, literacy is often taught as a foundational skill but rarely experienced as a living, public practice. This session presents a scalable model for moving students from basic writing to active participation in a local literary culture.
Drawing on the “Poetry Ain’t Dead” initiative at Crowder College, this presentation demonstrates how classroom instruction can extend into community-facing events such as open mic nights, cross-campus collaborations, high school partnerships, and municipal recognition. These efforts reframe writing as both personal expression and civic contribution.
The presentation will explore how integrating writing opportunities increases student confidence, strengthens campus identity, and builds meaningful connections between colleges and their communities. Attendees will leave with strategies for launching low-cost, high-impact literary programming that supports student engagement, retention, and community involvement.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
Universal Design for Learning: Creating Inclusive Courses That Align With WCAG Accessibility Standards
Special Topics
Stacy Donald | Moberly Area Community College
Maggie Meade | Moberly Area Community College
Jimi Motter | Moberly Area Community College
This presentation explores how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a proactive framework for creating accessible and inclusive learning environments. Participants will learn how UDL principles support WCAG accessibility expectations and strengthen collaboration with disability services by reducing barriers before they become accommodations.
The session highlights practical ways to incorporate UDL into course design to support diverse learners, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and non‑traditional students who benefit from additional flexibility. Attendees will also receive hands‑on tips for creating accessible documents and applying general accessibility best practices.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
MACC's 4-Year Assurance Review: Reflections on Our Process & Lessons Learned
HLC Accreditation
Carson Mowery | Moberly Area Community College
Megan Weaver | Moberly Area Community College
Allen Shepard | Moberly Area Community College
Moberly Area Community College recently completed its 4-Year Assurance Review under HLC's Revised Criteria for Accreditation. In this presentation, the steering committee tri-chairs review the timeline, organization, process, and lessons learned.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
How Thinking Grows: Revisiting Perry's Theory With Data Insights & Application
Learning & Teaching
Emily Lewis | Crowder College
Stephanie Witcher | Crowder College
Ed Barlow | Crowder College
Last year, the presenters shared the foundational elements of Perry's Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development in College Students and discussed how to lean into the theory to support students' learning and success. This year, we will review the basics of the theory, share new student data, and consider ways to support and challenge students in and out of the classroom to improve learning outcomes and student retention.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
AI in Action at STLCC: From Strategic Vision to Campus Impact
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Renita Luck | St. Louis Community College
Sahar Resch Joakim | St. Louis Community College
Join us as we share STLCC’s dynamic journey from envisioning an AI strategy to bringing it to life across our campuses. Discover how we’ve transformed ideas into action empowering faculty and staff, supporting students, and building a culture of innovation and integrity. We’ll highlight key milestones, creative professional development, and the collaborative spirit driving our progress. Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or looking to take the next step, this session will offer inspiration, practical insights, and a glimpse of what’s possible when a community college moves boldly from planning to implementation. Bring your questions and ideas let’s shape the future together!
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
Collaboration in Breaking Down the Silos to Meet Adult Students Where They Are
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Saranda Lund | Jefferson College
Lora Warner | Jefferson College
Julie Johns | Jefferson College
Keri Hayes | Jefferson College
With the changing dynamics of student enrollment, adult learners have become a targeted population to ease gaps in enrollment. Adult learners often find themselves struggling to navigate the pathway to academic attainment due to siloed departments across college campuses. Join Adult Education & Literacy, Admissions, and Workforce Development in this collaborative, interactive session that explores how institutions can move from disjointed practices to a collaborative foundation designed specifically for the adult learner journey. Key takeaways will be recognizing your own campus’s silos and actions to create pathways for your adult learners.
--- --- ---
Boston Ferry
Navigating the Future of Workforce Pell
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
Josephine Kershaw | Jefferson College
Calie Holden | Ozarks Technical Community College
D'Andrea Weeks | St. Louis Community College
Amanda Sizemore | St. Charles Community College
This session will provide an overview of Workforce Pell legislation and the America's Talent Strategy: Equipping American Workers for the Golden Age initiative. It will cover considerations for state and regional leaders, as well as opportunities for community colleges to leverage Workforce Pell in postsecondary and workforce future grant funding. Attendees will learn how Workforce Pell provides community colleges a chance to partner closely with industry employers and set clear goals that shape regional talent pipelines, modernize data systems as well as the capacity to understand real labor market demand, and set forward-looking education strategies that reward outcomes. Presenters will discuss how implementing America's Talent Strategy will involve data infrastructure updates that Missouri will need to develop. An interactive dialogue of how individual community colleges are implementing Workforce Pell programs will be included to share challenges, strategies, and best practices.
Bold Leaders, Bright Future: Cultivating Talent From Within
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Tammy Robinson | Metropolitan Community College
Dr. Kimberly Beatty | Metropolitan Community College
Dr. Tyjaun Lee | Metropolitan Community College
Strong institutions do not wait for leadership—they build it. Yet too often, emerging leaders leave our organizations before their potential is fully realized. This session challenges that pattern by asking a critical question: What does it truly take to create a culture where talent stays, grows, and leads?
Join this dynamic conversation as we explore how Metropolitan Community College is intentionally developing leadership from within. Grounded in strategy and practice, this session will highlight approaches that foster belonging, mentorship, and clear pathways for advancement—ensuring that future leaders are not only identified, but supported and retained.
Participants will gain insight into building environments where leadership is cultivated at every level, where potential is recognized early, and where institutional commitment translates into opportunity.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
Climbing the Summit: How an Inaugural PD College Event Happened Twice
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Melissa Lloyd | Ozarks Technical Community College
Dr. Julie Coltharp | Ozarks Technical Community College
Community colleges serve every community by investing in their people—and by adapting when plans don’t go as expected. This session explores Ozarks Tech’s inaugural internal professional development conference, Eagle Summit, an ambitious initiative that ultimately unfolded in an unexpected way.
This session will highlight the importance of creating dedicated time for professional development, lessons learned from planning (and replanning) a large internal conference, and practical tips for colleges considering similar events. Participants will also explore how investing in employees positively impacts community and the students we serve.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Bite-Sized Learning: Snackable Skills From the Center for Teaching & Learning
Learning & Teaching
Dr. Cara Barth-Fagan | State Fair Community College
Jay Rozema | State Fair Community College
Big impact. Small bites. PD on your time.
State Fair Community College’s Snackable Skills offer short, fun, and practical professional learning designed to fit faculty schedules. Delivered through Canvas modules, each Snackable Skill includes brief videos and ready‑to‑use resources and takes just minutes to complete.
These bite-sized sessions explore big teaching ideas such as accessibility, Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI), and effective Canvas design, without the time commitment of traditional PD. Titles include Presenting as if You’re on the Weather Channel, Cognitive Load Theory, What Students Want in Canvas, and They Don’t Read: Now What?
The Center for Teaching and Learning also offers monthly PD shaped by faculty and staff suggestions. Join us to learn how Snackable Skills began, how ideas are developed, and what’s next. Grab a snack and see how small bites of PD make a big impact.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 3
From Literacy to Literature: Building Community Through Public Writing in Rural Spaces
Learning & Teaching
Terry Held | Crower College
In many rural and underserved communities, literacy is often taught as a foundational skill but rarely experienced as a living, public practice. This session presents a scalable model for moving students from basic writing to active participation in a local literary culture.
Drawing on the “Poetry Ain’t Dead” initiative at Crowder College, this presentation demonstrates how classroom instruction can extend into community-facing events such as open mic nights, cross-campus collaborations, high school partnerships, and municipal recognition. These efforts reframe writing as both personal expression and civic contribution.
The presentation will explore how integrating writing opportunities increases student confidence, strengthens campus identity, and builds meaningful connections between colleges and their communities. Attendees will leave with strategies for launching low-cost, high-impact literary programming that supports student engagement, retention, and community involvement.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
Universal Design for Learning: Creating Inclusive Courses That Align With WCAG Accessibility Standards
Special Topics
Stacy Donald | Moberly Area Community College
Maggie Meade | Moberly Area Community College
Jimi Motter | Moberly Area Community College
This presentation explores how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a proactive framework for creating accessible and inclusive learning environments. Participants will learn how UDL principles support WCAG accessibility expectations and strengthen collaboration with disability services by reducing barriers before they become accommodations.
