Checklist for the 2015 Chicago Reload Conference

Whether you are going to the Reload conference in Chicago, or really any other gathering of professionals or other like-minded people, the following are some good tips to remember:

Reload is almost upon us here in Chicago.(Saturday, March 28, 2015 to be exact).  Reload is a national gathering of urban youth ministry workers. They might be full time youth pastors, but they can also be simply volunteers who participate when they can. The Urban Youth Workers Institute established these regional trainings to help youth workers who were unable to travel to far-away conferences and couldn't afford time off & hotel stays.

In Chicago, North Park University's Center for Youth Ministry studies leads the coordiantion for the event, and hosts the conference.

Here are some things to have ready:

• Money (there may be a few cash only items, but most vendors take credit cards)
• Pens & scratch paper - in case you have to write a note. Yes, you COULD put it on your smartphone. But will you be smart enough to remember to review it? One other alternative is to have your sound recorder or video camera readily available.  That might be another viable way for you to take verbal notes. But remember to review these notes either that night or a scheduled time the next day. 
• Business Cards --- see our Bootleg Business Card blog entry for details
• List of seminars - you can always change it on the spot,

Have a great time, and we hope to see you there. if you haven't registered, or need info, go to Reload Chicago's homepage for more details

At the conference, feel free to text us at 872-222-8008 to meet up. See you at Reload Chicago!

Janaury and other 2015 plans for JP Paulus and Do-Gooder Consulting

First of all, we wish you a Merry Christmas!


And we hope to wish you happy new year personally in one of the many events happening in January. And see below for several OTHER opportunities to meet in 2015.

December will be a very busy month for JP Paulus and Do-Gooder Consulting, with several major events. Here's where you can find us in the next few weeks and beyond. Call or text us at 872-222-8008 or e-mail us at  blog@do-gooder.us if you have questions or would like to meet! (Also, see the bottom of this post regarding an opportunity to help your students with financial aid!

Urban Youth Network

The next meeting is tentative scheduled for Thursday, January 8 at 9am. Time: 9am-11am

Location: To Be Announced (probably Park Community Church)

(Usually, the meeting is the first Thursday of the month, 9am-11am). Join fellow youth workers for fellowship & growth.  You can also call/text 872-222-8008 or e-mail blog@do-gooder.us for an update, or questions.  

Free breakfast (includes doughnuts, fruit, juice and coffee) is provided.

For more info, contact Nick River.  a at nick@gripyouth.com or see the Urban Youth Network Facebook page. 

Business First Friday  

We used to meet at Flecks Coffee for their First Friday networking event. Unfortunately, they have closed, so we will need to find a new location (and possibly alternative date, due ot New Year's)

We have begun some great partnerships through these meetings. Many members of the Chatham Business Association (see below) plan on joining us. This even is hosted by Bruce Montgomery of technology TV,among many other things..

From the event's Facebook page:

FAFSA Completion sessions

We're also scheduling FAFSA completion sessions for the first week of January, where we help families correctly fill out the FAFSA. The first that we have planned is one at Oakdale Covenant Church, 9440 S. Vincennes after the 10:30am service on Sunday, January 4, 2015. We will utilize Oakdale Christian Academy's computer lab to allow up to 20 families to fill out their FAFSA at a time. Check our blog for details and updates.

Chatham Business Association 

We'll see you at the next Chatham Business Association meeting on Tuesday, December 9 at the QBG Foundation Building, Meeting Room, 806 E. 78th St. Chicago, Il 60619 .The Monthly Membership Meeting held by Chatham Business Association, Small Business Development Inc. is held to inform current members and prospective members about issues and activities going on in Chatham and the City of Chicago.  You do not need to be a member to attend.  Breakfast is provided for a small fee. See their webpage for details on this event.

Illinois College Access Network

The last Illinois College Access Network Meeting of 2014 be will meet  on Thursday, February 5th, 2015. Location is to Be Announced.  (You can also call/text 872-222-8008 or e-mail blog@do-gooder.us for an update.) They will update the website at www.illinoiscan.org   

JP will be involved in the planning of Oakdale Covenant Church's men's retreat, April 15-17.

Reload Chicago 2015 (an Urban Youth Workers Conference) on Saturday, March 28,  2015 at North Park University.

