The University of Illinois Counseling Center is pleased to announce we are now accepting program proposals for the annual Big Ten Counseling Center Conference that we are hosting on February 15-17, 2017. This year’s conference focuses on the role counseling centers have in being agents of change—whether that be as advocates for individuals struggling with mental health, activists for social justice, or proponents of creating more resilient university communities. This year’s theme allows us to reflect on how we can work towards becoming agents of change in our own communities. Please consider submitting a program proposal that describes how you can advocate, support, and empower others. Proposals should focus on various aspects of your counseling center work, such as clinical service, training, outreach, administration, diversity, and campus collaboration. Program proposals that address this year’s conference theme will be given priority consideration.

Please submit an electronic copy of your proposed program via this link. Proposal acceptance is considered provisional pending confirmation of a paid registration from each presenter. Please provide all requested information on this proposal form as incomplete proposals will not be considered for selection. If your proposal is accepted, the presentation title, presenter information, and abstract you provide will be included in the conference program—please be sure the information you submit is accurate. More than one proposal may be submitted;  however, multiple acceptances will be reviewed with consideration for conference schedule limitations. Proposals are due by midnight central time on December 7, 2016. All presentations will be 60 minutes in length, and will be scheduled on Thursday and Friday (February 16 and 17). Notification of selection will take place no later than December 19, 2016. To allow as many to participate as possible, we may ask you to consider collaborating with others in the event that similar proposals are submitted.

Registration will Monday, November 14 on the University of Illinois Counseling Center website. If you have questions, please contact conference co-chairs Theresa Benson or Nichole Evans.

Note: Due to other events going on in Champaign-Urbana during the conference, we strongly encourage you to book your hotel rooms as early as possible. A list of hotels we’ve arranged reservations blocks at can be found on our website.