The session highlights practical ways to incorporate UDL into course design to support diverse learners, including students with disabilities, English language learners, and non‑traditional students who benefit from additional flexibility. Attendees will also receive hands‑on tips for creating accessible documents and applying general accessibility best practices.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
MACC's 4-Year Assurance Review: Reflections on Our Process & Lessons Learned
HLC Accreditation
Carson Mowery | Moberly Area Community College
Megan Weaver | Moberly Area Community College
Allen Shepard | Moberly Area Community College
Moberly Area Community College recently completed its 4-Year Assurance Review under HLC's Revised Criteria for Accreditation. In this presentation, the steering committee tri-chairs review the timeline, organization, process, and lessons learned.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
How Thinking Grows: Revisiting Perry's Theory With Data Insights & Application
Learning & Teaching
Emily Lewis | Crowder College
Stephanie Witcher | Crowder College
Ed Barlow | Crowder College
Last year, the presenters shared the foundational elements of Perry's Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development in College Students and discussed how to lean into the theory to support students' learning and success. This year, we will review the basics of the theory, share new student data, and consider ways to support and challenge students in and out of the classroom to improve learning outcomes and student retention.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
AI in Action at STLCC: From Strategic Vision to Campus Impact
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Renita Luck | St. Louis Community College
Sahar Resch Joakim | St. Louis Community College
Join us as we share STLCC’s dynamic journey from envisioning an AI strategy to bringing it to life across our campuses. Discover how we’ve transformed ideas into action empowering faculty and staff, supporting students, and building a culture of innovation and integrity. We’ll highlight key milestones, creative professional development, and the collaborative spirit driving our progress. Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or looking to take the next step, this session will offer inspiration, practical insights, and a glimpse of what’s possible when a community college moves boldly from planning to implementation. Bring your questions and ideas let’s shape the future together!
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
Collaboration in Breaking Down the Silos to Meet Adult Students Where They Are
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Saranda Lund | Jefferson College
Lora Warner | Jefferson College
Julie Johns | Jefferson College
Keri Hayes | Jefferson College
With the changing dynamics of student enrollment, adult learners have become a targeted population to ease gaps in enrollment. Adult learners often find themselves struggling to navigate the pathway to academic attainment due to siloed departments across college campuses. Join Adult Education & Literacy, Admissions, and Workforce Development in this collaborative, interactive session that explores how institutions can move from disjointed practices to a collaborative foundation designed specifically for the adult learner journey. Key takeaways will be recognizing your own campus’s silos and actions to create pathways for your adult learners.
--- --- ---
Boston Ferry
Navigating the Future of Workforce Pell
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
Josephine Kershaw | Jefferson College
Calie Holden | Ozarks Technical Community College
D'Andrea Weeks | St. Louis Community College
Amanda Sizemore | St. Charles Community College
This session will provide an overview of Workforce Pell legislation and the America's Talent Strategy: Equipping American Workers for the Golden Age initiative. It will cover considerations for state and regional leaders, as well as opportunities for community colleges to leverage Workforce Pell in postsecondary and workforce future grant funding. Attendees will learn how Workforce Pell provides community colleges a chance to partner closely with industry employers and set clear goals that shape regional talent pipelines, modernize data systems as well as the capacity to understand real labor market demand, and set forward-looking education strategies that reward outcomes. Presenters will discuss how implementing America's Talent Strategy will involve data infrastructure updates that Missouri will need to develop. An interactive dialogue of how individual community colleges are implementing Workforce Pell programs will be included to share challenges, strategies, and best practices.
10:15 - 11:00 A.M.
Fall Creek
The Academic Mirror: Reflecting Student Success Through Faculty and Staff Synergy
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Brenna Young| Jefferson College
Ellen Miller | Mineral Area College
In the world of community colleges, the student experience is often split between two worlds: the classroom and the advisor’s office. While these roles are distinct, they share the "same DNA" when it comes to student retention and community impact.
Presented by identical twin sisters working at two different community colleges in Missouri, one as a Faculty member (Social Science, Reading and Guidance Department Coordinator/Associate Professor) and the other as a Director of Advising and Retention, this session explores how bridging the gap between instruction and student services creates a more holistic support system. We will share "mirror" perspectives on common student barriers and discuss how intentional collaboration between these two pillars can amplify our dedication to the students we serve. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for breaking down departmental silos and a renewed sense of pride in the collective difference we make across the state.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
Evaluation of Proposed New Programs or Grants
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Susan Spencer | Moberly Area Community College
Dr. Jeff Lashley | Moberly Area Community College
This would be a repeat of the session offered to the MCCA leadership group in April. Feel free to grab any details from there. Review of MACC's data driven process for evaluating potential new programs or grants.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Guarding the Gate 2.0: Evolving Strategies Against Admissions Fraud
Special Topics
Jaclyn Birks | Jefferson College
Scott Fiedler | Ozarks Technical Community College
Ryan Meador | Metropolitan Community College
As fraudulent application tactics grow increasingly sophisticated, community colleges remain on the front lines of protecting institutional integrity. Building on the foundation of last year’s session, "Guarding the Gate," this follow-up presentation explores how the landscape of attempted fraud has evolved and the significant challenges that remain. Join leaders from Jeffco, Ozarks Tech, and MCC as they share perspectives on the current state of admissions security. Gain an inside look at the specific technology stacks these colleges have implemented (including ID.me, Voyatek, and AMSA S.A.F.E.) to detect bad actors, an honest assessment of which strategies are yielding the best results, and practical recommendations for hardening institutional defenses. Whether you are continuing the conversation from last year or joining us for the first time, this session provides a roadmap for leveraging technology to maintain accurate data in an era of persistent digital threats.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 3
In Their Words: Using Student Feedback to Assess Instructional Quality & Act
Learning & Teaching
Allison Brosch | State Fair Community College
Misty Burnett | State Fair Community College
When national student surveys fell short, our college decided to seek answers from our own students directly. What emerged was a student-centered vision that is now reshaping instructional quality across the college. This presentation shares our journey from data dissatisfaction to institutional transformation through the Student First Instructional Quality Project. This college-wide initiative is dedicated to ensuring that every student experience is shaped by instructional excellence through significant and meaningful faculty engagement and feedback that is timely, purposeful, and impactful in every class.
The presenters will share details of the targeted student survey approach and results along with how the Students First Through Instructional Excellence vision has united faculty and administration under shared goals. Using a two-phase approach, a multidisciplinary team comprising faculty, adjuncts, administrators, and teaching-and-learning specialists drives the initiative.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
From Compliance to Impact: Moving Program Assessment Beyond "Check the Box"
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Jill Vaughn | St. Louis Community College
Nicole Dutt | St. Louis Community College
At many institutions, annual program assessment has historically been treated as a compliance-driven, “check the box” activity completed out of obligation rather than being used as a tool for meaningful improvement. This session shares how St. Louis Community College reimagined its annual program assessment process to move beyond reporting and toward a more reflective, actionable, and faculty-engaged practice.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
From Prompt to Pipeline - AI Workflow in Higher Ed
Special Topics
Ross Lowrance | Ozarks Technical Community College
AI tools are often used in isolation—one prompt, one output, one task at a time. However, the true potential of generative AI emerges when tools are intentionally chained together into structured workflows. This session introduces the concept of “AI pipelines,” where platforms such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, NotebookLM, and Claude are combined to enhance efficiency, deepen insight, and improve output quality. Through practical faculty and staff examples, participants will explore how to design repeatable, scalable workflows for course development, research, and administrative tasks. Attendees will leave with a framework for moving beyond one-off AI use toward intentional systems that support teaching, learning, and productivity, while also considering ethical implications and institutional best practices.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
Go Bold: Launching a New Era of Service at Your College
Learning & Teaching
Amy Kausler | Jefferson College
Susan Welch | Jefferson College
Is your college ready to go bold and launch a new era of service? Is your community in need of your partnerships? Join us to reflect on our story of service at Jefferson College, including our current practices and opportunities for growth. We will assist you in reviewing current practices at your institution, and envisioning ways for you and your colleagues to go bold and launch a new era of service at your college and in your community. From the charge of the Truman Commission Report in 1947 to today, we are called to serve our communities. Join us to Explore and Discover as we launch into this new era of service!
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
From Analysis to Action: Using Data to Strengthen College Outcomes
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Leslie Evans | Mineral Area College
Emily Lewis | Crowder College
Jackson Lewis-Hite | Crowder College
Shannon Nicholson | St. Louis Community College
Stephanie Witcher | Crowder College
As community colleges face increasing pressure to improve completion rates, equity outcomes, and workforce alignment, the ability to effectively leverage data has become essential. While many institutions are working toward data-informed practices, progress is often uneven and siloed. This session brings together multiple institutions to share how collaborative, data-driven decision-making practices are improving student success, closing equity gaps, and strengthening institutional effectiveness. Presenters will highlight strategies for building a culture of data use, aligning metrics with student success goals, and translating insights into action. Attendees will leave with practical frameworks and scalable approaches that can be adapted to their own institutions.