 We also want to say thanks to everyone we met at  the 42nd Tutor-Mentor Conference 

We appreciate Daniel Bassill of the Tutor Mentor Institute inviting us to the November 2014 Tutor-Mentor Conference to present on on "4 Steps 2 College".  The 43rd conference will be Friday, May 8, 2014 at Metcalfe Federal Building, 77 W. Jackson Blvd. in Chicago, and the 44th in November. Look for updates here on their website. Registration will be open soon.for now, they are accepting proposals for workshops!

We hope to more fully participate in events such as the College Changes Everything Conference in July 2015,  The Illinois Colege Access Network Conference in August 2015, and the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) Conference in September 2015. We will post details as they arrive.

We hope to see you at these and other events.  Don't forget to bring business cards, even if it is a "bootleg" business card (see our blog on it).  If you plan on coming to these events, please call/test us at 872-222-8008 or by e-mail at blog@do-gooder.us

We hope to see you soon!

Tips for going to a conference

Whether you are going to the Tutor Mentor conference in Chicago, or really any other gathering of professionals or other like-minded people, the following are some good tips to remember:

• Pens & scratch paper - in case you have to write a note. Yes, you COULD put it on your smartphone. But will you be smart enough to remember to review it? One other alternative is to have your sound recorder or video camera readily available.  That might be another viable way for you to take verbal notes. But remember to review these notes either that night or a scheduled time the next day. 
• Business Cards --- see our Bootleg Business Card blog entry for details. Your card doesn't have to be fancy (or even a card), just legible.
• List of seminars - you can always change it on the spot, or just take the workshop time to have meaningful conversations 
• Set up meet-ups BEFORE going --If you know someone who is going to your conference, set up a time to meet them ahead of time...whether at mealtime, or sitting next to each other a workshop, take advantage of this fellowship time. The Tutor Mentor conference, for example, publishes the attendee list ahead of time.
• Times where you are willing to SKIP.  The seminar, workshop or general speaker might be good, but there are times when one-on-one times are far more productive and memorable, or a personal prayer session. A seasoned professional will understand this, and be OK with it. See our other blog entry for details. However, take a serious consideration before you "blow off" a session.
• Money - Many conferences have opportunities to buy great material. Make sure you have enough cash, in case a credit card machine is not available
• Pack 2 days before the conference -- reduce stress on yourself by making sure you have everything you need ahead of time
• Schedule contact time AFTER the conference -- OK, so you've made several new friends. Now make sure you take a morning or afternoon and send everyone a short note/e-mail or phone call. Plant the seeds & water these new relationships

We have some more tips (which aren't relevant here, but at the Reload Conference, among others. Look for those in an upcoming blog)

Have a great time, and we hope to see you there. if you haven't registered, or need info, go to November 2014 Tutor Mentor conference registration page for more details

At the conference, feel free to text us at 872-222-8008 to meet up, or e-mail us at blog@do-gooder.us  . See you at the Tutor Mentor Conference!

Agenda for Illinois College Access Network 2014 conference

JP Paulus of Do Gooder Consulting will be a part of the 2014 Illinois College Access Network conference, co-leading the Social Media Basics workshop. (We made this announcement last week).

We now have the schedule of events, with all of the workshop sessions available. There are many helpful choices, and we won't take it personally if you choose the financial literacy workshop.

However, if you missed the registration deadline, please take a moment RIGHT NOW and contact Illinois CAN by e-mail at illinoiscollegeaccessnetwork@gmail.com or by calling Renee Tucker Martinez at 773-244-5575

Please invite your friends and colleagues to be a part of this event.

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Illinois College Access Network

5^th Annual Mini-Conference

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

8:00 am to 2:00 pm

Click Here to RSVP by Friday, August 1, 2014

8:00 – 8:30	Registration and Continental Breakfast (Hamming Hall)
8:30 – 9:00	Welcome and Opening Remarks Mike Dessimoz, ICAN Chairperson (Hamming Hall)
	Room C-33	Room C-34
9:15 – 10:15	Best Practices in Supporting Students Through College John Horan, President, North Lawndale College Prep Charter High School Khair Sadrud-Din, College Years Counselor, Link Unlimited	ACT/SAT Testing Updates: A Collaborative Presentation Marc Geslani, Senior Education Manager, The College Board George Schlott, Client Relations Account Executive, American College Testing Program
10:30 – 11:30	Effective Transitioning to College for Students with Disabilities Tanya Cox, Director of Special Needs, Malcolm X College Raynette Clark-Gully, Disability Director, Olive Harvey College	Creating the Framework for Institutional Marketing Success Leslie Millenson, President, The Millenson Collaborative
11:45 – 12:45	Social Media Basics for the College Access Professional JP Paulus, President, Do-Gooder Consulting Rusty Wimberley, Web Consultant, Severity Design	Financial Literacy: Managing Student Loan Debt Russ Goeltenbodt, Financial Literacy Experts
12:45 – 2:00	Lunch and Keynote Address with Q&A (Hamming Hall) Courtney Logan Author, Attorney, and ICAN Alum Author of Shaped by Fire: My Escape from Poverty’s Pit, Mr. Logan will speak of his youth in East St Louis, and how his experience in ACI’s College Readiness Program helped him reach for greater heights and beat the odds. Stay for a book signing after lunch with this impressive young man seeking to bring support to the college access cause.

