2026 UPCEA Annual Conference

Fast-Tracking Degrees: Agility & PM Lessons from PUO’s Launch Team
Churchill C2 | Program Planning and Implementation | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Policy, Faculty, Graduate Education
Before 2023, launching a new online degree at Purdue University could take two or more years due to institutional and state-level approval processes. In this session, Purdue University Online will share how we overhauled our New Program Development process to bring two interdisciplinary degrees to market in under six months. By strengthening collaboration with campus and operational partners and applying project management discipline, we achieved record speed. We’ll outline key strategies, process improvements, and lessons learned to help accelerate new online program development.

• Bryan DeWitt, Purdue University
• Chris Martin, Purdue University

Moderator: Tony Fell, Collegis Education

Roundtables
Grand Ballroom AB
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with up to two different topics during small-group, 30-minute, table-based guided discussion around a specific and timely topic, question, or issue. Roundtables are designed to provide space and time to important but particularly nuanced topics which deserve attention, and presenters will promote the sharing of thoughts, solutions, and questions among their respective table’s attendees.

Moderator: Jill Boatright, Loyola University of New Orleans

An Emerging Trend in Online Program Staffing
Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
As online education continues to evolve beyond emergency remote learning paradigms, institutions face the critical challenge of creating engaging, effective digital learning experiences that rival traditional classroom instruction. This presentation examines the strategic expansion and integration of specialized design roles within Villanova University's Office of Online Programs, demonstrating how a multidisciplinary approach combining three unique teams can transform online program delivery and faculty collaboration. The focus of the conversation is centered around Design Thinking and how it guides our internal processes, along with our work with external stakeholders.

• Brian Gall, Villanova University

Not Just for Undergrads: Career Readiness in Professional & Continuing Education
Program Planning and Implementation | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
Most experiential learning programs target traditional undergraduate or graduate students, leaving continuing and professional education learners with fewer opportunities. This session presents an innovative, reciprocal model connecting certificate/credential-seeking students with local employers. The model enables employers to upskill their workforce, recruit program completers, and share expertise in the classroom, while students gain hands-on, real-world experience. Attendees will explore how the model enriches learning, addresses workforce needs, and can be implemented in their own institutions and communities.

• Edwin Blanton, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Martha Gutierrez Saul, University of Texas at San Antonio

Reimagining Student Engagement & Career Services: Building Job-Ready Minicourses
Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
As institutions seek scalable, workforce-aligned learning experiences, Penn State World Campus has developed asynchronous, non-credit mini-courses designed to equip student leaders with practical career readiness skills. This session explores university wide collaboration to modules grounded in the career competencies sought by employers. The courses offer a structured learning experience focusing on communication, EQ, cultural competence, and professionalism. Presenters will share insights from the curriculum development process, implementation strategies, and pilot data collected from student leaders at the university. This session is ideal for educators and student affairs professionals seeking replicable models to enhance student leadership or career readiness initiatives.

• Lynn Atanasoff, Penn State University
• Julie Fitzgerald, Penn State University

Opening Doors, Measuring Success: Expanding Access and Impact Through ASU’s Universal Learner Courses
Marlborough A | Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Faculty
Arizona State University’s Universal Learner Courses (ULCs) expand access to high-quality university courses for diverse learners worldwide. This session explores how ULCs, part of ASU’s Universal Pathways, have scaled to serve tens of thousands annually while maintaining academic rigor. Presenters will share strategies for program design, cross-unit collaboration, and faculty engagement, alongside the success metrics and analytics framework used to measure and improve learner outcomes. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas for building and assessing inclusive, data-informed programs that align with institutional goals and meet the needs of a wide range of learners.

• Obiageli Sneed, Arizona State University
• Beatriz Fuentes-Anderson, Arizona State University

Moderator: Chris Anderson, InsideTrack

From Concept to Degree: Forging Internal Partnerships for Online Degree Programs
Malborough B | Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Graduate Education
Discover how the team at the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation uses their expertise in online program development to help incubate and nurture online degree programs in departments across campus. Through a case study, this session will showcase how CAI partners with Academic Units on campus to develop online program proposals collaboratively, hold strategic conversations around department needs, plan marketing campaigns, develop student service expectations, and create exceptional online course content. Attendees will leave with a framework for partnership and insights into sustaining collaboration before, during, and after an online program launch.

