| 7:30am – 8:30am | Registration & Breakfast
Sponsored by Liaison | Revolution & Weaver |
| 7:45am – 8:30 am | Turning First Impressions into Enrollments – Rethinking Inquiry Response in Graduate Education
Art Munin, Ph.D., Senior AVP – Liaison and Kiera Alston, Interim Director of Graduate Admissions, Recruitment, & Marketing – North Carolina Central University | Weaver |
| 8:30am – 9:30am | UNCG Welcome
Dr. Greg Bell, Dean of the Graduate School, UNC Greensboro
Building Belonging and Fostering Well-Being: A Holistic Approach to Graduate Student Support
Kate McAnulty, Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Laura Thorp, Director of Student Affairs, and Ali Ramirez, Director of Student Success, The Graduate School at UNC Chapel Hill
This session will offer:
– Key challenges facing graduate students
– A “whole student” wellness approach to support
and programming
– Impact of this approach on student outcomes
Strategies for campus collaboration to support
graduate students | Weaver |
| 9:30am – 9:45am | Break | |
| 9:45am – 10:45am | Parallel Sessions I | |
| GradPath: An Online Annual Evaluation Tool
Peter Harries, Dean, and Raj Bhosale, Director of Information Systems, NC State
NC State’s Graduate School has developed an online system to support annual PhD assessments—an existing requirement that lacked an effective tracking tool until now. This session will cover the motivation behind the tool, its key features, rollout strategy, and version 2 updates. It will also highlight the advisor evaluation component, which collects student feedback on mentoring, and explore its potential application at the master’s level. | Weaver |
| Innovative Approaches to Graduate STEM Communication Training: A Free Curriculum You Can Easily Implement at Your Institution
Dr. Aura Young, Associate Director of the Center for Graduate Life & Learning, UNC Charlotte
STEM graduate students often excel in research but lack training in communicating beyond academic audiences. While 3MT competitions exist, few other opportunities help build these skills. Our NSF-funded STEM Communication Training fills this gap with 6 online modules, in-person workshops, and public presentation opportunities, equipping students to share complex research with diverse audiences like policymakers, funders, and the public. | White Oak 2 |
| Optimizing Graduate-Level Programming Initiatives during Staffing Transitions
Holly Vaughan, Director of Graduate Recruiting and Communications, Western Carolina University
Mid-semester changes in program coordination and staff supervision are challenging but manageable. This session offers strategies for smoothly inheriting and revitalizing graduate-level programs, drawing on research and the presenter’s experience stepping into a director role mid-semester. Attendees will gain practical tools to prioritize initiatives, improve succession planning, and reimagine programs for lasting success. | White Oak 4 |
| 10:45am – 11:00am | Break | |
| 11:00am – 12:00pm | Parallel Sessions II
Functional Area Discussions
Business Meeting | Weaver, White Oak 2, White Oak 4
Latham |
| 12:00pm – 1:10pm | Lunch
Sponsored by
The Center for Graduate Career Success | Revolution & Weaver |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Parallel Sessions III | |
| Online Education at UNC Charlotte: Exploring Impact, Approach, and Future
Lauren Coffey, Director, Graduate Academic Services; Joshua Peterson, Project Manager for Strategic Data Initiatives; and Aura Young, Associate Director for Professional Development and Doctoral Support, UNC Charlotte
Student success measures have expanded beyond retention and graduation to a comprehensive model that addresses diverse student needs across modalities. With online enrollment growing, understanding its impact is vital. This session reviews UNC Charlotte’s online education landscape, shares best practices, and invites participants to discuss strategies for supporting online students in their institutions. | Weaver |
| Small Changes, Big Impact
Kathleen T Cox, PhD, East Carolina University Graduate School, Associate Dean
Graduate education policies ensure fairness and compliance but can sometimes impede student success or strain staff resources. This presentation explores three simple but impactful policy or process changes that have enhanced student outcomes, reduced staff workload, and improved administrative efficiency. | White Oak 2 |
| Beyond the Inbox: AI-Powered Marketing and Graduate Recruitment Strategies
Greg Hedgepeth, Director of Marketing and Communication, NC State University
In today’s competitive higher education landscape, NC State’s Graduate School uses AI-powered assistants from Element 451 to enhance recruitment by automating inquiries, personalizing messaging, and improving engagement. This session covers our implementation, customization, AI-driven student identification, and marketing strategies. Attendees will gain practical insights and strategies for leveraging AI to create data-driven recruitment communications. | White Oak 4 |
| 2:00pm – 2:15pm | Break – Snack Break | Revolution |
| 2:15pm – 3:15pm | AI for Academic Administration: Practical Applications in Graduate Education
Wendy Donlin Washington, Associate Dean, and Nafisat Bako, Data Systems and Reporting Analyst, University of North Carolina Wilmington
This session explores how AI, especially Large Language Models (LLMs), can streamline graduate school operations by automating repetitive tasks and enhancing efficiency. Use cases include improving communication, policy navigation, curriculum development, employment workflows, and student success analysis. Demonstrations on customizing GPT with ChatGPT and Microsoft 365 Copilot will also be featured. | Weaver |