The conference fee is $50 for Illinois CAN members and $100 for non-members. 

Annual memberships ($75 for individuals, $150 for organizations) can also be paid (check or cash) on August 6^th; the discounted fee will then be applied to the conference charge.

Free parking is available in the lot at the southeast corner of Foster (5200 north) and Kedzie (3200 west). The conference will take place in building #12, Hamming Hall.

For a campus map please follow the link below:

http://www.northpark.edu/About/Locations/North-Park-Campus-Map

Click Here to RSVP by Friday, August 1, 2014

North Park University * 3225 W Foster Avenue * Chicago, Illinois

Presenting at the 2014 Illinois College Access Network conference

JP Paulus will be a co-presenter for a workshop during the Illinois College Access Network conference in Chicago on Wednesday, August 6. He will join another colleague to present "Social Media Basics", to help Illinois CAN members how to best utilize this technology.

The aim of the conference as a whole is to help those who work with youth (and adults) get them to college, and to connect resources together to help our whole state improve our college graduation rates.

There is a cost (see the announcement below). Please send an e-mail to illinoiscollegeaccessnetwork@gmail.com if you have any questions.

The conference is on Wednesday, August 6, from 8am - 2pm at North Park University, 3225 W. Foster Avenue (in Hamming Hall, connected to the gym).  Free parking is available at the lot on the southeast corner of Kedzie and Foster.



Here is the official announcement:

2014 Illinois CAN Summer Conference on August 6th

Good afternoon, colleagues.  The 2014 Conference will be at North Park University, with the usual light breakfast at 8am and program starting at 8:30.  Lunch will be served and the conference will conclude at 2pm.Interest sessions will include

•   Financial literacy for students, with special emphasis on college loan debt 
•   Mentoring students through their college years
•   Testing update from ACT and The College Board: a collaborative presentation 
•   Transitioning to higher education for students with special needs
•   Marketing for non-profits: institutional advancement
•   Social media as a marketing tool: for students and for organizational visibility 

At lunch, our keynote speaker will be Courtney Logan, attorney and author of "Shaped by Fire: My Escape from Poverty's Pit."  Mr. Logan will speak of his youth in East St.Louis and how one of our members (Associated Colleges of Illinois) assisted him through its College Readiness Program.

The conference fee is $50 for Illinois CAN members and $100 for non-members.  Annual memberships ($75 for individuals, $150 for organizations) can be paid (check or cash) and the discounted fee will be applied at the conference.  Please let me know if you need a copy of the Network application and a list of the member categories and accompanying fees

Here's the planned schedule:

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00am          Welcome and Opening Remarks, by Mike Dessimoz & Leslie Millenson

9:15 – 10:15am       Break-out Sessions:

·      

10:30 – 11:30am     Break-out Sessions:

·      

11:45 – 12:45pm     Break-out Sessions:

·     

12:45 – 2:00pm       Lunch& Keynote Presentation by Courtney Logan:

                                    "Shaped by Fire: My Escape from Poverty's Pit."

For more information, go to the Illinois College Access Network website.

If you are at the conference, please come to see JP Paulus. If you don't see him, call or text 872-222-8008.

We look forward to seeing you!

Join us August 1 for the FREE Illinois College Access Network Conference @ North Park University

JP Paulus will be a co-presenter for a workshop during the Illinois College Access Network conference in Chicago on Thursday, August 1. He will join Jeremy Barahona of PURSUE Scholars to talk about "Developing Faith-Based College Access Partnerships", based on our experience with churches, nonprofits and networking.

The aim of the conference is to help those who work with youth (and adults) get them to college, and to connect resources together to help our whole state improve our college graduation rates.