--- --- ---
Bee Creek
I Need a Hero
Learning & Teaching
William King | Moberly Area Community College
Everyone needs a hero and some need a miracle. What if you can’t find either? You are not alone. Join this session as the answer might be much closer than you think. You will never look at your career the same again.
--- --- ---
Incorporating Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships in the AAT Pathway
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
Dr. Kenneth Wilson | Jefferson College
Dr. Ken Boning | Jefferson College
Amber Hixson | Three Rivers College
Through work with the Apprenticeships Building America 2 Grant, Jefferson College and Three Rivers College are working in a consortium of Colleges to implement pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships in the Teacher Education Pathway. This session will describe the implementation strategies and key observations and challenges of implementing work-based learning into this education pathway at the Community College Level.
The Academic Mirror: Reflecting Student Success Through Faculty and Staff Synergy
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Brenna Young| Jefferson College
Ellen Miller | Mineral Area College
In the world of community colleges, the student experience is often split between two worlds: the classroom and the advisor’s office. While these roles are distinct, they share the "same DNA" when it comes to student retention and community impact.
Presented by identical twin sisters working at two different community colleges in Missouri, one as a Faculty member (Social Science, Reading and Guidance Department Coordinator/Associate Professor) and the other as a Director of Advising and Retention, this session explores how bridging the gap between instruction and student services creates a more holistic support system. We will share "mirror" perspectives on common student barriers and discuss how intentional collaboration between these two pillars can amplify our dedication to the students we serve. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for breaking down departmental silos and a renewed sense of pride in the collective difference we make across the state.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
Evaluation of Proposed New Programs or Grants
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Susan Spencer | Moberly Area Community College
Dr. Jeff Lashley | Moberly Area Community College
This would be a repeat of the session offered to the MCCA leadership group in April. Feel free to grab any details from there. Review of MACC's data driven process for evaluating potential new programs or grants.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Guarding the Gate 2.0: Evolving Strategies Against Admissions Fraud
Special Topics
Jaclyn Birks | Jefferson College
Scott Fiedler | Ozarks Technical Community College
Ryan Meador | Metropolitan Community College
As fraudulent application tactics grow increasingly sophisticated, community colleges remain on the front lines of protecting institutional integrity. Building on the foundation of last year’s session, "Guarding the Gate," this follow-up presentation explores how the landscape of attempted fraud has evolved and the significant challenges that remain. Join leaders from Jeffco, Ozarks Tech, and MCC as they share perspectives on the current state of admissions security. Gain an inside look at the specific technology stacks these colleges have implemented (including ID.me, Voyatek, and AMSA S.A.F.E.) to detect bad actors, an honest assessment of which strategies are yielding the best results, and practical recommendations for hardening institutional defenses. Whether you are continuing the conversation from last year or joining us for the first time, this session provides a roadmap for leveraging technology to maintain accurate data in an era of persistent digital threats.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 3
In Their Words: Using Student Feedback to Assess Instructional Quality & Act
Learning & Teaching
Allison Brosch | State Fair Community College
Misty Burnett | State Fair Community College
When national student surveys fell short, our college decided to seek answers from our own students directly. What emerged was a student-centered vision that is now reshaping instructional quality across the college. This presentation shares our journey from data dissatisfaction to institutional transformation through the Student First Instructional Quality Project. This college-wide initiative is dedicated to ensuring that every student experience is shaped by instructional excellence through significant and meaningful faculty engagement and feedback that is timely, purposeful, and impactful in every class.
The presenters will share details of the targeted student survey approach and results along with how the Students First Through Instructional Excellence vision has united faculty and administration under shared goals. Using a two-phase approach, a multidisciplinary team comprising faculty, adjuncts, administrators, and teaching-and-learning specialists drives the initiative.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
From Compliance to Impact: Moving Program Assessment Beyond "Check the Box"
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Jill Vaughn | St. Louis Community College
Nicole Dutt | St. Louis Community College
At many institutions, annual program assessment has historically been treated as a compliance-driven, “check the box” activity completed out of obligation rather than being used as a tool for meaningful improvement. This session shares how St. Louis Community College reimagined its annual program assessment process to move beyond reporting and toward a more reflective, actionable, and faculty-engaged practice.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
From Prompt to Pipeline - AI Workflow in Higher Ed
Special Topics
Ross Lowrance | Ozarks Technical Community College
AI tools are often used in isolation—one prompt, one output, one task at a time. However, the true potential of generative AI emerges when tools are intentionally chained together into structured workflows. This session introduces the concept of “AI pipelines,” where platforms such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, NotebookLM, and Claude are combined to enhance efficiency, deepen insight, and improve output quality. Through practical faculty and staff examples, participants will explore how to design repeatable, scalable workflows for course development, research, and administrative tasks. Attendees will leave with a framework for moving beyond one-off AI use toward intentional systems that support teaching, learning, and productivity, while also considering ethical implications and institutional best practices.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
Go Bold: Launching a New Era of Service at Your College
Learning & Teaching
Amy Kausler | Jefferson College
Susan Welch | Jefferson College
Is your college ready to go bold and launch a new era of service? Is your community in need of your partnerships? Join us to reflect on our story of service at Jefferson College, including our current practices and opportunities for growth. We will assist you in reviewing current practices at your institution, and envisioning ways for you and your colleagues to go bold and launch a new era of service at your college and in your community. From the charge of the Truman Commission Report in 1947 to today, we are called to serve our communities. Join us to Explore and Discover as we launch into this new era of service!
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Roark Creek
From Analysis to Action: Using Data to Strengthen College Outcomes
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Leslie Evans | Mineral Area College
Emily Lewis | Crowder College
Jackson Lewis-Hite | Crowder College
Shannon Nicholson | St. Louis Community College
Stephanie Witcher | Crowder College
As community colleges face increasing pressure to improve completion rates, equity outcomes, and workforce alignment, the ability to effectively leverage data has become essential. While many institutions are working toward data-informed practices, progress is often uneven and siloed. This session brings together multiple institutions to share how collaborative, data-driven decision-making practices are improving student success, closing equity gaps, and strengthening institutional effectiveness. Presenters will highlight strategies for building a culture of data use, aligning metrics with student success goals, and translating insights into action. Attendees will leave with practical frameworks and scalable approaches that can be adapted to their own institutions.
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Bee Creek
I Need a Hero
Learning & Teaching
William King | Moberly Area Community College
Everyone needs a hero and some need a miracle. What if you can’t find either? You are not alone. Join this session as the answer might be much closer than you think. You will never look at your career the same again.
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Incorporating Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships in the AAT Pathway
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
Dr. Kenneth Wilson | Jefferson College
Dr. Ken Boning | Jefferson College
Amber Hixson | Three Rivers College
Through work with the Apprenticeships Building America 2 Grant, Jefferson College and Three Rivers College are working in a consortium of Colleges to implement pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships in the Teacher Education Pathway. This session will describe the implementation strategies and key observations and challenges of implementing work-based learning into this education pathway at the Community College Level.
1:00 - 1:45 P.M.
Fall Creek
Escaping the Tyranny of the Present: How a Rural Community College Reimagines Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Chett Daniel | Crowder College
Elizabeth Armstrong | Crowder College
Strategic planning in higher education often reinforces hierarchy and present-focused thinking, but community colleges need to prepare for disruption and promote agility and autonomy in a way that is non-hierarchal.
Crowder used principles of design thinking to create a large-scale, people-centered planning structure.
The process was immense and shared governance slowed decision-making in uncomfortable ways, yet that discomfort proved catalytic.
Participants will explore how people-centered design and future-focused thinking can redistribute power, strengthen trust, and prepare community colleges to serve every community and every future.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
Faculty Want Community. Systems Get in the Way. What Leaders Can Do Next.
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Jared Durden | Ozarks Technical Community College
Faculty want connection, collaboration, and shared learning through the MCCA Annual Convention, yet attendance remains uneven. This gap is not about lack of value, but about structural barriers, unclear institutional signals, and competing instructional responsibilities. Drawing on a mixed methods study of Missouri community college faculty, this session highlights where faculty are, what they need, and where systems fall short.
