In today's ever-evolving workplace, it is crucial to develop effective strategies for managing up to your supervisors and navigating your organization's structure. We will explore the art of managing from your seat, providing you with insights and practical techniques to cultivate strong relationships with supervisors and peers while influencing the decision-making process. We will explore how to effectively communicate your ideas, and results to supervisors, ensuring your contributions are acknowledged and appreciated. Additionally, we will delve into techniques for growing your reputation and credibility and positioning you for success in today’s rapidly changing work environment.

Get the awesomeness started! Join conference chairs to meet your amazing faculty, learn how to get the most out of your time at the conference and get a big picture overview of the field of communicans and marketing.

Attendees will meet daily with curated advisory small groups led by expert faculty members to debrief from the day’s learning and problem solve in real time. FACULTY PAIRS: Ashley and Day; Michael and Teresa; and Ravi and Tony

Educational institutions face an increasingly complex and fast-changing political environment, where policy decisions, public sentiment, and media attention directly impact funding, reputation, and engagement. This session offers an introduction to the key political forces shaping education and what they mean for advancement professionals, especially those new to the field. We’ll connect policy trends to real-world implications for fundraising, advancement services, alumni relations, and marketing and communications. Participants will gain insight into emerging risks and opportunities, learn how political dynamics influence donor and stakeholder behavior, and explore ways to navigate conversations in a thoughtful, nonpartisan manner. Participants will also leave with a stronger understanding of the current landscape and greater confidence in representing their institution as they navigate their advancement roles.

Do people read emails anymore? Yes—they do. But not the way you think. This talk will show you exactly how to write subject lines, optimize your links, and lay out your email copy so your message gets across. In this session, you’ll learn: How to write good subject lines that increase open rates. Typical email reading patterns and how to use them to your advantage. How to appropriately use formatting and white space. Recommendations on sentence structure and reading level. How to use links and buttons to guarantee click-through. A quick way to test if your email will get read. This session is useful for everyone, whether you send mass emails or just internal ones.

It’s been a highly political year, and we all have opinions. What should you share personally, and what should you encourage your campus to share internally and externally? Understanding the interconnected nature of higher education and politics and thinking through your institution’s mission and personal values will empower you to be more effective in your role. This session will provide data and national trends to frame how to help your leaders look around corners and return to strategically communicating with internal and external audiences. Teresa will share how to stay true to yourself while staying safe, and what works for institutions in a polarized environment to shape a narrative.

Join CASE Senior Data Strategist, Emma Sonduck as she explores trends from CASE's philanthropy surveys and breaks down some of the driving factors and ways you can respond. 

One of the most important ways that you can better differentiate yourself from the other 4,000 colleges and universities in the country is a strong, unique brand voice. We’ll discuss how to create a brand personality that your audiences can recognize immediately and that stands out from the rest. This interactive session will help you identify your school's voice and show how to bring that voice alive in your work.

In higher education, we are in a constant state of engagement. Whether we’re building vibrant student communities, raising awareness for new initiatives, or connecting with donors, every interaction is part of a larger, ongoing campaign. The most effective marketing isn't just about the "ask"—it’s about a strategy that honors our audience. By mapping out a plan that centers our audience, we ensure our tactical approach is both intentional and impactful. Michael will cover the essential steps to: identifying (and refining) your audience, sharpening your message, and driving conversion.

As marketing and communications professionals, we're often asked how we measure our contributions and calculate our return on investment. Before any math can be applied, you need to know what kind of data to collect and the level of measurement you want to report. In this session, you'll be guided through CASE's framework for brand and reputation, which encompasses the breadth of all marcomm functions and can be applied to organizations at any state of maturity. You won't need a calculator, but you will start thinking about measuring insights and building brand equity in your day-to-day work.