• David Lawrence-Lupton, University of Michigan
• Carol Podschwadt, University of Michigan
• Amy Tuckfield, University of Michigan

Moderator: Patty Milner, University of Arkansas

Connect, celebrate, and collaborate at the Network Lunch & Awards. Hosted by UPCEA Networks (Areas of Practice) and open to all attendees, this luncheon brings peers together to recognize excellence through Network Awards and strengthen connections across the UPCEA community. Select the Network that aligns with your professional focus.

Program Planning and Implementation
Churchhill D
Join the Program Planning & Implementation Network to connect with professionals exploring program innovation, planning strategies, and effective implementation practices for credit and noncredit offerings.

• Award Presentation: Outstanding Program: Noncredit and Credit Award

Moderators:

• Ashley Law, Johns Hopkins University
• Johanna Prado, William Paterson University
• Juleisy Gomez, William Paterson University
• Sam Miller, William Paterson University

Vision to Action: Turning Big Ideas into Real Results from the Middle Seat
Prince of Wales | Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
Ideas for change emerge everywhere, but turning them into reality happens in the middle, where clarity is scarce and authority is limited. This collaborative workshop brings together professionals who live in that space every day: leaders driving institutional change, strategists bridging academia and workforce, and designers turning ambiguous scopes into engaging, learner-centered experiences. Through interactive exercises, you’ll co-create messy, real-world project scenarios using audience prompts, then work in small groups to spot red flags, align stakeholders, and translate “vibes” into actionable plans, and plans into real impactful innovations. You’ll leave with practical takeaways: discovery question starters, a scope alignment tool, and strategies for influencing across silos. Whether you’re leading partnerships, building programs, or designing learning experiences, you’ll gain tools to move ideas forward, right from the messy middle.

• Patty Milner, University of Arkansas
• Eve Canty, University of Arkansas
• Lisa Doehnert, Ease Learning
• Kara Kelley, Ease Learning
• Tracy Montoro, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Moderator: Maddie Lundt, Mississippi State University

An Unclassified Discussion about Classified Learning Management
Marlborough A | Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
As learning increasingly shifts online, classified learning must evolve beyond resource-heavy, in-person models. This session spotlights how leaders from Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins University, and Los Alamos National Laboratory are redefining both classified and unclassified learning through flexible, secure, and scalable digital modalities. Panelists will share strategies for building infrastructure, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and navigating the tension between institutional requirements and national standards. Attendees will gain insights into managing sensitive content while enhancing learner experience and meeting diverse educational needs. Join this forward-looking discussion to explore how digital transformation is unlocking new possibilities for classified learning in today’s complex, high-security environments.

• Jocelyn Widmer, Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Paul Huckett, Johns Hopkins University
• Warren Goetzel, Georgia Institute of Technology

Roundtable Presentations
Grand Ballroom AB
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with up to two different topics during small-group, 30-minute, table-based guided discussion around a specific and timely topic, question, or issue. Roundtables are designed to provide space and time to important but particularly nuanced topics which deserve attention, and presenters will promote the sharing of thoughts, solutions, and questions among their respective table’s attendees.

Moderator: Jessica DuPont, Oregon State University

From Stop-Out to Success: Building Scalable Pathways for Adult Learners - Lessons from William Paterson University and College Unbound
Program Planning and Implementation | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Policy, Faculty
Discover how William Paterson University and College Unbound re-engaged adult learners and dramatically boosted CPL participation through two distinct models. This interactive workshop blends WP’s SCND-funded strategies with CU’s nationally recognized adult learner pathways to remove barriers for returning students. Participants will map their own processes, identify institutional gaps, and leave with an “SCND Re-Engagement Toolkit” adaptable to a variety of institutional contexts.

• Johanna Prado, William Paterson University
• Elizabeth Colon, College Unbound
• Samuel Miller, William Paterson University
• Juleisy Gomez, William Paterson University

Leveraging Entrinsik Enrole for Seamless Registration, Data Management, and Financial Transactions
Program Planning and Implementation | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
This presentation will showcase how strategic leadership can drive the effective integration of technology to streamline registration, student data management, and financial transactions. Using Entrinsik Enrole as a case study, we will explore its seamless integration with platforms such as Blackboard (LMS) and Ellucian Colleague (financial system) to enhance institutional efficiency, external partnerships, and student engagement

• Michelle Sebasco, Governors State University

Upcycling Online Learning: Designing Adaptable Content for Different Markets
Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
Developing quality online courses requires significant investments. To maximize ROI, course content must be designed and developed to be adapted for a wide range of online leaners in different markets. This talk explores how CalArts Extended Studies has built online course content in graphic design, creative AI, and acting skills for business, that is available in courses on different learning platforms, within different programs, and in partnership with other universities across the country.