Participants will gain insight into perceived value, key barriers, and the role of encouragement, policy clarity, and workload flexibility. The session moves beyond challenges to practical, leadership level strategies at both the college and conference level. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas to increase participation and strengthen professional community.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Artificial Intelligence in My Co-Pilot, Emotional Intelligence Is My Compass
Learning & Teaching
Dr. Ed Barlow | Crowder College
What happens when the most powerful technology of our era meets the most essential human skill? In this hands-on workshop, participants will use AI tools in real time while learning to apply emotional intelligence as the guiding framework for evaluating, refining, and humanizing AI outputs. Grounded in neuroscience and Self-Determination Theory, this session equips community college educators and leaders with a practical approach to integrating AI into their work without losing the human connection that defines our institutions.
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Short Creek 3
Dreams, Detours, & Doctorates: Students to Scholars, Community College Made the Difference
Learning & Teaching
Korey Byers | Mineral Area College
Jodi Dillon | Mineral Area College
Stacey Gillette | Mineral Area College
Leslie Evans | Mineral Area College
Not every college path is straightforward. This panel brings together colleagues who know firsthand that detours are not dead ends, but different doors to walk through. From a factory floor to a biology classroom, from a rejected doctoral application to nursing school, from equine therapy to a juris doctorate. Drawing from stories of working-class backgrounds, unexpected pivots, and nonlinear pursuits, four panelists share the personal stories behind their professional lives and invite attendees to collaborate.
In alignment with Every Community, Every Future, this panel invites educators to reflect on their own non-linear stories and the students experiencing parallel journeys who may not yet know how to navigate. If we want our students to believe their detours don't define them, we must first be willing to share our own! Our goal is for attendees to leave with a renewed sense of purpose and ideas for inspiring students navigating detours on the road to their dreams.
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Cooper Creek 1
Student Success: Going From Transactional to Transformational
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Sarah Leassner | East Central College
This session explores how colleges can shift from transactional, task-focused service models to transformational, student-centered practices that promote belonging, persistence, and long-term success. Grounded in the concept of becoming a student‑ready college, the presentation examines how policies, communication practices, and internal culture can either remove barriers or unintentionally create them.
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Cooper Creek 3
Using Collaborative Change Yields Holistic Improvement
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Elizabeth Gassel Perkins | St. Louis Community College
Julie Fickas | St. Louis Community College
In an era where student success and institutional effectiveness are at the forefront of higher education, faculty evaluation and promotion processes must evolve to reflect a more comprehensive and data-informed approach. This session, led by two campus presidents, explores how collaborative change—rooted in shared governance and transparent use of course success data—can drive holistic improvement across academic departments. Participants will learn how integrating course success metrics into faculty evaluation not only supports professional growth but also aligns individual achievement with institutional goals. The presenters will share real-world strategies for fostering faculty engagement, building trust, and ensuring that promotion pathways are equitable and evidence-based. Attendees will leave with actionable insights for designing or refining faculty evaluation systems that honor teaching excellence, support continuous improvement, and ultimately enhance student outcomes.
--- --- ---
Compton Ferry
Creating a Sense of Belonging for All Students Through Student Engagement
Special Topics
Sav Campbell | Metropolitan Community College
With DEI offices across the state closing and programs specifically for marginalized students disappearing, how can Student Engagement build intentional programming that creates a sense of belonging for all students at our institutions? In this breakout session, we will discuss what we can still do as Student Life professionals to build programs and events that continue to support students in a constantly changing legal landscape. Attendees will learn about specific events and their impact on students' sense of belonging and will collaboratively discuss strategies for supporting our most vulnerable students.
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
From Puzzles to Partnerships
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Dee Coleman | Moberly Area Community College
Strong institutions are built on strong relationships. In this interactive session, participants will engage in collaborative challenges that reveal the power of diverse perspectives. Through shared problem-solving experiences (e.g., puzzles), attendees will discover new ways to build connections, communicate effectively, and work together more intentionally, while having fun in a low-stakes environment.
--- --- ---
Bee Creek
Student Wellness & Safety Is Retention: Building Holistic Supports Through Strategic Partnership
Special Topics
Heather Bond | East Central College
Lindsay Riegel | East Central College
Due to a staffing restructure at ECC, Counseling Services transitioned into a broader Wellness Services model. This shift created an opportunity to rethink how student support is delivered across campus. Out of this transition, a strategic partnership emerged between the Wellness Team and the Success Coaches/Retention Team.
This presentation explores how that partnership is breaking down silos and creating a more cohesive, student-centered approach. By aligning efforts, these teams have established a framework for holistic student support that extends beyond the capacity of either department alone. The result is a more proactive and comprehensive system that addresses both academic and personal barriers to student success.
Participants will gain insight into how integrating wellness and retention efforts can strengthen student engagement, improve persistence, and create a culture where student wellness and safety are recognized as essential components of retention.
--- --- ---
Boston Ferry
Apprenticeship Connections - How Workforce, AEL, and For-Credit Programs Integrate Successfully
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
Samantha Roberson | Jefferson College
Lori Warner | Jefferson College
Julie Johns | Jefferson College
This session explores successful strategies for integrating Workforce, Adult Education and Literacy (AEL), and For-Credit programs by breaking down silos and building interdepartmental relationships. We will discuss leading with departmental strengths, identifying connections based on needs, and ensuring shared understanding of cooperative programs. Benefits include braiding funds, meeting output goals, fulfilling the college mission, and providing the ultimate student benefit. We will emphasize the equal value of all three program types and their ability to connect employer/community needs. We will also address leveraging existing relationships, instructor buy-in, and leadership support. Attendees will receive actionable steps for successful program integration.
Escaping the Tyranny of the Present: How a Rural Community College Reimagines Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Chett Daniel | Crowder College
Elizabeth Armstrong | Crowder College
Strategic planning in higher education often reinforces hierarchy and present-focused thinking, but community colleges need to prepare for disruption and promote agility and autonomy in a way that is non-hierarchal.
Crowder used principles of design thinking to create a large-scale, people-centered planning structure.
The process was immense and shared governance slowed decision-making in uncomfortable ways, yet that discomfort proved catalytic.
Participants will explore how people-centered design and future-focused thinking can redistribute power, strengthen trust, and prepare community colleges to serve every community and every future.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
Faculty Want Community. Systems Get in the Way. What Leaders Can Do Next.
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Jared Durden | Ozarks Technical Community College
Faculty want connection, collaboration, and shared learning through the MCCA Annual Convention, yet attendance remains uneven. This gap is not about lack of value, but about structural barriers, unclear institutional signals, and competing instructional responsibilities. Drawing on a mixed methods study of Missouri community college faculty, this session highlights where faculty are, what they need, and where systems fall short.
Participants will gain insight into perceived value, key barriers, and the role of encouragement, policy clarity, and workload flexibility. The session moves beyond challenges to practical, leadership level strategies at both the college and conference level. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas to increase participation and strengthen professional community.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Artificial Intelligence in My Co-Pilot, Emotional Intelligence Is My Compass
Learning & Teaching
Dr. Ed Barlow | Crowder College
What happens when the most powerful technology of our era meets the most essential human skill? In this hands-on workshop, participants will use AI tools in real time while learning to apply emotional intelligence as the guiding framework for evaluating, refining, and humanizing AI outputs. Grounded in neuroscience and Self-Determination Theory, this session equips community college educators and leaders with a practical approach to integrating AI into their work without losing the human connection that defines our institutions.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 3
Dreams, Detours, & Doctorates: Students to Scholars, Community College Made the Difference
Learning & Teaching
Korey Byers | Mineral Area College
Jodi Dillon | Mineral Area College
Stacey Gillette | Mineral Area College
Leslie Evans | Mineral Area College
Not every college path is straightforward. This panel brings together colleagues who know firsthand that detours are not dead ends, but different doors to walk through. From a factory floor to a biology classroom, from a rejected doctoral application to nursing school, from equine therapy to a juris doctorate. Drawing from stories of working-class backgrounds, unexpected pivots, and nonlinear pursuits, four panelists share the personal stories behind their professional lives and invite attendees to collaborate.
