Why Higher Ed Professionals Should Attend bbcon 2023

bbcon is live and in person October 21-24! Join us in Denver for inspiring keynotes, thought-provoking breakout sessions, and how-to workshops for change-makers across the education, nonprofit, and social good community. Register here today!

Keynote Speakers

America Ferrera will grace the main stage as a keynote speaker. Her standout role in this summer’s Barbie movie—including a very memorable monologue—is only the most recent accomplishment in her career as an actress, producer, and author. She has been recognized with a Screen Actors Guild Award®, an Emmy®, and a Golden Globe®, and has a strong track record of using her platform to stand up to pressing societal issues. Through her foundation, HARNESS, and nonprofit, Poderistas—which she co-founded alongside nine other activists and leaders—Ferrera has worked to address inequality and inspire action.

U.S. Olympian Chaunté Lowe will also join us on the main stage. As a four-time Olympian, three-time World Championship and Olympic Medalist, the current American record holder for indoor and outdoor high jump, author, mother, and breast cancer survivor, her insights on perseverance and balance are sure to inspire and motivate us all.

Breakout Sessions for Higher Ed Professionals

Our breakout sessions for education professionals include topics like scholarship management, fundraising, tuition, data security, and artificial intelligence. Here are some you don’t want to miss:

Win, Win, Win: Simplifying Scholarships for Students, Administrators, and Fundraisers

Christina Mohler and Ekaterina Dmitrieva, Central Piedmont Community College

Together, we will explore the most effective approaches in award management for centralized scholarship offices. We aim to streamline student applications and enable simpler awarding through AutoMatch. Discover how to implement flexible applications to expand the pool of potential recipients while leveraging Award Management to enhance your scholarship agreement process.

The Tuition Discount Trend in Higher Ed

Christin Grissom and Randy Hashem, Blackbaud

Explore why the tuition gap necessitates a strategic approach across various higher education offices. We’ll examine the increasing competitiveness schools face and discuss strategies for recruiting students, awarding scholarships, fundraising, and effectively tracking enrollment numbers across campus. Learn how your school can adopt a more competitive mindset, recognize the importance of strategic planning, and coordinate across multiple offices to maximize resources and attract students effectively.

Putting the AI in Education

Graham Getty, St. Albans School, and Hiram Cuevas, St. Christopher’s School

In this thought-provoking session, two technology experts delve into the transformative potential and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. While AI offers exciting opportunities for personalized learning and efficiency, it is crucial to approach these technologies responsibly. Join us as we explore the benefits of AI in tailoring content to individual student needs and enhancing engagement while critically examining concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the human element of teaching. Take advantage of this opportunity to gain insights and foster a constructive dialogue on the role of AI in your school.

Cybersecurity in Education

Don Rahn, Blackbaud Director of Security Operations

With a wealth of student and financial data and stakeholders across the technology spectrum, educational institutions have unique challenges when facing cybersecurity threats. Within the last year, foreign cybercriminals, vendors, employees, and even students have perpetrated cyberattacks. Join Don Rahn, Blackbaud’s Director of Security Operations, for information and best practices to keep cybersecurity at the forefront of your school operations.

Ask the Experts: Raiser’s Edge NXT^TM Super User Panel

Engage in an interactive panel discussion with an all-star cast from 2022’s “Ask A Blackbaud Super User” networking sessions. Bring your questions about Raiser’s Edge NXT and other related technologies to the table. From SKY API to Raiser’s Edge database view, this group will seek to answer any question you throw at them. This session promises to be lively, engaging, and full of laughs!

Don’t miss our Education Super Session!

Data and Diversity: Building a Culture of Belonging in Education

How can technology and data advance a culture of belonging in education? How do diverse voices and experiences strengthen a community? Join our panel of experts to discuss not only how to build belonging in your processes, policies, and daily operations, but also how to communicate with one another across those differences and why doing so is imperative for your organization to thrive. Our luminary panel includes:

• Susan Baldridge, Ph.D.

Executive Director, The Association of Boarding Schools

• Caroline Blackwell

Vice President of Equity and Justice, National Association of Independent Schools

• John Yen

Director of Technology, Polytechnic School, and DEI Advisory Committee Co-Chair, ATLIS

• Michael Morrissette

PRIDE Affinity Group Leader and Product Manager, Blackbaud

• Moderator: Abby Chau, Global Managing Director, Blackbaud Customer Success

Join us at #bbcon2023

You’ll discover all this and more from thought leaders at bbcon. Plus, we’ll have how-to and best practice sessions for Blackbaud software users to delve deeper and learn how to get the most from their tools.

Register now and reserve your spot at Blackbaud’s tech conference for good!