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 Monday evening before the conference, the committee will host a Networking Dinner, a free event for all conference attendees. The conference will then occur on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 8:00 to 5:30 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 10:00 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 this year’s location host.

Register for the Conference

Schedule at a Glance

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

  • 8:00 – 8:50 am Breakfast & Welcome
  • 9:00 – 9:45 am Session A
  • 10:00 – 11:00 am Keynote Speaker
  • 11:15 – 12:00 pm Session B
  • 12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch
  • 1:00 – 1:45 pm Student Panel (2 different topics)
  • 2:00 – 2:45 pm Session C
  • 3:00 – 3:45 pm Session D
  • 4:00 – 4:45 pm Afternoon Keynote
  • 4:45 – 5:15 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, “Inspiring Potential: Empowering Voices, Expanding Possibilities, Elevating Opportunities.” In a world where talent knows no bounds, it is our responsibility to nurture, uplift, and create pathways for success. This year’s conference is dedicated to inspiring the potential within every student, educator, and leader by amplifying voices that deserve to be heard, broadening horizons through innovative opportunities, and fostering an environment where dreams turn into realities.

Join us as we explore how access, advocacy, and action can transform lives. Through dynamic discussions, interactive workshops, and powerful storytelling, we will equip individuals with the tools and confidence to shape their futures. Together, we can empower voices, expand possibilities, and elevate opportunities for all.

Morning Keynote Speaker

Headshot of Renee Fluker

Renee Fluker

Founder & President, Midnight Golf Program (MGP)

Affectionately known as Ms. Renee by the thousands of students who have participated in the Midnight Golf Program, Renee Fluker oversees daily program operations and donor relations. With an unwavering passion for helping change the trajectory of the lives of young adults, she spends her evenings in a hands-on capacity with the 250 high school seniors participating in the program each week.

Invited Speakers

Headshot of Mark Talaga

Mark Talaga

Director/Owner,
The Center for Identity Potential
Mark has been counseling gifted individuals for over 12 years and is the owner and director of the Center for Identity Potential, a mental health practice that specializes in working with gifted, asynchronous individuals. Mark is highly respected in the field of gifted counseling and has published numerous articles on topics related to giftedness and counseling. He is also a sought-after speaker and consultant, and has provided training and consultation services to schools, universities, and mental health organizations throughout the United States. A former video game professional, Mark utilizes his knowledge of gaming and technology to create a strong relationship with many of the kids with whom he works.
Headshot of Dave Chupak

David Chupak

Director, Youth Programs: Registration, Safety Assurance, and Education Program
David Chupak is the Director of Youth Programs: Registration, Safety Assurance, and Education at Michigan State University, a role for which he was appointed in November 2017. In his role, David is responsible for promoting compliance of the youth programs at with MSU’s operational requirements for conducting youth programs and reporting protocol for child maltreatment and other harm to children. In his role, David provides youth and pre-college leaders with training and development, benchmarks trends and standards to advance a culture of safety for youth and pre-college programs, and coordinates relevant MSU policies, best practices, and program management tools to support the protection of Spartan youth. David serves on the Board of Directors for the Higher Education Protection Network (HEPNet) and is a former HEPNet Board Chair. In 2018, David co-founded the Big Ten Youth Protection Peer Group, for which he currently serves as a Co-Chair. David earned his B.S.Ed. in Integrated Language Arts from Kent State University and his M.A.Ed. in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University, and currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education program at Michigan State University.
Headshot of Natalie Moser

Natalie Moser

Director of the MSU Psychological Clinic Co-Director, Office of Resource and Support Coordination
Natalie Moser received her doctorate in clinical science from the University of Delaware and completed her predoctoral clinical internship at Nemours Children’s Health, specializing in pediatric health psychology. Moser held a postdoctoral position in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University, where she received clinical and research training at a nationally renowned center for anxiety disorders. Since 2014, Moser has served as director of the MSU Psychological Clinic, where she manages clinical services, supervises graduate students, and oversees an endowed college student mental health initiative. She is the Co-Director of the MSU Office for Resource and Support Coordination, in which she manages the campus response and support services for victims following the February 2023 shooting. She is a founding member of the MSU Trauma Services and Training Network and serves on several community boards to advance mental health awareness. Throughout the last several years, Moser has provided numerous trainings related to trauma-informed care and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on youth mental health.