In alignment with Every Community, Every Future, this panel invites educators to reflect on their own non-linear stories and the students experiencing parallel journeys who may not yet know how to navigate. If we want our students to believe their detours don't define them, we must first be willing to share our own! Our goal is for attendees to leave with a renewed sense of purpose and ideas for inspiring students navigating detours on the road to their dreams.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
Student Success: Going From Transactional to Transformational
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Sarah Leassner | East Central College
This session explores how colleges can shift from transactional, task-focused service models to transformational, student-centered practices that promote belonging, persistence, and long-term success. Grounded in the concept of becoming a student‑ready college, the presentation examines how policies, communication practices, and internal culture can either remove barriers or unintentionally create them.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
Using Collaborative Change Yields Holistic Improvement
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Elizabeth Gassel Perkins | St. Louis Community College
Julie Fickas | St. Louis Community College
In an era where student success and institutional effectiveness are at the forefront of higher education, faculty evaluation and promotion processes must evolve to reflect a more comprehensive and data-informed approach. This session, led by two campus presidents, explores how collaborative change—rooted in shared governance and transparent use of course success data—can drive holistic improvement across academic departments. Participants will learn how integrating course success metrics into faculty evaluation not only supports professional growth but also aligns individual achievement with institutional goals. The presenters will share real-world strategies for fostering faculty engagement, building trust, and ensuring that promotion pathways are equitable and evidence-based. Attendees will leave with actionable insights for designing or refining faculty evaluation systems that honor teaching excellence, support continuous improvement, and ultimately enhance student outcomes.
--- --- ---
Compton Ferry
Creating a Sense of Belonging for All Students Through Student Engagement
Special Topics
Sav Campbell | Metropolitan Community College
With DEI offices across the state closing and programs specifically for marginalized students disappearing, how can Student Engagement build intentional programming that creates a sense of belonging for all students at our institutions? In this breakout session, we will discuss what we can still do as Student Life professionals to build programs and events that continue to support students in a constantly changing legal landscape. Attendees will learn about specific events and their impact on students' sense of belonging and will collaboratively discuss strategies for supporting our most vulnerable students.
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
From Puzzles to Partnerships
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Dr. Dee Coleman | Moberly Area Community College
Strong institutions are built on strong relationships. In this interactive session, participants will engage in collaborative challenges that reveal the power of diverse perspectives. Through shared problem-solving experiences (e.g., puzzles), attendees will discover new ways to build connections, communicate effectively, and work together more intentionally, while having fun in a low-stakes environment.
--- --- ---
Bee Creek
Student Wellness & Safety Is Retention: Building Holistic Supports Through Strategic Partnership
Special Topics
Heather Bond | East Central College
Lindsay Riegel | East Central College
Due to a staffing restructure at ECC, Counseling Services transitioned into a broader Wellness Services model. This shift created an opportunity to rethink how student support is delivered across campus. Out of this transition, a strategic partnership emerged between the Wellness Team and the Success Coaches/Retention Team.
This presentation explores how that partnership is breaking down silos and creating a more cohesive, student-centered approach. By aligning efforts, these teams have established a framework for holistic student support that extends beyond the capacity of either department alone. The result is a more proactive and comprehensive system that addresses both academic and personal barriers to student success.
Participants will gain insight into how integrating wellness and retention efforts can strengthen student engagement, improve persistence, and create a culture where student wellness and safety are recognized as essential components of retention.
--- --- ---
Boston Ferry
Apprenticeship Connections - How Workforce, AEL, and For-Credit Programs Integrate Successfully
Workforce Development: Partnerships & Apprenticeships
Samantha Roberson | Jefferson College
Lori Warner | Jefferson College
Julie Johns | Jefferson College
This session explores successful strategies for integrating Workforce, Adult Education and Literacy (AEL), and For-Credit programs by breaking down silos and building interdepartmental relationships. We will discuss leading with departmental strengths, identifying connections based on needs, and ensuring shared understanding of cooperative programs. Benefits include braiding funds, meeting output goals, fulfilling the college mission, and providing the ultimate student benefit. We will emphasize the equal value of all three program types and their ability to connect employer/community needs. We will also address leveraging existing relationships, instructor buy-in, and leadership support. Attendees will receive actionable steps for successful program integration.
2:30 - 3:15 P.M.
Fall Creek
From the Inside Out: Cultivating Leadership for Institutional Resilience
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Emily Westermier | State Fair Community College
Dr. Cara Barth-Fagan | State Fair Community College
Kurtis Griess | State Fair Community College
Kaley Hobbs | State Fair Community College
Darcie McFail | State Fair Community College
To build a resilient institution, leadership must be cultivated at every level. State Fair Community College’s Leadership Academy offers a holistic approach to professional development by examining leadership "from the inside out." The curriculum moves through four critical dimensions: self-awareness, institutional mechanics, the art of leadership, and internal/external engagement. This session provides a comprehensive look at our program’s framework, paired with firsthand accounts from Academy alumni who will share how the program transformed their professional outlook and strengthened their institutional impact.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
What's In It For Me? What Are You Bringing to the Table For Adult Learners?
Enrollment, Retention, & Completion
Kerri Hayes | Jefferson College
David Smith | Jefferson College
Serving adult Learners from admissions through completion
Adult learners represent an increasing demographic of students at community colleges. As this population continues to grow, higher education institutions must adapt to meet their unique needs while fostering an environment where student development thrives through both academic and professional growth.
Many adult learners struggle to balance jobs, families, finances, and other life commitments, often asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” when considering their education.
This breakout session will illustrate how Jefferson College successfully supports adult learners from admission through enrollment and on to completion.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the specific barriers adult learners face
2. Describe practical support models that will improve retention and completion
3. Apply actionable strategies to strengthen adult learner success on their own campus
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Building Stronger Campuses Through the Arts: A Community-Centered Model from State Fair Community College and Daum Museum
Special Topics
Gary Holstein | State Fair Community College
Community colleges are uniquely positioned to serve as cultural and civic anchors in their regions, but many institutions underutilize the arts as a strategic tool for connection, engagement, and belonging.
This session explores how State Fair Community College, anchored by the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, leverages the arts to strengthen relationships across campus and the broader community. Attendees will gain insight into how accessible, inclusive arts programming can foster student engagement, support cross-disciplinary learning, and build meaningful partnerships beyond the classroom.
Through real examples, including exhibitions, community events, and classroom integration, this session will demonstrate how the arts can move from being a “nice-to-have” to a central pillar of institutional impact.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
Connection in Action: Strategies You Can Use Tomorrow to Build a Thriving Campus Community Today
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Elizabeth Armstrong | Crowder College
Heather Flint | Crowder College
Sebastian Sparks | Crowder College
Leandra Toomoth | Crowder College
Robin Wolven | Crowder College
Explore the initiatives that enabled Crowder College’s Professional Staff Association (PSA) to strengthen connections, elevate staff engagement, and model a healthy campus culture this year. This session highlights our successes from the past year and equips participants with ready‑to‑use tools, templates, and strategies to replicate these outcomes within their own institutions.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
From Points to Outcomes: Using the Canvas Learning Mastery Gradebook
Learning & Teaching
Morgan Presley | Ozarks Technical Community College
This session explores a practical, research‑aligned transition from traditional points‑based grading to an outcomes‑driven assessment model using the Canvas Learning Mastery Gradebook. Participants will learn how shifting to clearly defined learning outcomes can increase transparency, support equitable assessment, and provide students with more meaningful feedback on their progress. The session will highlight strategies for mapping course objectives to Canvas outcomes, designing aligned assessments, and using the Learning Mastery Gradebook to track competency rather than point accumulation. Examples, lessons learned, and implementation tips will be shared to help instructors confidently begin or refine their own transition to outcomes‑based grading.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
Two Birds, One Stone: Combining PTK & Your Honors Program For Student Success
Special Topics
Dee Lancaster | Ozarks Technical Community College
Todd Yerby | Ozarks Technical Community College
Honors programs and Phi Theta Kappa both work to expand educational opportunities for the high-achieving students at Community Colleges. Honors programs allow students to learn beyond the normal scope of traditional classes in areas of interest to the student and can help foster their success as they transition to the 4-year University setting. Phi Theta Kappa membership also helps foster student success and leadership skills for these same high-achieving students. When Honors programs and Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisors work together, student success can grow exponentially.
The presentation will discuss the formation and benefits of Honors Programs, the model that Ozarks Tech has used in the past and how it has transitioned into a Certificate program, and how the cooperation of that program and their PTK chapter has contributed to both the student success and the college.
