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Top-10 Reasons to Register Now for Access Group's Conference ...

... Sure there are more than 10, but these are our favorites.

10.   The Access Group conference focuses exclusively on the needs of graduate and professional higher education administrators like you!
 
9.   The newly-added "Industry Update" will help you stay current on the changes and issues affecting our industry.
 
8.   The "Town Hall Meeting" will give you the opportunity to ask questions about Access Group and get the answers straight from our CEO. 
 
7.   Raising money for a great charity while attempting to stay dry during The Great Water Balloon 'Toss-for-the-Cause' will be fun, fun, fun.

 
6.   Location. Location. Location.
 
5.   The chance to network with your colleagues from across the country is invaluable and you look forward to it year after year.
 
4.   You don't want to miss out on the chance to start your professional development experience early with great Pre-Conference sessions, Financial Aid 101, A Closer Look at Need Analysis and Direct Loan Servicing: A Year Later. 
 
3.   You want to make sure you have something wonderful to write about for next year's Conference Blogging Contest.

 
2.   The Association for Financial Counseling, Planning and Education will help you develop your counseling skills, so that you are ready for anything students can throw your way.
 
1.   You'll return to campus having "discovered your foundation" – Full of knowledge and great ideas, feeling energized and ready to take on new challenges.

Learn more and register for the conference.

Planning The Annual Conference: A Labor of Love

Written by: Vivian Bowden @ Access Group

  
Planning for our 2011 Access Group Graduate and Professional Financial Aid Conference began almost immediately after saying, “Goodbye and safe travels,” to all of you at the end of the 2010 Conference.  And, first things first – we must have a location. We consider many factors when determining the best location for the Conference..  We review how many professionals from the graduate community attend each year.  We reflect upon where we have been over the past 23 years. We carefully consider what dates and locations are available for the upcoming conference.  We take into account your feedback and suggestions from previous conferences..  And then, we develop our wish list of locations.  We…okay…Cynthia Sibley, our meeting planner extraordinaire, sends out an RFP to our wish list of sites and we see who responds with the best opportunity for all of us. After we narrow down the selections to a few irresistible choices, we start our road trip visiting potential sites for our next conference. 

This year, we thought it was only fair to focus our search on the east coast of the United States.  As you recall, last year’s conference was at the lovely Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach, CA.  I thought it might have been one of my favorite locations but then we started our search for this year’s site.  After spending some time in Asheville, N.C., and on the east and west coasts of Florida we finally selected the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL.  This is the first time Access Group has hosted its conference in Clearwater Beach.  Yes, maybe the Philadelphia Phillies DO spend spring training in Clearwater Beach, and maybe the Phillies ownership DOES use the Sandpearl Resort as their home base while there, but to prove those aren’t the only reasons we chose this great place, I thought I would share some of the photos I took while visiting the Sandpearl.  Have a look at this beautiful property on the Gulf of Mexico.  (And, Go Phillies!)

We will occupy almost all of its space while we are at the Sandpearl Resort.  So for three days you can spend your time learning and relaxing with your friends and colleagues.  I hope you clear your calendar and plan to join us for a great educational conference at one of the loveliest hotels in the United States.

I look forward to seeing you in November!

Write a Blog Post - Win a Scholarship for Your Students

We know that some of our conference attendees have great stories about their 1st, 2nd or 17th Access Group Conference.   We also know that some people come year after year and wouldn’t miss this opportunity to learn, network, and broaden their financial aid horizons.

Now, let’s put those stories and anecdotes to work – write a blog post to win a $1,000 scholarship donation from Access Group for your school.  Here’s how.

1. Pick a topic.

• I attend the Access Group Conference year after year because ...
• The best learning experience I ever had at an Access Group conference was …
• I haven’t attended, but I want to and I’m most interested in and excited about  …

2. Write a blog post.
Write it on your own, with a partner or as a team with your whole department.

3. Make it good. 
Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Humor and/or Personality (25 pts)
• Grammar and Spelling (25 pts)
• Effective use of a visual aid (25 pts)
• Inspirational Message (25 pts)

4. Submit your entry.  
E-mail it to Conf2011@AccessGroup.Org by October 28, 2011.

5. Make it Official.
Complete the Online Entry Form.

Winner and runners up will be announced at this year’s conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Visit the official Conference website for a complete contest description and the Official Rules for more details.

Note: You do not have to be registered for the 2011 Conference to enter to win … and winners need not be present at the Conference to claim their prize.