• Evan Tapper, California Institute of the Arts

The Perfect Pairing: Alumni Partnerships and Experiential Course Design
Churchill B1 | Program Planning and Implementation | Applied |
Ready to turn your alumni into a competitive advantage in continuing education? Mississippi State University is piloting a framework that positions alumni as strategic partners while creating immersive learning experiences across online and in-person formats. This interactive session features a live wine education demonstration with sommelier alumna Melanie Hankins Booth, showing how charismatic expertise becomes compelling, instructionally sound content. Attendees will explore scalable strategies for alumni engagement, experiential course design, and internal production capacity—reducing vendor dependency and strengthening institutional identity. Whether your alumni are industry leaders, creatives, or technical specialists, you’ll leave with tools to build distinctive, high-impact programs.

• Susan Seal, Mississippi State University
• Jared Jones, Mississippi State University
• Melanie Hankins Booth, Mississippi State University

Moderator: Aaron Lawrence, SmartBrief

Stop & Share Presentations
Grand Ballroom AB
Attendees are invited to stop in, mill about, and engage in these dynamic, demonstration-type conversations hosted by presenters ready to share ideas on a hot topic, best practice, or technological innovation.

Moderator: Kelley Brandt, Boise State University

A Learning Architecture Schema for the Future
Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Faculty, Graduate Education
With the multitudes of both popular and obscure learning and instructional theories, frameworks, taxonomies, models, methods, and more in educational literature, there has been a need to synthesize and organize these constructs into a unifying structure. This presentation will showcase how the classification schema evolved and how it can be used as a go-to resource for anyone in teaching and learning involved in the planning, designing, developing, and/or delivering learning experiences. Further, we will explore various scenarios that highlight how easily multiple paradigms across domains align to create coherent and consistent learning experiences.

• Stoney Gaddy, Tulane University
• Andrea Weissenbuehler, Tulane University

Beyond the Traditional App: A Scalable Path for Non-Credit Enrollment
Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
Non-credit course registration can be tricky with institutional systems built for the “traditional” college application process. Join the University of Illinois Springfield and Eduframe, by Drieam, to learn more about how their partnership took on this challenge. If your institution is looking for ways to make course registration work for non-credit learners, we’d love to swap stories!

• Emily Keener, University of Illinois, Springfield
• Mieke Ridderhof, Drieam

First in Line: Lessons Learned in Being First in the University to Offer a Self-Support BA Completion Degree
Program Planning and Implementation | Foundational | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Policy, Faculty
Institutions differ substantially in their experience offering self-support degree programs. This presentation outlines the unique challenges experienced when program developers proposed a self-support online BA in Psychology degree completion program within a comprehensive university that had little experience with undergraduate self-support programs. For each challenge encountered during program proposal, development, and early implementation, key takeaways will be presented to promote success for future program developers.

• Matthew Reimers, California State University, Long Beach
• David Whitney, California State University, Long Beach

From Pilot to Policy: Centralized Synchronous Learning as a Pathway
Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Policy, Faculty
This presentation explores the Centralized Synchronous Learning (CSL) Model, scaled from pilot courses to a required component of general education at a fully online institution. Designed to foster real-time engagement and support, CSL has significantly improved retention, achievement, and access—especially for at-risk and underrepresented students. Presenters will share implementation strategies, infrastructure, and policy shifts that made CSL successful. Attendees will gain a scalable blueprint to expand access for all learners across credit-bearing and alternative credential programs, with practical tools to reimagine general education through synchronous innovation.

• Allison Rief, University of Arizona Global Campus

AI Agents, Hackathons, and 100s of Hours Saved: Reimagining Workflows at LSU
Marlborough A | Program Planning and Implementation | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Faculty
Discover how LSU partnered with Glean to launch an AI-powered hackathon that empowered faculty and staff to build real AI agents, no coding required. This session shares how the event sparked innovation, improved operations, and equipped non-technical teams to solve campus-wide challenges. Learn how this model can be replicated to drive transformation at your own institution.

• Brian Davis, Louisiana State University
• Lisa Verma, Louisiana State University
• Connor Casey, Glean
• Allison Cary, Louisiana State University
• Neill Killgore, Louisiana State University

Moderator: Brian Davis, Louisiana State University