Other presenters, perhaps familiar to our readers, include Professor Daniel White Hodge from North Park's Center for Youth Ministry Studies.

The conference is free, but they ask that you RSVP, in order to plan for the FREE continental breakfast and lunch. Simply send an e-mail to illinoiscollegeaccessnetwork@gmail.com with basic details (i.e. how many are going, what organization you are with, if any)

The conference is on Thursday, August 1, from 8am - 2pm at North Park University, 3225 W. Foster Avenue (in the Carlson Tower building).  Free parking is available at the lot on the southeast corner of Kedzie and Foster.


Here's the schedule:

Registration and Continental Breakfast

 

8:30 – 9:00am          Welcome and Opening Remarks, by Mike Dessimoz & Leslie Millenson

 

9:15 – 10:15am       Break-out Sessions:

·      Non-Academic Factors in College Readiness, by Anne Deeter, Dominican University

·      Developing Faith-Based College Access Partnerships, by JP Paulus, Do-Gooder Consulting

 

10:30 – 11:30am     Break-out Sessions:

·      Transitional Experiences of Illinois Males, Dr. Lorenzo Baber, University of Illinois

·      Three Years Later: Findings from the ISAC Corps, by  Illinois Student Assistance Commission

 

11:45 – 12:45pm     Break-out Sessions:

·      Hip Hop Culture and the Aspirations of Youth, by Dr. Daniel White Hodge, North Park University

·      Professional Development on a Budget, panel presentation on creative& cost-effective staff development

 

12:45 – 2:00pm       Lunch& Keynote Presentation by The College Board:

                                    “The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of Color”

For more information, go to the Illinois College Access Network website.

If you are at the conference, please come to see JP Paulus. If you don't see him, call or text 872-22-8008.

We look forward to seeing you!

Revised: Illinois College Access Network Mini-Conference on July 26. 2012

The Illinois College Access Network (IllinoisCAN) is hosting a mini-conference at North Park University.

If you have been to one of IllinoisCAN's quartely meetings, you know they do a great job.

This is a FREE event, but you need to sign up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Tuesday, July 24, is the deadline.

In addition to networking opportunities , you will have the choice of 9 workshops, which can be applicable to other aspects of your organization, in addition to access to college for your youth.


Here's the agenda for the mini-conference. It was revised from our last entry, and includes speaker biographies:

Illinois College Access Network

3^rd Annual Mini-Conference

Thursday, July 26, 2012

8:00 am to 2:00 pm

Click Here to RSVP by Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Track 1	Direct Service Provider Topics
Track 2	Executive/Managerial Topics
Track 3	Development/Fund Raising Topics

8:00 – 8:30	Registration and Best Practices Gallery (Auditorium Foyer)
8:30 – 8:50	Welcome and Opening Remarks (Auditorium)
9:00 – 10:00	Navigating The Transition to College	Mindfulness & Meditation for Leadership and Success	Donors Forum 1.0
10:15 – 11:15	Secrets of College Admissions	Chartering Your Course in the World of Work – Part I	Donors Forum 2.0
11:30 – 12:30	Effective Parent Engagement	Chartering Your Course in the World of Work – Part II	Advancing Your Mission With Special Events
12:30 – 1:00	Best Practices Gallery Share materials and tools with colleagues to extend the reach, impact and success of the Illinois College Access Network. (Auditorium Foyer)
1:00 – 2:00	Lunch Keynote Address with Q&A University of Chicago Consortium From High School to The Future series: “The Challenge of Senior Year in Chicago Public High Schools” The report is being released fall 2012 Presented by two of the Authors: Eliza Moeller, Senior Qualitative Analyst Thomas Kelley-Kemple, Senior Quantitative Analyst

Click Here to RSVP by Tuesday, July 24, 2012

North Park University * 3225 W Foster Avenue * Chicago, Illinois

Conference Agenda

8:00 – 8:30 am Breakfast and Registration

8:30 – 8:50 am Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:00 – 10:00 am Session I

10:15 – 11:15 am Session II

11:30 – 12:30 pm Session III

12:30 - 1:00 pm Best Practices Gallery

1:00 – 2:00 pm Lunch and Keynote Address

From High School to the Future series:

“The Challenge of Senior Year in Chicago Public High Schools”

The report is being released fall 2012

University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research:

The Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) at the University of Chicago conducts research of high technical quality that can inform and assess policy and practice in the Chicago Public Schools. We seek to expand communication among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners as we support the search for solutions to the problems of school reform. CCSR encourages the use of research in policy action and improvement of practice, but does not argue for particular policies or programs. Rather, we help to build capacity for school reform by identifying what matters for student success and school improvement, creating critical indicators to chart progress, and conducting theory-driven evaluation to identify how programs and policies are working.

