Why Higher Ed Professionals Should Attend bbcon This Year

It’s almost here! Join us in Philadelphia October 6–8 forbbcon: the premier event for higher ed scholarship admins, business officers, and advancement experts to explore emerging technology, exchange ideas, elevate practices, and connect with colleagues from across the higher ed spectrum.

From artificial intelligence (AI) to human innovation, we’re bringing together global thought leaders to offer insights into education, fundraising, operations, and more. Some topics we’ll explore include:

• AI is Hot, Lawsuits Are Not
• Embracing the Next Generation Workforce
• Navigating Financial Uncertainty

The 2025 bbcon agenda is packed with solutions tailored to higher education, offering tools to streamline operations and enhance student success. Discover actionable strategies built for your institution’s unique challenges. Here are just a few reasons you and your teammates should be there.

Keynote from Adam Grant, Ph.D.

Organizational psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and the Wharton School’s top-rated professor for seven straight years, Adam Grant takes the bbcon mainstage to share powerful insights from his latest book, Hidden Potential. Drawing from his work with global leaders and changemakers, Adam will explore how to energize teams, rethink strategies, and build cultures that unlock extraordinary impact. This inspiring keynote will challenge you to lead smarter, aim higher, and discover the untapped potential within yourself and your team.

AI Leadership from Your Peers

Luminary Session: Evaluating AI Risks & Opportunities in the Education Landscape

This dynamic session opens with ATLIS CEO Christina Lewellen exploring how AI’s opportunities and risks impact the education sector, followed by an expert panel of K–12 and Higher Education leaders. Together they will cut through the hype, share real-world strategies, and equip you with best practices you can use in your daily professional lives. You’ll gain insight into maximizing AI’s benefits while mitigating the risks, how to coach students in an age where AI is freely accessible yet often misunderstood, and a legal perspective on avoiding potential pitfalls.

The AI Advantage Panel: Advancing Industry-Leading Fundraising Intelligence

Join leaders from The Georgia Tech Foundation, Save the Children, The University of Arizona Foundation, and Microsoft for a dynamic panel discussion on how AI is transforming enterprise fundraising. Hear real-world insights, learn how deep intelligence across datasets is accelerating major giving, and explore how agentic AI is powering a more agile, virtual workforce to enable fundraisers to focus less on tasks and more on what matters most.

The AI-Powered Database Manager: Practical & Ethical Applications

AI is reshaping the way database managers and fundraisers work—but how do you use it responsibly and effectively? Join Hallie Guiseppe of Alvernia University and Elizabeth Johnson of The Putney School to discover real-world AI applications that streamline database management, enhance reporting, and improve communication. From automation to ethical considerations, discover practical tools that can save time, boost insights, and optimize workflows. Whether you’re AI-curious or already experimenting, you will walk away with actionable ideas you can start using immediately.

Doing More with Less

The Little Awarding Office that Could: Small Team, Big Impact

In this session, Emily Wampler will cover the process by which their small, decentralized scholarship office at Indiana State University awards hundreds of donor-funded scholarships each academic year. Key points include interfacing with campus partners, best practices for communication and organization, and tips for aligning stakeholders with your awarding mission.

Mini but Mighty: Scaling Your Team’s Impact Without Scaling Headcount

Discover how to maximize your small team’s impact and create output that rivals organizations twice your size. In this dynamic session, Megan Rehberg of Knox College and Misty Sayre of the Air Force Museum Foundation will explore practical strategies for prioritization, workflow optimization, and leveraging the right tools to amplify your team’s capabilities. Learn how nimbleness can be your superpower and walk away with actionable techniques to create the perception—and reality—of a much larger operation.

Higher Ed Financial Sustainability

Lean Teams, Lasting Impact: Expert Strategies for Today’s Top Finance Challenges

Join us for a super session in which four financial luminaries explore critical topics affecting nonprofit financial professionals today. They will offer practical strategies and firsthand experiences to help you overcome common obstacles in three important areas:

• Lean operations—improving workflows, integrating systems, reducing manual tasks, and creating time for strategic planning
• Financial health—addressing funding gaps, shifts in enrollment, and rising community demands
• Team collaboration—fostering cross-departmental alignment and communication

Truth and Reality of Financial Aid and Tuition-Driven Schools

Dino Koff, Vice President for Financial Aid at Dartmouth College, leverages his deep experience as a financial planner and institutional leader to share insights and case studies that speak to the reality and cause of financial pain points for so many academic institutions. Learn how support for financial aid builds a stronger, more innovative institution to meet the needs of today’s students. If you’re looking to gain inspiration around what institutions and practitioners can do to help schools and the students you serve maximize financial aid opportunities, this session is for you.

Register Today

Connect with hundreds of professionals in the education sector at bbcon. It’s a hub for networking, providing you with countless opportunities to exchange ideas, share experiences, and build lasting relationships with peers who understand the challenges and opportunities unique to education.

bbcon is an investment in your institution’s future. Don’t miss this chance to grow, collaborate, and explore innovative solutions to your biggest challenges. Register today and secure your spot at bbcon 2025. Together, let’s shape the future of higher  education!