The following pre-conference sessions will be offered as part of NODAC 2025!
Want more time to learn and connect? Arrive early to join us for pre-conference sessions that dig deeper into the topics that you care about most. Pre-conference sessions provide hands-on learning and extended engagement with expert facilitators. These sessions require separate registration and an additional fee.
Orientation Professionals Institute (OPI)
October 22 – 24, 2025
The Orientation Professionals Institute (OPI) serves new professionals and emerging leaders in the field of orientation, transition, and retention by providing a comprehensive learning experience with a focus on orientation. The Institute fosters an environment conducive to learning, networking, ideating, reflecting, and furthering dialogue on various aspects of orientation in higher education. The OPI curriculum is framed to help new professionals gain an understanding of the foundations of OTR work, the student populations whom OTR programs serve, and the functional best practices that help to create effective OTR programs. The primary focus of OPI is on new student orientation and the initial transition to the institution as one of the first and foundational steps in the student transition experience which ultimately promotes student retention.
Directors and Managers Institute
October 22 – 24, 2025
The Directors and Managers Institute (DMI) is an immersive, in-person program designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by directors and managers. Through a dynamic mix of plenary sessions, panel discussions, interactive breakouts, and small-group dialogues with seasoned Institute faculty, participants will engage with the nuanced challenges of managing (OTR) programs amid the shifting terrain of higher education.
Attendees will gain valuable insights and practical tools to strengthen their professional impact and drive meaningful change within their institutions. The in-person format also provides a unique opportunity for networking with peers and thought leaders in the field, fostering a collaborative learning environment where participants can share ideas, best practices, and solutions to common challenges.
Core Competency Course: Curriculum and Content Development
October 23-24, 2025
The pre-conference Curriculum and Content Development course will cover a range of topics from foundations of curriculum theory to practical applications of content delivery in Orientation, Transition, and Retention (OTR) programs. Participants will actively engage with the course materials to build a personal curriculum philosophy, dive deeper into how that impacts their work with curriculum and content development, and end the course by planning the application of what they have learned to one of their current work responsibilities. This can be widely applicable to programs, staff training, ongoing content communications, etc., so participants can come from any functional area or be at any professional level.
Courageous Conversations: Navigating Heightened Emotions Constructively
October 24, 2025
This workshop will focus on building the skills and awareness needed to manage strong emotions and navigate triggers during discussions of complex and sensitive topics. Participants will be introduced to tools and techniques for handling challenging conversations. The session will also explore how emotional intelligence can help ensure that these discussions remain constructive and inclusive.
This workshop will focus on understanding the profound role emotions play in communication, managing one’s emotions when engaging with people whose views are very different, how to keep engaged in discussion when strong emotions are present, and tools and techniques for navigating complex and sensitive topics. This workshop is presented by Soliya.