Curated Experiences for your Professional Community

Registration for Specialty Institutes Opens October 1, 2026.

For the first time at #NASPA27, NASPA is offering a curated set of institutes designed in partnership with our constituent groups. These are not workshops submitted through the Call for Programs. They are intentionally designed, cohort-style experiences built for specific professional communities within student affairs.

Each institute runs as a full day. You will spend the day learning alongside peers who share your context, your challenges, and your community. Sessions are active and participatory. 

What to Expect

Every institute follows the same structure. Institutes are organized across two pre-conference days. 

Each session block is cohort-style and designed for active learning. Your constituent group shapes the content and facilitation approach within a shared framework. Content is where you learn and grow. Convening is where your community comes together for a shared purpose. Connection is where relationships are built and sustained.

8:00 a.m.     Breakfast and community networking 
8:45 a.m.     Welcome and introductions 
9:00 a.m.     Session block one (75 minutes) 
10:15 a.m.   Break (15 minutes) 
10:30 a.m.   Session block two (75 minutes) 
11:45 a.m.   Transition (15 minutes) 
12:00 p.m.   Lunch

1:00 p.m.     Session block three (90 minutes)
2:30 p.m.     Break (15 minutes)
2:45 p.m.     Closing and next steps (45 minutes) 
4:00 p.m.     Adjourn

Explore the Institutes

Additional details will be released soon! 

Community Colleges Institute

For community college student affairs professionals. This one-day institute is your space to learn, connect, and lead alongside colleagues who understand the unique demands of two-year institutions. Expect cohort-style sessions, facilitated conversation, and a community that carries well beyond the conference.

$255, includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. 

International Symposium

For student affairs professionals working in or focused on global and international higher education. This one-day institute brings together educators, administrators, and practitioners from across the world to engage with the questions shaping international student affairs. The day closes with a reception to keep the conversations going.

$365, includes breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee break, and an evening reception. 

Small Colleges and Universities Institute

For student affairs professionals at small colleges and universities. This one-day institute is designed for practitioners navigating the distinct challenges of smaller campus environments where resources are limited but impact is not.

$255, includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. 

HBCU Institute

For student affairs professionals at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This one-day institute creates dedicated space to connect, strategize, and strengthen the work that defines HBCU student affairs.

$255, includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. 

VPSA Institute

For Vice Presidents for Student Affairs and their equivalents. This one-day institute gathers executive-level leaders for guided discussions and interactive sessions designed for the realities of senior leadership. This is a VPSA-exclusive experience.

$295, includes breakfast, an enhanced lunch experience, and afternoon coffee break.

Undergraduate Student Conference

For undergraduate students exploring a career in student affairs. This one-day institute offers a first-hand look at the field, the people in it, and the path forward. Includes an offsite activity or campus tour experience.

$115, includes breakfast, lunch, and offsite activity.

AVP Institute

For Assistant and Associate Vice Presidents for Student Affairs. This one-day institute is built for leaders navigating the space between mid-level management and executive leadership.

$255, includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. 

Mid-Level Professionals Institute

For mid-level student affairs professionals. This one-day institute is built for practitioners leading teams, shaping campus culture, and thinking about what comes next.

$255, includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon coffee break.

New and Emerging Professionals Institute
(NGPS Symposium) 

For new and emerging student affairs professionals. Continuing the legacy of the NGPS Symposium, this one-day institute is designed for those in the early chapters of their career.

$255, includes breakfast, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. 

FAQs

Additional details will be released soon!