30 Years of Connecting, Inspiring, and Advancing Careers — Be Part of What’s Next!
As EACE celebrates its 30th anniversary, we invite you to be part of this exciting milestone by sharing your expertise, innovative ideas, research, and best practices at the EACE27 Annual Conference!
For three decades, EACE has brought together career services professionals, employer partners, and industry leaders to exchange ideas, build meaningful connections, and advance our profession. Now, as we celebrate our journey and look toward the future, we want to hear from YOU!
Whether you're an experienced professional, emerging leader, researcher, or employer partner, this is your opportunity to inspire others, spark meaningful conversations, and contribute to the next chapter of EACE.
You do not need to be an EACE member to submit a proposal. We encourage you to share this opportunity with colleagues and professional networks.
Key Dates
Call for Proposals Opens: Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Submission Deadline: Monday, November 30, 2026 Presenter Notifications: Early February 2027
We look forward to celebrating 30 years of EACE with you!
Have questions? We are holding a Conference Proposal Q&A Session on November 12 at 12pm.
Interactive Workshop: A hands-on session designed around active participation, exercises, discussion, or collaborative problem-solving.
Panel Discussion/Collaborative Conversation: A facilitated session bringing together multiple perspectives on a shared issue, challenge, opportunity, or partnership
Case Study: A focused look at a program, partnership, intervention, challenge, or initiative, including outcomes, lessons learned, and transferable practices.
Research-to-Practice Spotlight: A focused presentation of current or emerging research and its practical implications for career services, employer relations, HR/recruiting, or talent acquisition. Particularly welcoming graduate students and emerging professionals whose research or work is connected to these areas.
20-30 Minute Innovation Demo: A demonstration of technology, AI, dashboards, tools, platforms, or innovative practices with emphasis on application rather than product promotion.
15-MinuteW.O.R.K. Talk:TED-style talks focused on emerging trends or thought-provoking ideas (15 minutes per person - with up to 5 slots available). What does W.O.R.K. mean to you? Worth, Opportunity, Resilience, Knowledge—this is what defines our work. It’s more than a job; it’s a journey. When we bring purpose, curiosity, and resilience to our work, we unlock its true power, and in turn, we unlock our true potential. Have an idea, emerging trend or topic you want to explore or talk about? This is an opportunity to share it with the EACE community. (If selected as a potential finalist, a video audition submission would be required.)
If you are interested in submitting for a 60-minute break-out session please consider covering one of the following topics:
Employers
Candidate engagement, communication, and recruitment transparency
People analytics and predictive insights - turning data into decisions
Retention strategies
Workforce planning, skills forecasting
Inclusive hiring practices
Burnout prevention for early career professionals
Responsible AI in recruiting and talent acquisition
Imposter syndrome and confidence building
Recruiting 101 from job post to offer letter
Partnering with hiring managers
College Partners
Reaching and engaging students
Mentorship, sponsorship, and career networks
Using data to improve career readiness and student outcomes
Career curriculum (creating career courses, integrating career content into existing courses)
Career coaching in an AI-enabled environment
Career readiness and employer partnerships at Community Colleges
Career development across diverse institutional contexts
Career Services assessment
Both (Employers & College Partners)
Inclusive workplace culture
Conflict mediation
Intergenerational engagement
Data-driven actions in decision-making
Affirmative action in recruitment
Leadership (methods for career advancement, hiring and/or training best practices, creating office culture)
Digital engagement and measuring impact
Work-integrated learning - internships, experiential learning, and employer partnerships
Building and measuring effective employer-college partnerships
Innovation and strategy (resource management in resource-constrained environments)
Leadership, workplace culture, and professional growth
Proposal Requirements
Title and Abstract: Provide a session title (max 75 characters) and a brief abstract (max 150 words) outlining the session's content and value.
Learning Objectives: List 3-5 specific learning objectives attendees will take away.
Session Outline: Provide a detailed session outline, including the presentation style and approach, and timing for the components of your session.
Target Audiences: Identify the intended audiences (e.g., career service professionals, employer relations, HR professionals).
Career Level:Entry/Emerging, Mid-Career, Experienced/Seasoned, Senior Leader/Executive, or all levels.
Presenter Information: Include a brief bio (up to 100 words) for each presenter, showcasing relevant experience.
