Helpful Tips for Conference Delegates:

Before the Conference:

- Choose students that represent your school well and display enthusiasm.
- Use the conference as a training opportunity for future leaders rather than a reward for long-time leaders. Invite students who will be at your institution for at least one more full academic year.
- Review the NACA mission, conference schedule and educational sessions with the delegation.
- Utilize the College Student Leader Competency Guide to determine potential learning outcomes for each student attending.
- Set goals for the conference both as a group and individually.
- Organize ice breakers and activities for them to get acquainted.
- Go over opportunities at the conference to volunteer.
- Compile a calendar of events, identify programming needs and determine what funds are available.
- Establish on-site delegation meeting times and locations

At the Conference:

- The full delegation should attend the Conference Orientation and Opening Dinner.
- Discuss and assign educational sessions. Disperse members of the delegation to cover as many sessions as possible. Don’t have two or more members of your delegation in the same session. Balance the interests of the institution, student organization and the individual when determining which sessions each delegate should attend.
- Encourage members to take copious notes and collect numerous resources to share with the other members of the organization.
- Have a group debriefing after attending a block of sessions or the conference as a whole so everyone receives the benefit of as many sessions as possible. This group could also include student and staff members at your institution who could not attend.
- Each delegate should attend all of the showcases.
- Stop by each booth in the Campus Activities Marketplace to meet artists, performers and agents and exchange information with them.
- Hold delegation meetings while at the conference to discuss educational sessions attended and acts that might be of interest to your school. Some schools hold these meetings over a meal; some find it valuable to retreat to a room and others simply find a spot in the halls. - Be respectful of presenters at all educational sessions and showcases, as well as at the closing banquet.
- Sit near neighboring schools at all Block Booking meetings and at the conference banquets. This can definitely help bolster discussion regarding cooperative buying opportunities.

After the Conference:

- Follow up with each attendee to determine if they achieved their learning outcomes.
- Review the materials on showcasing acts and other acts/companies in which the delegation is interested.
- Everyone should get together and review how the conference went for the delegation and follow up with the business contacts made.
- Discuss all of the educational sessions attended and share handouts with others so everyone receives the benefits of as many sessions as possible.
- Include students and staff at your institution who could not attend.

The Insider’s List of What to Bring:

- Expectations, goals and objectives for your organization’s programming efforts
- Your organization’s (and school’s) calendar
- Budget
- Business cards with organization information
- Information about school’s programming facilities
- Pens (you’re bound to lose one!)
- Items for School Showcase/Swap and the Graphics Competition, as well as change for Penny Wars!
- Comfortable clothes and shoes
- Light sweater or jacket for cool conference rooms
- Spending money
- Snacks and bottled water
- Positive attitude!