We are in the midst of conference season, with one of the largest global education conferences just a few weeks away (NAFSA: Association of International Educators May 27-30, 2025). Whether this is your actual FIRST international conference or maybe you just feel like it's your first time, we invite you to come for a Zoom chat about how to navigate and make the most of this event or others in your future.

Your guest hosts have been around the block a few times –100+ combined national/global conference appearances – so they know the ins and outs, and the ups and the downs. During our program, we will talk about these important conference topics:

• What to do in advance of attending a conference
• How to make any conference session more useful
• Conquering the conference’s exhibition hall and making sure you gain value, not just swag.
• After the sun sets, how will you spend your time to the benefit of your career connections?
• Tips and tricks to manage energy and stay healthy

You will enjoy learning from some of the mistakes this crew has made through the years and leave with a seriously practical list of things to do that will make your conference one of the most amazing experiences of your career. Whether you live in the USA or abroad, this session is designed to help you navigate and plan for your best learning and connection.

Note: This is an interactive session so bring your questions and your own experiences to share as we will have time for discussion.

Hosts:

Amy Henry, Georgia Institute of Technology

Cynthia Banks, University of Colorado Boulder

Martha Johnson, PhD, CEA|CAPA