The University Life Symposium Planning Team invites all Mason faculty, staff, and graduate students to submit program proposals for the upcoming 2026 University Life (UL) Student Success Symposium! The UL Symposium Pre-Conference is taking place on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, and the UL Symposium on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Important Details:
- Program proposals are due no later than Monday, April 6, 2026, by Noon.
- Presenters will be notified by Friday, April 10, 2026, of their program status.
To ensure your proposal is in alignment with UL Symposium program goals and learning outcomes, you are asked to consider the following in framing your proposal submission:
- Check out the 2026 Program Proposal Planning Submission Guide
- Pose a question or situate the topic and provide national research, information, insights and/or ideas on an emerging trend, issue, or topic to engage participants in conversation
- Explore how we might work differently to maximize student services, initiatives and experiences while considering student pressures and issues
- Create conversation or interactive space to discuss innovative ideas, practices, and possibilities for our work in student retention, degree completion, and well-being
- Provide relevant knowledge and “take-away” applications for participants
Program Learning Outcomes:
- Leverage Innovative practices to enhance student success: Strengthen informed and ethical stewardship by creatively managing structures, various resources, and using
data-guided, responsible decisions to improve student outcomes and experiences. - Advance inclusion and community connection: Explore inclusive engagement practices to build understanding of community building needs within diverse student populations
- Enhance leadership, collaboration, and professional effectiveness: Learn effective leadership behaviors through collaborating, communicating, and applying project management and team effectiveness strategies
- Prioritize well-being, safety, and holistic care for students and staff: Identify approaches that promote holistic well-being, strengthen campus safety, and support the student and staff experience
- Integrate ethical, innovative, and future focused uses of technology: Evaluate ethical, innovative, and emerging technologies to enhance learning, service delivery, and operational effectiveness
- Engage in evidence informed practice across policy, governance, and higher education systems: Explore policy, governance, and higher education structures to determine their impact on student success and institutional decision making
Program Abstract:
- Provide a description of session to be shared in the UL Symposium schedule
- Word Count Limit: 75 words
UL Core Values
Professional Competency Selection
Session Outline:
- Provide detailed outline of the participation and engagement opportunities with audience should be included
- Identify action items/strategies for next steps in professional development and implementation in units
- Include time breakdown of the session
Pre-Symposium Workshops are 2 to 3 hours in length, with built-in activity and priority on participant interaction. These experiences should be planned to be interactive and engaging. Participants should leave with action items from in-depth conversations on current topics and challenges facing our field.
Educational sessions are 60-minute interactive sessions with time dedicated to engaging in dialogue to consider application of knowledge and implications for our work addressing student success.
To submit a program proposal, please complete the online proposal form