 

Jinny Han

Associate Director of Undergraduate Education
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development & Family Studies

Dr. Jinny Han is an advocate for positive youth development, with a focus on student success, educational equity, and mentorship. Her research encompasses several areas, including a multi-year study on the implementation and outcomes of Michigan’s psychosocial rehabilitation Clubhouse programs, an assessment of the effectiveness of a peer mentoring program for transition-aged individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the development of a work-related training program for young adults with autism, and an exploration of culturally tailored interventions to support adolescents from immigrant and multiracial families. In addition to her research, as an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) at Michigan State University, she has taught courses on child and family policy, program evaluation in human service programs, parenting, human relations in a multicultural society, and the minority groups in the United States. She has also been involved in student engagement initiatives and actively participated in committees dedicated to improving institutional access within her department and college. In her current role as Associate Director of Undergraduate Education in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), she is dedicated to fostering student engagement, advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and promoting success for underrepresented groups—all in alignment with her belief in the transformative power of education.

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 Jessica Bilodeau to have an invoice generated for you.
  • Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you before the Welcome & Keynote
  • Marketing materials – logo on the conference website, main conference presentation, thank you postcard in conference bags, and emails to attendees
  • FREE Full-page AD in conference roaming slide deck
  • FREE Registrations: six (6) regular, includes breakfast and lunch
  • 1 Vendor Table: Table and 2 chairs
  • Evening Glow (social event prior to the conference) table tents around room
  • Optional: Send 300 materials and/or small promo items for the conference bags. All materials must be sent to designated address by September 1, 2025
  • Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you before the Welcome & Keynote
  • Marketing materials – logo on the conference website, main conference presentation, and emails to attendees
  • FREE Full-page AD in conference roaming slide deck
  • FREE Registrations: four (4) regular, includes breakfast and lunch
  • 1 Vendor Table: Table and 2 chairs
  • Evening Glow (social event prior to the conference) table tents around room
  • Optional: Send 300 materials and/or small promo items for the conference bags. All materials must be sent to designated address by September 1, 2025
  • Vendor Table + 1 FREE Registration (includes breakfast and lunch)
  • Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you before the Keynote
  • Marketing materials – logo on the conference website, main conference presentation, and emails to attendees
  • FREE Full-page AD in conference roaming slide deck
  • FREE Registrations: four (4) regular + two (2) student registration, includes breakfast and lunch
  • 1 Vendor Table: Table and 2 chairs
  • Evening Glow (social event prior to the conference) table tents around room
  • Optional: Send 300 materials and/or small promo items for the conference bags. All materials must be sent to designated address by September 1, 2025
  • Vendor Table + 2 FREE Registrations (includes breakfast and lunch)
  • Flyers for Conference Attendee Bag and/or Promo Items for Sponsors in Attendee Bag (All materials must be sent to designated address by September 1, 2025)
  • Verbal acknowledgment –verbal thank you before the Keynote
  • Marketing materials – logo on the conference website, main conference presentation, and emails to attendees
  • FREE Full-page AD in conference roaming slide deck
  • Evening Glow (social event prior to the conference) table tents around room
  • Optional: Send 275 materials and/or small promo items for the conference bags. All materials must be sent to designated address by September 1, 2025
  • Flyers for Conference Attendee Bag – $75
  • Promo Items for Sponsors in Attendee Bag – FREE (All materials must be sent to designated address by September 30, 2025)
  • Evening Glow Main Sponsor – $5,000