MLI25

Summary

Program Overview

The career services profession is evolving, informed by changes in our culture, expectations among higher education leaders and students, demands for an equitable and inclusive student experience, and a transformation in employer relations. Now more than ever, career services leadership plays a critical role in institutional effectiveness and student success. The MLI curriculum, taught and facilitated by nationally recognized faculty, is designed to deliver substantive and timely strategies and practices for leading and contributing to successful career services initiatives.

Designed for emerging and aspiring leaders, you’ll strengthen the leadership skills needed to contribute to and build a stronger and more successful career services team. This program will also promote evidence-based leadership strategies to excel within the field of career services and pave your way to greater organizational success. Participants will meet virtually prior to the four day in-person experience. After attending the in-person program, the MLI cohort will meet quarterly to gain further insights and discuss critical challenges in their leadership journey.

Join NACE’s premier leadership 2025 NACE Management Leadership Institute for an in-person and blended learning experience that is engaging and impactful and that supports your growth for an entire year.

Program Objectives

Identify leadership and motivation skills useful for peer management and managing direct reports;
Explore best practices in career center management;
Discover how you can add value and balance to your career center’s missions and goals through strategic management;
Identify new methods of raising the visibility of your career center within the university setting;
Discuss the ins and outs of financial management;
Examine timely ethical issues affecting career services and recruiting; and
Build a valuable network of colleagues in the career services profession.

Expand the Event Schedule section below to see the full agenda.

Event Schedule

Course content and times subject to change, for illustrative purposes only.

Pre-Event | Virtual Learning + LPI Assessment

Monday, July 7, 2025
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. ET | Welcome & Meet and Greet (1 hour)

Tuesday, July 8, 2025
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET | Virtual Session 1 (2 hours)

Thursday, July 10, 2025
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET | Virtual Session 2 (2 hours)

On-site Event Schedule

Sunday, July 20, 2025
Arrivals and Check-in
3 p.m. Check in
6 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Welcome Reception/Check-in

Monday, July 21, 2025
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast
9 a.m. – Noon | Transformational Leadership
Noon – 2 p.m. | Free time; Lunch on own
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Ethical Issues in Career Center Management

Tuesday, July 22, 2025
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast
9 a.m. – Noon  | Strategic Planning for Career Services
Noon – 2 p.m. | Free time; Lunch on own
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Financial Planning & Budget Management

Wednesday, July 23, 2025
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast
9 a.m. – Noon | Pathways to Student Success with Competency Development
Noon – 2 p.m. | Free time; Lunch on own
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Strategic Communications & Brand Marketing

Thursday, July 24, 2025
Check out time is Noon – the hotel will store your bags
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Breakfast
9 a.m. – Noon | External & Employer Relations
Noon – 3:30 p.m. | Lunch ‘n’ Learn: Personal Development for Professional Growth; Certificate Completion
3:30 p.m. | Departure

Post-Event Meet-ups

Cohort Meet-up 1 (virtual, TBD)
Cohort Meet-up 2 (virtual, TBD)
Cohort Meet-up 3 (virtual, TBD)
Cohort Meet-up 4 (virtual, TBD)

Key Topics (Subject to change)

The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership & Leadership Practices Inventory
Transformational Leadership
Ethical Issues in Career Center Management
Strategic Planning for Career Services
Financial Planning & Budget Management
Pathways to Student Success with Competency Development
Strategic Communications & Brand Marketing
External & Employer Relations
Personal Development for Professional Growth

Registration Information

Class Size

This is an annual event with limited capacity that quickly sells out. Class size is limited to 100 participants to maximize the educational value of the program.

Tuition

Tuition is $2,800 for NACE members ($3,445 for nonmembers).

Your investment includes:

Four nights hotel at the Swissotel in downtown Chicago
- Check in: Sun. July 20
- Check out: Thurs. July 24, 2025
- For those wishing to extend your stay, you will contact the hotel directly after NACE has booked the rooms with Swissotel
Participant materials and the LPI assessment
Full breakfast daily
An evening welcome reception
Morning coffee and tea service
Closing lunch celebration

Commuter Rate

Tuition is $2,030 (member); $2,530 (nonmember)

Your investment includes:

Participant materials and the LPI assessment
Full breakfast daily
An evening welcome reception
Morning coffee and tea service
Closing lunch celebration

Cancellation/Substitution Policy

All cancellation/substitution requests must be made in writing. Send requests to events@naceweb.org or call 610.625.1026 for assistance.

Cancellation

Cancellation requests due to illness or emergency may be sent to events@naceweb.org, and the full registration amount paid will be credited to your NACE account.

Non-illness or non-emergency cancellations received on or before April 4, 2025, are refundable but subject to a $150 administrative fee. A credit equal to the value of the cancelled registration, less the $150 administrative fee, will be issued and remain valid until June 30, 2026.

Cancellation requests received after April 4, 2025 are nonrefundable.

No-shows at MLI are not eligible for a credit or refund.

Before April 25, 2025, you can transfer your registration to a colleague by contacting events@naceweb.org.

Substitution

Submit your request in writing to events@naceweb.org by April 25, 2025. Include your registration confirmation with your written request.

Only one transfer is allowed per original registration. Please note there may be additional charges if the membership status of the substitute is different from that of the registrant.

Due to required pre-work that all program participants must complete, no substitution requests will be accepted after April 25, 2025. (Please note: NACE reserves the right to deny substitution requests.)

Hotel and Travel Information

MLI 2025 will be held at the Swissotel Chicago in Chicago, IL. Your hotel room is included in your paid registration fee. Please do not call the hotel to make your reservation. NACE staff will be making your hotel reservation for the entire program.

If you wish to extend your stay before or after, notify our Education & Events team at events@naceweb.org.

Airport Information/Transportation to the Hotel

Swissotel Chicago is a 20-minute drive from Chicago Midway (MDW) airport, which offers taxi, Lyft, and Uber ride-share services.

Driving Directions & Parking

Directions to the parking garage. A parking garage, paid private parking on-site, and paid private parking nearby are available to guests. Parking fees are not included in the registration fee.

Faculty

Ray Angle
Assistant Vice President, Career and Professional Development
Gonzaga University

Matthew Brink
Chief Programs & Content Officer
NACE

Norma Guerra Gaier
Associate Vice Chancellor for Career Development and Education Center for Career Engagement
Washington University in St. Louis