2025 Conference

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

The 2025 Michigan Pre-College and Youth Outreach 17th Annual Conference will be taking place in-person on October 28, 2025 at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI!

Welcome to the Conference

The 2025 conference will take place at Michigan State University. The conference will occur on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 8:00 to 4:30 PM. A hot breakfast will be served at 8:00 AM with welcome remarks. The first session of speakers will begin at 9:00 AM, followed by the Keynote Speaker at 10:10 AM. At the conference, the check-in desk will open at 8:00 AM and remain open throughout the event for any assistance or queries you may have.

The conference Steering Committee comprises 13 different educational institutions and organizations around the state of Michigan, with Michigan State University serving as next year’s location host.

Submit a Proposal

PROPOSALS WILL OPEN SOON!

DUE JULY 31, 2025

The theme for this special 17th Annual Conference is coming soon.

Proposal submissions will select one of three options to present their work: Presentation (25 minutes), Workshop (50 minutes) or Poster.

All Poster submissions will be able to attend the full conference at a reduced price at $50.

Schedule at a Glance

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

8:00 – 8:50 am Breakfast & Welcome
9:00 – 10:00 am Session A
10:10 – 11:10 am Keynote Speaker
11:20 – 12:20 pmSession B
12:20 – 1:20 pm Lunch with Music
1:20 – 2:20 pm Adventure Leadership Activities
2:30 – 2:55 pm Session C
3:00 – 3:25 pm Session D
3:30 – 4:00 pm Session E
4:05 – 4:35 pm Session F
4:35 – 4:45 pm Closing & Raffle

NOTE: all session blocks include invited speakers and proposal presentations as concurrent options for attendees

About the Theme

This year’s theme, “Daring to Dream: Guiding Students Together,” reflects our collective mission to transform the education landscape through collaboration, creativity, and shared vision. As we confront the ever-evolving challenges to higher education, this conference is a rallying call to action. It’s an opportunity to unite our knowledge, exchange bold ideas, and develop tangible strategies that make college more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for all students. Together, we empower students to dream big, take ownership of their academic journeys, and feel a true sense of belonging in educational spaces.

Your participation isn’t just about professional development—it’s about creating a ripple effect far beyond this conference. By coming together today, we are investing in a future where every student dares to dream and has the resources, support, and encouragement to turn those dreams into reality.

Keynote Speaker

Coming Soon

Make your commitment to enhancing access to higher education well-known. We invite you to sponsor this year’s conference. We will host over 250 leaders from various higher education and community institutions across the state of Michigan and the nation.

To request an invoice to pay for sponsorship, please email Mark Jackson to have an invoice generated for you.
If you or your organization have any questions, please contact us at info-michiganpcc@gmail.com. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Platinum - $2,000

Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you and one-minute video shown before keynote
Marketing materials – logo and website linked on the conference website, main conference presentation and all emails to attendees
FREE Full-page AD in program
FREE Registrations: twelve (12) registration codes
1 Vendor Table space with a table, white linen and 2 chairs
Optional: Send 300 flyers and/or 300 small promo items to Wayne State to include in the conference bags. All materials will need to be sent to Michigan State by September 8, 2025.

Gold - $1,500

Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you before the conference lunch
Marketing materials – logo and website linked on the conference website, main conference presentation and all emails to attendees
FREE Full-page AD in program
FREE Registrations: six (6) registration codes
1 Vendor Table space with a table, white linen and 2 chairs
Optional: Send 300 flyers and/or 300 small promo items to Wayne State to include in the conference bags. All materials will need to be sent to Michigan State by September 8, 2025.

Higher Education - $1,000

Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you before the conference lunch
Marketing materials – logo and website linked on the conference website, main conference presentation and all emails to attendees
FREE Full-page AD in program
FREE Registrations: five (5) regular + five (5) student registration codes
1 Vendor Table space with a table, white linen and 2 chairs
Optional: Send 300 flyers and/or 300 small promo items to Wayne State to include in the conference bags. All materials will need to be sent to Michigan State by September 8, 2025.

Additional Opportunities - Varies

Program Full Page AD – $200
Vendor Table + 1 FREE Registration – $500

Add business to conference’s “Things to do in Detroit” web page – $100

Flyers for Conference Attendee Bag – $50
Promo Items for Conference Attendee Bag – FREE

Our 2025 Conference Proposal Tracks include:

Track 1: Developing and Sustaining Strong Partnerships

This track is all about creating and continuing strong partnerships. Think about what makes your best outreach partnership work – what are some lessons learned or resources your team has created through reflecting on how you build and expand your partnerships? Ideas include, but are not limited to:

Strategies or tools for developing a stronger school partnership (bi-directional)
Communication recommendations to strengthen relationships
What are school districts/schools looking for from higher educational partners

Track 2: Career Exploration & Development

Within this track, we want to hear from you on how you bring career exploration and development into your programs? How are students exposed to careers not familiar with them? What works to get students excited about these opportunities? Ideas include, but are not limited to:

Hands on experiences, exposure opportunities (job shadowing/internships)
Identifying pathways & stackable opportunities
Tools & resources (xello, or other tools)
Student voice (what they like/what they wish was different)

Track 3: Impact within Detroit & Other Communities

As PCC 2023 will be hosted in Detroit this year, we are looking for stories, lessons learned, and tools that showcase the impact within the city. What are some ways that you use data in your work to show the positive impact within these communities? Or, what are some ways you’ve seen impact within your own communities that could be adopted by those doing outreach work in Detroit? Ideas include, but are not limited to:

Partnerships in & out of schools
Community engagement and partnerships
Mentoring, attendance, tutoring
College Access Support

Track 4: Technology - Opportunities for Engagement

Outreach and K-12 students are probably forever changed by the global pandemic. Now more than ever, outreach groups are using technology in smart and advantageous ways to positively deepen their impact for students. What are some ways your team is using technology to advance outreach, DEI, college access, and more within your programs? Ideas include, but are not limited to:

Tools for engaging students and families (web 2.0, software, innovative team building)
Student voice (what they like/what they wish was different)
Videos

Track 5: Mental Health (for Students and Staff)

Outreach is a joy – but can also include hard moments. How does your team handle moments of stress or other conflict triggers? How do you meet your students where they are at and help them feel safe to be able to self-actualize within your programs? What mental health practices do you include in your programming to teach everyone? Ideas include, but are not limited to:

Tools & Strategies
Resources available to use
Best Practices that are implementing (quiet rooms/mindfulness)
Yoga and mindfulness practices