--- --- ---
Compton Ferry
Beyond Dashboards: A Power BI Early Alert System That Drives Intervention
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Christina Cox | St. Charles Community College
Nhi Trần | St. Charles Community College
Dashboards can show trends, but what if they could spark action? This session explores how one institution built a Power BI Early Alert system that uncovers meaningful indicators and empowers advisors and support staff to intervene sooner. We’ll walk through the data model, design decisions, and workflow that transformed scattered information into actionable insights. Attendees will learn practical strategies for building alerts, improving usability, and fostering campus adoption. Leave with a replicable approach for turning Power BI into an intervention‑driving tool that supports student success.
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
Leading Accreditation for Every Community, Every Future: A Servant Leadership Approach
HLC Accreditation
Keith Zoromski | Mineral Area College
Leslie Evans | Mineral Area College
This session explores how servant leadership can reframe accreditation as a shared, mission-driven effort that reflects the collective work of faculty, staff, and administrators. Designed for participants familiar with accreditation, the session will address common leadership challenges, including limited engagement, compliance fatigue, and siloed ownership. Participants will examine how practices like listening, stewardship, and shared responsibility can foster broader participation and more authentic institutional reflection. Participants will leave with practical strategies to lead accreditation efforts in ways that build trust, support continuous improvement, and ultimately enhance the impact of their institution on every student and every community they serve.
From the Inside Out: Cultivating Leadership for Institutional Resilience
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Emily Westermier | State Fair Community College
Dr. Cara Barth-Fagan | State Fair Community College
Kurtis Griess | State Fair Community College
Kaley Hobbs | State Fair Community College
Darcie McFail | State Fair Community College
To build a resilient institution, leadership must be cultivated at every level. State Fair Community College’s Leadership Academy offers a holistic approach to professional development by examining leadership "from the inside out." The curriculum moves through four critical dimensions: self-awareness, institutional mechanics, the art of leadership, and internal/external engagement. This session provides a comprehensive look at our program’s framework, paired with firsthand accounts from Academy alumni who will share how the program transformed their professional outlook and strengthened their institutional impact.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 1
What's In It For Me? What Are You Bringing to the Table For Adult Learners?
Enrollment, Retention, & Completion
Kerri Hayes | Jefferson College
David Smith | Jefferson College
Serving adult Learners from admissions through completion
Adult learners represent an increasing demographic of students at community colleges. As this population continues to grow, higher education institutions must adapt to meet their unique needs while fostering an environment where student development thrives through both academic and professional growth.
Many adult learners struggle to balance jobs, families, finances, and other life commitments, often asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” when considering their education.
This breakout session will illustrate how Jefferson College successfully supports adult learners from admission through enrollment and on to completion.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the specific barriers adult learners face
2. Describe practical support models that will improve retention and completion
3. Apply actionable strategies to strengthen adult learner success on their own campus
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
Building Stronger Campuses Through the Arts: A Community-Centered Model from State Fair Community College and Daum Museum
Special Topics
Gary Holstein | State Fair Community College
Community colleges are uniquely positioned to serve as cultural and civic anchors in their regions, but many institutions underutilize the arts as a strategic tool for connection, engagement, and belonging.
This session explores how State Fair Community College, anchored by the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, leverages the arts to strengthen relationships across campus and the broader community. Attendees will gain insight into how accessible, inclusive arts programming can foster student engagement, support cross-disciplinary learning, and build meaningful partnerships beyond the classroom.
Through real examples, including exhibitions, community events, and classroom integration, this session will demonstrate how the arts can move from being a “nice-to-have” to a central pillar of institutional impact.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
Connection in Action: Strategies You Can Use Tomorrow to Build a Thriving Campus Community Today
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Elizabeth Armstrong | Crowder College
Heather Flint | Crowder College
Sebastian Sparks | Crowder College
Leandra Toomoth | Crowder College
Robin Wolven | Crowder College
Explore the initiatives that enabled Crowder College’s Professional Staff Association (PSA) to strengthen connections, elevate staff engagement, and model a healthy campus culture this year. This session highlights our successes from the past year and equips participants with ready‑to‑use tools, templates, and strategies to replicate these outcomes within their own institutions.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
From Points to Outcomes: Using the Canvas Learning Mastery Gradebook
Learning & Teaching
Morgan Presley | Ozarks Technical Community College
This session explores a practical, research‑aligned transition from traditional points‑based grading to an outcomes‑driven assessment model using the Canvas Learning Mastery Gradebook. Participants will learn how shifting to clearly defined learning outcomes can increase transparency, support equitable assessment, and provide students with more meaningful feedback on their progress. The session will highlight strategies for mapping course objectives to Canvas outcomes, designing aligned assessments, and using the Learning Mastery Gradebook to track competency rather than point accumulation. Examples, lessons learned, and implementation tips will be shared to help instructors confidently begin or refine their own transition to outcomes‑based grading.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
Two Birds, One Stone: Combining PTK & Your Honors Program For Student Success
Special Topics
Dee Lancaster | Ozarks Technical Community College
Todd Yerby | Ozarks Technical Community College
Honors programs and Phi Theta Kappa both work to expand educational opportunities for the high-achieving students at Community Colleges. Honors programs allow students to learn beyond the normal scope of traditional classes in areas of interest to the student and can help foster their success as they transition to the 4-year University setting. Phi Theta Kappa membership also helps foster student success and leadership skills for these same high-achieving students. When Honors programs and Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisors work together, student success can grow exponentially.
The presentation will discuss the formation and benefits of Honors Programs, the model that Ozarks Tech has used in the past and how it has transitioned into a Certificate program, and how the cooperation of that program and their PTK chapter has contributed to both the student success and the college.
--- --- ---
Compton Ferry
Beyond Dashboards: A Power BI Early Alert System That Drives Intervention
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Christina Cox | St. Charles Community College
Nhi Trần | St. Charles Community College
Dashboards can show trends, but what if they could spark action? This session explores how one institution built a Power BI Early Alert system that uncovers meaningful indicators and empowers advisors and support staff to intervene sooner. We’ll walk through the data model, design decisions, and workflow that transformed scattered information into actionable insights. Attendees will learn practical strategies for building alerts, improving usability, and fostering campus adoption. Leave with a replicable approach for turning Power BI into an intervention‑driving tool that supports student success.
--- --- ---
Roark Creek
Leading Accreditation for Every Community, Every Future: A Servant Leadership Approach
HLC Accreditation
Keith Zoromski | Mineral Area College
Leslie Evans | Mineral Area College
This session explores how servant leadership can reframe accreditation as a shared, mission-driven effort that reflects the collective work of faculty, staff, and administrators. Designed for participants familiar with accreditation, the session will address common leadership challenges, including limited engagement, compliance fatigue, and siloed ownership. Participants will examine how practices like listening, stewardship, and shared responsibility can foster broader participation and more authentic institutional reflection. Participants will leave with practical strategies to lead accreditation efforts in ways that build trust, support continuous improvement, and ultimately enhance the impact of their institution on every student and every community they serve.
3:30 - 4:15 P.M.
Fall Creek
No Time Like The Presence - How To 'Be There' In Online Instruction
Learning & Teaching
Ross Lowrance | Ozarks Technical Community College
Building on last year’s session, Teaching vs. Instructing: Are You Imparting Knowledge or Just Facilitating?, this breakout examines the critical role of instructor presence—especially in online learning environments. Courses that “run themselves” through auto-graded platforms often leave students disengaged, unsupported, and struggling to succeed. Drawing on firsthand experience from an online Accounting course, this session highlights the strong connection between visible, active instruction and student outcomes. Participants will explore practical, scalable strategies to increase instructor presence, foster meaningful engagement, and create learning environments where students feel seen, supported, and accountable.
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Short Creek 1
From "Roots to Grow" to "Wings to Fly": Implementing a Parent Orientation for Community College Students
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Diana Jacobs | Jefferson College
Attending college creates an important developmental transition from adolescence to young adulthood, aided in large part by geographical distance when a student moves away from home. For community college students, however, that lack of physical separation poses an additional hurdle for students and parents alike as much of their daily lives continues as it did in high school. To help usher in students’ psychosocial development with the support of their parents, I created an orientation that instructs parents on a new role they can play in their students’ lives to promote their success while honoring their entry into adulthood. In this presentation, I review topics covered in our Parent Orientation as well as tips for implementing this type of program at your school.
