2025 Employer Relations Summit

Mark your calendars for June 25-27, 2025, because we're bringing the 11th Annual Employer Relations Summit to the Omni Louisville Hotel in the beautiful city of Louisville, Kentucky!

Get ready to ignite connections, share best practices, and shape the future of recruitment at this can't-miss event. The SoACE Employer Relations Summit is all about fostering powerful partnerships between career services professionals and employers. We'll provide you with innovative resources, top-notch professional development, and ample networking opportunities – all while keeping the focus on building strong, lasting relationships.

What's in store for you?

  • Inspiring keynote: Get fired up with insights from a captivating speaker.
  • Engaging panel discussions: Dive deep into hot topics with industry experts.
  • Practical peer presentations: Learn from colleagues' real-world experiences.
  • Fun social events: Make connections and build relationships outside of sessions.
  • Unique site visits: Get a taste of  Louisville's charm and culture.

Attendee Registration 

Members:

Regular Registration Rate (through June 1) -- $375.00 / person
Late Registration Rate (on or after June 2) -- $425.00 / person

Non-Members:

Regular Registration Rate (through June 1) -- $500.00 / person
Late Registration Rate (on or after June 2) -- $550.00 / person

Register Here 

Hotel Information

SoACE has secured a group rate at the Omni Louisville of $249.00/night plus applicable taxes. The group cut-off date for reservations was Friday, May 30, 2025, subject to availability.  If having any issues with your reservation or needing a reservation still after the cut-off of May 30th, please email [email protected] for assistance. 

Omni Louisville
400 South 2nd Street
Louisville, KY  40202

Check-In: 3:00 PM
Check-Out: 11:00 AM

Conference Final Agenda

Day 1: Wednesday, June 25

10:00 - 12:00 PM   University of Louisville Campus Tour, Career Center Meet Up 
3:00 - 3:30 PM   Conference Welcome 
3:45 - 4:45 PM   Breakout Session 1 
5:00 - 6:30 PM   Speed Networking

Day 2: Thursday, June 26

8:00- 9:00 AM     Breakfast - Updates from SoACE Board & Knowledge Groups
9:15 - 10:15 AM  Keynote Speaker - Trevor Pawl; CEO of the Louisville Economic Development Alliance
Break
10:30 - 11:30 AM Breakout Session 2 
11:45 - 1:00 PM   Lunch- Employer Panel, Moderated by Greater Louisville Inc. 
1:15 - 3:05 PM    Mini Sessions- 20 minute mini sessions with short breaks in between
Break
3:15 - 4:15 PM    Breakout Session 3
5:00 - 6:30 PM    Pin + Proof Social

Day 3: Friday, June 27

9 AM - 12 PM Humana Corporate Office Site Visit 
9 AM - 12 PM Texas Roadhouse Corporate Office Site Visit

 

ERSummit Presentations

 Breakout Session 1 | Wednesday June 25, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

  • Beyond Career Fairs: Meaningful Engagement for Stronger Recruiting Outcomes (Matt Omalley, DPR Construction)
  • Building Powerful Partnerships: Developing Effective Employer Engagement Scorecards (Jeff Beavers, 12twenty)
  • Leveraging AI for Employer Engagement (Chase Bonhag, FirstIgnite)

Breakout Session 2 | Thursday June 26, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

  • Bridging Campus and Career: Collaborative Employer Engagement in Action (Erin Lin, University of Florida)
  • Employer Engagement, Reimagined: An Enhanced Model for University Employer Relations (Scott Curry & Lauren Linster, University of North Florida)
  • IgKnight Your Future: UCF's Dyno-mite Career Readiness Program (Mirtha Bailey, University of Central Florida)
  • Charting the Course: Navigating Employer Engagement from UNCW's Shores (McKenzie LeFlore & Janee Folston, University North Carolina Wilmington)

 Mini Sessions | Thursday June 26, 1:15 PM - 3:30 PM

  • Hour 1 - Improv for Excellence: How the Fundamentals of Improv Comedy can Build Strong Employer Relationships (David Hamilton, University of Mississippi/Anubis Improv)
  • Hour 1 - Holiday Hustling: Elevating Recruiting Methods with Winter Break Externships (Lindsay Schiller, University of Virginia School of Architecture)
  • Hour 1 - Stand Out and Connect: Winning Strategies for Career Fair Success (Maranda Larsen & Paul Bernal, Trinity University)
  • Hour 2 - From Idea to Impact: What's Your Go-To Strategy for Launching Business Development (New Employers) (Emile Chamoun-Farah, Rice School of Business)
  • Hour 2 - Real "Talk" That Gets Traction – Boosting Employer Visibility Through Student-Centered Interaction (Sherry Noble, Georgia State University, Robinson College of Business)
  • Hour 2 - A Reservoir of Expertise: The Speakers Bureau Advantage (Mirtha Bailey, University of Central Florida)

Breakout Session 3 | Thursday June 26, 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM

  • Harnessing Talent: Advancing Effective Employer-Student Connections (Apryl Mullins & Leah Blair, Auburn University)
  • Reimagining Employer Relations through Strategic Collaborations and Social Media (Tatiana Randolph & Joshua Carrierre, Austin Community College)
  •  Kick-off & Coffee: Elevating Employer Engagement Through Collaboration (Tori Summey & Betsy Davies, University of Kentucky)
  • Making Life as a Mid-Manager a Little More Magical (Erica Betz, Vanderbilt University)

 2025 Conference Transfer, Cancellation and Refund Policy:

To transfer a registration to a colleague, please contact the SoACE Office at [email protected].
Please note: additional charges may apply if a registration is transferred from a member to a nonmember.

All cancellations and refund requests must be received in writing.

  • Any refund requests received before May 16th (5 PM EST) will receive a full refund minus the $75 administrative fee.
  • Any refund request received between May 17th - June 13th will receive a 50% refund.
  • Any requests received after June 13th at 5 PM EST will receive no refund.
  • No-shows at the SoACE Conference are not eligible for a credit or refund.

The conference may be cancelled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. In this case, registration fees will be refunded; however, SoACE will not be responsible for additional costs, charges, or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, and/or travel agencies.

SoACE is not responsible for weather-related travel delays or other issues in regard to personal travel and no refunds will be given due to these occurrences.