Keynote Speakers:

Eliza Moeller is the lead qualitative researcher for the Chicago Postsecondary Transition Project, which is based at the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago and is a sponsored project of the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. Her research interests include adolescent development; the postsecondary planning process; and supportive school, home, and community environments for academic achievement in high school.

Moeller received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and M.A. in social service administration from the University of Chicago.

Thomas Kelley-Kemple is a research analyst with the Postsecondary Transition Project which is based at the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago and is a sponsored project of the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. His current work focuses on senior-year course taking in CPS high schools and its effect on college attainment and retention.

Kelly-Kemple received his B.A. from the University of Chicago in public policy.

Click Here to RSVP by Tuesday, July 24, 2012

North Park University * 3225 W Foster Avenue * Chicago, Illinois

Panelist and Facilitators

Mindfulness & Meditation for Leadership and Success

Sylvia M. Ewing, Director of External Affairs, Illinois Network of Charter Schools

Sylvia Ewing is a non-profit executive, award-winning journalist and meditation teacher committed to offering her life skills to help others find self-awareness and enlightenment. Sylvia  is Director of External Affairs for the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and author of the forthcoming book Comfort and Joy: Stories of Hope, Meditations for Happiness.

Secrets of College Admissions

Jerry Pope National College Advisor, Niles High School District 219

Pope has over 30 years of college admissions experience and served as the Dean of Admissions at Illinois Wesleyan University and the Director of Admissions at St. Olaf College. He is active in the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and served on the Executive Board of NACAC as the Vice President for Admission Practices and Ethics. He also co-chaired the Joint Task Force on Admission Decision Options for the College Board and NACAC. In the spring of 2010, Pope received the IACAC President’s Service Recognition Award.

Navigating The Transition Through College

Khair A. Sadrud-Din, College Years Counselor, LINK Unlimited

Khair has worked at LINK for the past four years and he is on the front lines in terms of assisting our students and their parents through the college search process. Rodney is also the Executive Director of Kappa Leadership Institute - Chicago. Within his role at Kappa Leadership Institute, he also assists high achieving African-American male high school students and their parents through the college search process. If you would like to contact him, it would probably be best to reach his on his cell phone or email.

Click Here to RSVP by Tuesday, July 24, 2012

North Park University * 3225 W Foster Avenue * Chicago, Illinois

Donors Forum 1.0 and Donors Forum 2.0

Laura E. Zumdahl, Ph.D., is Vice President, Nonprofit Services, providing leadership to Donors Forum's capacity-building efforts to strengthen nonprofits in the sector. Laura is passionate about creating effective and innovative nonprofits to solve social problems and is an advocate for leadership development across all levels in organizations.

Laura joined Donors Forum in 2011 after serving in a variety of leadership roles in the nonprofit sector in legal aid, higher education, and child welfare. Prior to joining Donors Forum, she was the Interim Executive Director and Associate Executive Director of Cabrini Green Legal Aid. Laura was also named a 2011 Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Fellow by the Chicago Community Trust.

Laura earned a B.A. in Sociology from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois; a M.A. in Social Work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration; and a Ph.D. in Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee.

Advancing Your Mission With Special Events

Sylvia M. Ewing Director of External Affairs, Illinois Network of Charter Schools

Sylvia Ewing is a non-profit executive, award-winning journalist and meditation teacher committed to offering her life skills to help others find self-awareness and enlightenment. Sylvia  is Director of External Affairs for the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and author of the forthcoming book Comfort and Joy: Stories of Hope, Meditations for Happiness.

Effective Parent Engagement

Mario Bucio, Director of La Casa, The Resurrection Project

Maria Bucio is currently Director of La Casa – a student housing initiative of The Resurrection Project (TRP). Previous to joining TRP, she held positions at Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), Chicago Public Schools, Loyola University, and Chicago State University. María, a Chicago-born daughter of Mexican immigrants, is committed to empower her Latino community through education. Among professional peers, she is regarded as a trusted college access professional and financial aid expert.

Krystina Briones and Brittney Cleveland, Project Greenlight, Cappex

Click Here to RSVP by Tuesday, July 24, 2012

North Park University * 3225 W Foster Avenue * Chicago, Illinois