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Short Creek 3
Centennial Celebrations at NCMC & MAC
Special Topics
Rodney Wilson | Mineral Area College
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Short Creek 4
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: A Case Study on How One College Used Survivor as a Framework for Connection, Collaboration and Culture
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Elizabeth Armstrong | Crowder College
Heather Flint | Crowder College
Leandra Toomoth | Crowder College
Henri Whitehead | Crowder College
Building a strong campus culture requires more than routine meetings and traditional professional development—it takes intentionality, creativity, and shared experiences that bring people together. In this session, we present a case study on how one college used the hit show Survivor as an engaging framework to spark connection, break down silos, and cultivate a collaborative, supportive culture among faculty and staff.
Whether you’ve watched every season of Survivor or none at all, this session will offer practical strategies and creative inspiration for building the kind of campus culture where people feel connected, valued, and ready to tackle the future together.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
From Monkey Bars to Management: What Playgrounds Teach About Risk
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workforce
Brad Ziegler | St. Louis Community College
From monkey bars to mulch, playgrounds are carefully engineered environments designed to balance challenge, safety, human behavior, maintenance, and liability. Community colleges face many of the same realities every day. This engaging and practical session explores how playground design principles can help leaders better understand and manage risk across campus operations, facilities, student life, and organizational culture. Attendees will learn how concepts such as hazard recognition, layered protection, inspection systems, supervision, maintenance, and human behavior translate directly to higher education settings. Using real-world examples and a memorable framework, participants will leave with practical strategies for building safer, smarter, and more resilient campuses without eliminating innovation, autonomy, or growth.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
From Policing to Partnering: Guiding Students Towards Ethical AI Use
Special Topics
Joanne Fish | Jefferson College
Stacey Walker | Jefferson College
As AI becomes more accessible, instructors are increasingly confronting student misuse and defaulting to reactive responses that shut down conversation rather than open it. This session reframes those moments as opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Presenters will share real-world examples and practical strategies for holding students accountable without shutting down conversation, reframing misuse as a teachable moment, and guiding students toward more ethical decision-making. Attendees will leave with templates and tools they can apply immediately.
The session includes hands-on role-play scenarios so participants can practice these conversations before they need to have them in the classroom.
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Cooper Creek 3
The Advisor's Apprenticeship: Enhancing Competency Through Structured Mentorship
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
David Smith | Jefferson College
Structured mentoring is a powerful strategy for advisor professional development. This session presents a structured, conversation‑centered mentoring model developed through four years in the NACADA Region 7 mentoring program. The model supports Conceptual competency through guided reflection on advising philosophy, Informational competency through shared professional resources and goal planning, and Relational competency through sustained, strengths‑based dialogue.
Core elements include an intake and goal‑setting process, ongoing practice‑focused conversations, and progressive goal achievement. Outcomes include increased advisor confidence, competency development, and career readiness. Attendees will gain adaptable tools and strategies to strengthen mentoring practices and support continuous advisor growth, as well as applications to other areas of their institutions.
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Bee Creek
No Dust Here! HR & IE Making A Clean Sweep in Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Ed Foley | Metropolitan Community College
Angie Carr | Metropolitan Community College
This session will take you through the unique and powerful partnership between HR & IE. We will share insights MCC has gained from involving all employees in understanding their roles in advancing the institution's strategic plan. This plan does not sit on a shelf and collect dust!
No Time Like The Presence - How To 'Be There' In Online Instruction
Learning & Teaching
Ross Lowrance | Ozarks Technical Community College
Building on last year’s session, Teaching vs. Instructing: Are You Imparting Knowledge or Just Facilitating?, this breakout examines the critical role of instructor presence—especially in online learning environments. Courses that “run themselves” through auto-graded platforms often leave students disengaged, unsupported, and struggling to succeed. Drawing on firsthand experience from an online Accounting course, this session highlights the strong connection between visible, active instruction and student outcomes. Participants will explore practical, scalable strategies to increase instructor presence, foster meaningful engagement, and create learning environments where students feel seen, supported, and accountable.
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Short Creek 1
From "Roots to Grow" to "Wings to Fly": Implementing a Parent Orientation for Community College Students
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Diana Jacobs | Jefferson College
Attending college creates an important developmental transition from adolescence to young adulthood, aided in large part by geographical distance when a student moves away from home. For community college students, however, that lack of physical separation poses an additional hurdle for students and parents alike as much of their daily lives continues as it did in high school. To help usher in students’ psychosocial development with the support of their parents, I created an orientation that instructs parents on a new role they can play in their students’ lives to promote their success while honoring their entry into adulthood. In this presentation, I review topics covered in our Parent Orientation as well as tips for implementing this type of program at your school.
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Short Creek 3
Centennial Celebrations at NCMC & MAC
Special Topics
Rodney Wilson | Mineral Area College
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Short Creek 4
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: A Case Study on How One College Used Survivor as a Framework for Connection, Collaboration and Culture
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Elizabeth Armstrong | Crowder College
Heather Flint | Crowder College
Leandra Toomoth | Crowder College
Henri Whitehead | Crowder College
Building a strong campus culture requires more than routine meetings and traditional professional development—it takes intentionality, creativity, and shared experiences that bring people together. In this session, we present a case study on how one college used the hit show Survivor as an engaging framework to spark connection, break down silos, and cultivate a collaborative, supportive culture among faculty and staff.
Whether you’ve watched every season of Survivor or none at all, this session will offer practical strategies and creative inspiration for building the kind of campus culture where people feel connected, valued, and ready to tackle the future together.
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Cooper Creek 1
From Monkey Bars to Management: What Playgrounds Teach About Risk
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workforce
Brad Ziegler | St. Louis Community College
From monkey bars to mulch, playgrounds are carefully engineered environments designed to balance challenge, safety, human behavior, maintenance, and liability. Community colleges face many of the same realities every day. This engaging and practical session explores how playground design principles can help leaders better understand and manage risk across campus operations, facilities, student life, and organizational culture. Attendees will learn how concepts such as hazard recognition, layered protection, inspection systems, supervision, maintenance, and human behavior translate directly to higher education settings. Using real-world examples and a memorable framework, participants will leave with practical strategies for building safer, smarter, and more resilient campuses without eliminating innovation, autonomy, or growth.
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Cooper Creek 2
From Policing to Partnering: Guiding Students Towards Ethical AI Use
Special Topics
Joanne Fish | Jefferson College
Stacey Walker | Jefferson College
As AI becomes more accessible, instructors are increasingly confronting student misuse and defaulting to reactive responses that shut down conversation rather than open it. This session reframes those moments as opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Presenters will share real-world examples and practical strategies for holding students accountable without shutting down conversation, reframing misuse as a teachable moment, and guiding students toward more ethical decision-making. Attendees will leave with templates and tools they can apply immediately.
The session includes hands-on role-play scenarios so participants can practice these conversations before they need to have them in the classroom.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
The Advisor's Apprenticeship: Enhancing Competency Through Structured Mentorship
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
David Smith | Jefferson College
Structured mentoring is a powerful strategy for advisor professional development. This session presents a structured, conversation‑centered mentoring model developed through four years in the NACADA Region 7 mentoring program. The model supports Conceptual competency through guided reflection on advising philosophy, Informational competency through shared professional resources and goal planning, and Relational competency through sustained, strengths‑based dialogue.
Core elements include an intake and goal‑setting process, ongoing practice‑focused conversations, and progressive goal achievement. Outcomes include increased advisor confidence, competency development, and career readiness. Attendees will gain adaptable tools and strategies to strengthen mentoring practices and support continuous advisor growth, as well as applications to other areas of their institutions.
--- --- ---
Bee Creek
No Dust Here! HR & IE Making A Clean Sweep in Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Ed Foley | Metropolitan Community College
Angie Carr | Metropolitan Community College
This session will take you through the unique and powerful partnership between HR & IE. We will share insights MCC has gained from involving all employees in understanding their roles in advancing the institution's strategic plan. This plan does not sit on a shelf and collect dust!
Friday, November 6
8:45 - 9:30 A.M.
Fall Creek
Building Creative Events to Captivate an Audience
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Tess Roam | Metropolitan Community College
Sav Campbell | Metropolitan Community College
From the Career Carnival to Kitten Yoga, in this session, attendees will hear examples of innovative and exciting events that promote student engagement and retention and will learn strategies for developing programs that captivate students' attention. In order to build programs that keep our students on campus, we have to give them something to stay for. As a commuter campus, we have to meet students where they are at and encourage them to stick around to hear what we have to say.
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Short Creek 2
How Non-Academic Departments Can Use LMS Systems to Their Advantage
Special Topics
Linda Ladendecker-Corley | Jefferson College
Join Jefferson College's Accessibility Resource Center and Adult Learner Subcommittee as they demonstrate how all colleges can use their LMS systems to provide resources to their students and faculty in an easy and accessible format. These Canvas courses answer questions that they may have, including but not limited to accommodations, college processes, resources, and how-to guides. Come learn how to create and implement a Canvas course to provide information and resources to your student populations.
