CEIA Academy – ELEVATE (Webinars)

CEIA Webinars highlight trending topics in an accessible and affordable format.  Recent webinars have looked at: best practices and challenges facing programs of different sizes; developing an internship program at the high school level; expanding experiential learning opportunities for your students.

Webinars are free for CEIA members, $50 for non-members.  Register for the webinar using the link at the bottom of each offering.  Registrants will receive an email confirmation and a link to download the meeting invite.  Registration closes at 6:00 PM (Eastern) the evening before every webinar.

Best Practices for Submitting a Winning Conference Proposal

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

1:00 PM (Eastern)

Presenter:

Mandy McLaughlin
Programs Chair, 2027 CEIA Conference Committee
University of Cincinnati

CEIA’s October webinar is aimed at writing conference presentation proposals that resonate with reviewers. You’ll walk away with insights into the art, not just the mechanics, of writing a compelling conference presentation proposal. Our lead presenter has been on both sides of writing, submitting, reviewing, and selecting conference presentation proposals for CEIA and beyond.

About Mandy:

Mandy McLaughlin serves as Programs Chair for CEIA’s 2027 National Conference in Atlanta, GA and works as the Associate Director of Career Development in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, Graduate Studies office. She is committed to working with her CEIA Programs Committee and those of your who submit session proposals to deliver an engaging and inspiring conference breakout session lineup. Mandy is pleased to contribute to this year’s conference while continuing to learn alongside fellow CEIA members.

The webinar is free for CEIA members and $50 for non-members.

Registration closes Tuesday, October 6, at 6:00 PM (Eastern)

Making the Case for Experiential Learning from Admissions to the C-Suite

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

1:00 PM (Eastern)

Presenter:

Patrick Francis
Editor, Experience Magazine™
Director of Career Relations, Purdue University in Indianapolis

Explore how experiential learning (EL) and employer partnerships can become powerful tools for attracting and engaging prospective students. This session will focus on how colleges and universities can capture and share compelling EL stories with executive leadership and admissions teams to demonstrate student impact, strengthen external partnerships, and showcase the career-ready value of the college experience.

About Patrick:

Patrick Francis is director of career relations for Purdue University in Indianapolis, where he advances career readiness through industry partnerships, work-integrated learning and career-connected programming. He has led key initiatives including the Learning While Working initiative, expansion of the Interns for Indiana program and securing a $1.5 million grant to scale paid startup internships across Indiana. Francis also oversees Purdue’s Guaranteed Work Experience Program, working closely with the Indianapolis Career Council to strengthen classroom-to-career connections and expand student access to hands-on learning opportunities. Beyond Purdue, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Cooperative Education & Internship Association (CEIA) and as editor of Experience Magazine™. In 2025, he was recognized with the CEIA Rising Star Award for his contributions to experiential education.
 

The webinar is free for CEIA members and $50 for non-members.

Registration closes Tuesday, October 13, at 6:00 PM (Eastern)