If your session focuses on topics of diversity and inclusion, please note it in your description.
Incomplete forms will not be accepted. ALL co-presenter information must be included at the time the proposal is submitted.
Presenters will not receive compensation or complimentary conference registration. One designated lead presenter per accepted session, including Breakout Sessions, Innovation Demos, and W.O.R.K. Talks, will be eligible for the discounted conference registration rate of $500.
For accessibility purposes, presenters are expected to use the EACE Universal Design PowerPoint template. If approved, presenters are required to have five copies of their presentation that comply with the Universal Design standard for distribution, if necessary.
Break-out session rooms will be equipped with a basic LCD projector package and one microphone. Laptops are NOT provided. Hard-wired/ethernet connection will not be available in break-out rooms, however WiFi will be available throughout the conference space. All presenters must be in-person, no virtual presenters will be permitted.
EACE does not print handouts. Presenters will be encouraged to upload any session handouts to the EACE Mobile App.
Tips for submitting a successful conference proposal:
BE RELEVANT - Address a current challenge, emerging trend, or opportunity in career services, employer relations, or talent development.
BE CLEAR - Provide a focused session description and specific learning objectives that communicate what attendees will gain.
BE ENGAGING - Incorporate discussion, demonstrations, case studies, or other opportunities for active participation.
BE PRACTICAL - Highlight actionable strategies, tools, resources, and lessons learned that attendees could apply in their own professional settings.
BE TRANSFERABLE - Where appropriate, explain how your approach can be adapted across different institutions, organizations, staffing structures, or resource levels.
FAQs
Submission Best Practices
We encourage proposals that:
Ignite Engagement: Design sessions that foster active engagement and interaction among participants.
Highlight Practical Successes: Share real-world case studies or achievements with proven outcomes that attendees can apply to their work.
Champion Inclusion: Demonstrate how your session promotes inclusion and belonging, ensuring diverse perspectives are represented.
Show Expertise and Emerging Trends: Present deep knowledge in the field and offer insights into new trends in career services and talent acquisition.
Inspire Any Stage Career Success:Discuss strategies that empower students, early and seasoned career professionals to achieve their goals.
Who can submit a proposal?
Anyone who has a relevant topic to share! We’ve had submissions from graduate assistants, faculty, career counselors, VPs, directors, recruiters and more. You do not need to be a member of EACE to submit a proposal.
Where and when is the Annual Conference?
The EACE 2027 Annual Conference will be held May 26-28, 2027 at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Reston, Virginia.More details coming soon.
What is the timeline for the proposal process?
October 14, 2026: Call for Proposals opens
November 30, 2026: Deadline for Submissions
Early February 2027: Presenters will be notified of their selection. (Only the designated lead presenter receives this communication.)
How are proposals selected?
Proposals are evaluated by the Annual Conference Programming Sub-Committee. Several key factors that influence selection include, but are not limited to:
Relevance and timeliness of the content.
Clarity of learning objectives and intended outcomes.
Level of audience engagement and interaction.
Promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Practicality of the content for attendees’ professional development.
The proposal is non-commercial nor self-promoting.
How long should my presentation be?
Break-out sessions are 60 minutes which should include leaving time for questions at the end.
Innovation presentations should be 20-30 minutes with time for questions at the end.
W.O.R.K. Talks should be approximately 15 minutes. 2-3 W.O.R.K. Talks will take place during a conference general session. Speakers will run consecutively with no time for questions between talks, in a TED X style.
Do presenters get discounted conference registration?
One designated lead presenter per accepted session, including Breakout Sessions, Innovation Demos, and W.O.R.K. Talks, will be eligible for the discounted conference registration rate of $500.
If a presenter cannot attend the full conference, a presenter pass that allows entry only for their session may be granted. Presenters needing financial assistance to attend are encouraged to apply for a 2027Professional Development Grantand/orDiversity & Inclusion Scholarship.
I'm interested in submitting information for a Keynote presentation at EACE27, how should I proceed?
Please submit information regarding keynote services to [email protected], submissions sent to other email addresses or contacts will not be considered. Please include your topic, area of expertise, and pricing information or your submission may not be considered. As we are receiving a high volume of keynote submissions, our team will reach out only if the topic and presentation are in alignment with the EACE27 conference goals and our budget.