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Short Creek 3
Data or Dat-duh: Making Sense of Canvas Admin Analytics
Learning & Teaching
Coltier Blakely | Jefferson College
Dan Lauder | Moberly Area Community College
Demonstrate the functionality of Admin Analytics to better identify - LTI app usage, course usage, display student averages, grade trends, student activity, submissions data, and identify trends.
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Short Creek 4
A Workplace Culture Blueprint: Building a Campus Culture Where People Don't Just Show Up, They Show Up for Each Other
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Suzanne Gochis | Metropolitan Community College
This workshop will highlight ways to create a workplace environment that fosters community and connection. This is a rapid-fire, high energy, presentation which provides attendees with multiple ideas for creating a positive, relational, and fun campus environment. Come prepared to engage, laugh, and take home some ideas to try at your campus.
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Cooper Creek 1
Harvesting Change: A Fresh Approach to Campus Food Access
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Sarah Bargo | Ozarks Technical Community College
Ozarks Tech Fresh Harvest is a collaborative initiative designed to address student food insecurity while spotlighting two academic programs. Through a partnership between Ozarks Tech Richwood Valley Campus Agriculture Program, the OTC Cares program, and the Culinary and Honors programs, student-grown produce is harvested and distributed weekly during the growing season to students for free. Each event provides free, clearly labeled produce alongside simple recipe cards, making unfamiliar items approachable and practical for students. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with produce consistently distributed in full each week. Join this session to learn how a cross-campus collaboration like Fresh Harvest can be adapted to meet the unique needs of your students and community.
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Cooper Creek 2
Digital Accessibility Under Title II: It's More Than Your Website
Special Topics
Kristina Murdaugh | Ozarks Technical Community College
When we talk about “web accessibility,” it’s easy to think just about webpages. Under ADA Title II, it includes anything delivered digitally, from websites to documents, email, and social media.
This session introduces the basics of WCAG using the four core principles, Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust, and shows how they relate to common types of content across the college. It is designed for anyone who creates or shares digital content, not just web staff. You will see a few common issues and simple ways to check your work.
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Cooper Creek 3
Beyond the Transaction: Building Community Through Retail
Special Topics
Aaron Miller | Mineral Area College
While digital competition grows, physical campus stores possess a unique advantage: the ability to foster a sense of belonging. This session explores how to align store operations with the university’s mission to serve "every community" on campus—from first-generation students to local residents—ensuring a stronger "future" for both the institution and its students.
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Compton Ferry
Competency-Based Learning - Where We Are Now
Special Topics
Kati Theurer | Jefferson College
In Fall of 2025, I presented on competency based education within the HVAC program, now 2 years later I will share the progression of the teaching style and impact on students.
Specific points include:
- How other instructors feel about the course, how they have modified it to work for them.
- What students think of this style of teaching, what are student outcomes.
- Where do we go from here, because if it doesn't work for the students it doesn't work for anyone.
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Bee Creek
Shared Governance Meets Strategic Planning: Including Voices and Achieving Consensus with Focus and Clarity
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Melissa Barreca | Jefferson College
Matthew Husky | Jefferson College
Shared Governance Meets Strategic Planning: Including Voices and Achieving Consensus with Focus and Clarity
In an environment of shared governance, there are many competing needs and priorities across campus that must be included in institutional planning. How can organizations achieve the delicate balance of giving everyone a seat at the table while ensuring a focused vision for all? Jefferson College just finished the multi-year process of developing a new Strategic Plan for 2026-2030. Hear how we utilized surveys, town hall presentations, and discussions with different constituent groups to arrive at a finished product that charts the course of our institution going forward.
Building Creative Events to Captivate an Audience
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Tess Roam | Metropolitan Community College
Sav Campbell | Metropolitan Community College
From the Career Carnival to Kitten Yoga, in this session, attendees will hear examples of innovative and exciting events that promote student engagement and retention and will learn strategies for developing programs that captivate students' attention. In order to build programs that keep our students on campus, we have to give them something to stay for. As a commuter campus, we have to meet students where they are at and encourage them to stick around to hear what we have to say.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 2
How Non-Academic Departments Can Use LMS Systems to Their Advantage
Special Topics
Linda Ladendecker-Corley | Jefferson College
Join Jefferson College's Accessibility Resource Center and Adult Learner Subcommittee as they demonstrate how all colleges can use their LMS systems to provide resources to their students and faculty in an easy and accessible format. These Canvas courses answer questions that they may have, including but not limited to accommodations, college processes, resources, and how-to guides. Come learn how to create and implement a Canvas course to provide information and resources to your student populations.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 3
Data or Dat-duh: Making Sense of Canvas Admin Analytics
Learning & Teaching
Coltier Blakely | Jefferson College
Dan Lauder | Moberly Area Community College
Demonstrate the functionality of Admin Analytics to better identify - LTI app usage, course usage, display student averages, grade trends, student activity, submissions data, and identify trends.
--- --- ---
Short Creek 4
A Workplace Culture Blueprint: Building a Campus Culture Where People Don't Just Show Up, They Show Up for Each Other
Leadership & Institutional Transformation
Suzanne Gochis | Metropolitan Community College
This workshop will highlight ways to create a workplace environment that fosters community and connection. This is a rapid-fire, high energy, presentation which provides attendees with multiple ideas for creating a positive, relational, and fun campus environment. Come prepared to engage, laugh, and take home some ideas to try at your campus.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 1
Harvesting Change: A Fresh Approach to Campus Food Access
Enrollment, Retention & Completion
Sarah Bargo | Ozarks Technical Community College
Ozarks Tech Fresh Harvest is a collaborative initiative designed to address student food insecurity while spotlighting two academic programs. Through a partnership between Ozarks Tech Richwood Valley Campus Agriculture Program, the OTC Cares program, and the Culinary and Honors programs, student-grown produce is harvested and distributed weekly during the growing season to students for free. Each event provides free, clearly labeled produce alongside simple recipe cards, making unfamiliar items approachable and practical for students. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with produce consistently distributed in full each week. Join this session to learn how a cross-campus collaboration like Fresh Harvest can be adapted to meet the unique needs of your students and community.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 2
Digital Accessibility Under Title II: It's More Than Your Website
Special Topics
Kristina Murdaugh | Ozarks Technical Community College
When we talk about “web accessibility,” it’s easy to think just about webpages. Under ADA Title II, it includes anything delivered digitally, from websites to documents, email, and social media.
This session introduces the basics of WCAG using the four core principles, Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust, and shows how they relate to common types of content across the college. It is designed for anyone who creates or shares digital content, not just web staff. You will see a few common issues and simple ways to check your work.
--- --- ---
Cooper Creek 3
Beyond the Transaction: Building Community Through Retail
Special Topics
Aaron Miller | Mineral Area College
While digital competition grows, physical campus stores possess a unique advantage: the ability to foster a sense of belonging. This session explores how to align store operations with the university’s mission to serve "every community" on campus—from first-generation students to local residents—ensuring a stronger "future" for both the institution and its students.
--- --- ---
Compton Ferry
Competency-Based Learning - Where We Are Now
Special Topics
Kati Theurer | Jefferson College
In Fall of 2025, I presented on competency based education within the HVAC program, now 2 years later I will share the progression of the teaching style and impact on students.
Specific points include:
- How other instructors feel about the course, how they have modified it to work for them.
- What students think of this style of teaching, what are student outcomes.
- Where do we go from here, because if it doesn't work for the students it doesn't work for anyone.
--- --- ---
Bee Creek
Shared Governance Meets Strategic Planning: Including Voices and Achieving Consensus with Focus and Clarity
Strategic Planning & The Community College Workplace
Melissa Barreca | Jefferson College
Matthew Husky | Jefferson College
Shared Governance Meets Strategic Planning: Including Voices and Achieving Consensus with Focus and Clarity
In an environment of shared governance, there are many competing needs and priorities across campus that must be included in institutional planning. How can organizations achieve the delicate balance of giving everyone a seat at the table while ensuring a focused vision for all? Jefferson College just finished the multi-year process of developing a new Strategic Plan for 2026-2030. Hear how we utilized surveys, town hall presentations, and discussions with different constituent groups to arrive at a finished product that charts the course of our institution going forward.
