The National Association of Graduate and Professional Students, in partnership with the University of Missouri’s Graduate Professional Council, is organizing and coordinating the SouthCentral Regional Conference of graduate student leaders. This meeting will be held on Thursday, May 23rd to Friday, May 24th, 2019, in Columbia, Missouri at the MU Student Center.

Purpose: An in-person meeting of graduate and professional student leaders in the NAGPS SouthCentral Region to discuss common challenges surrounding student advocacy on campus (especially with respect to interfacing with levels of bureaucracy and administration), and best practices for success with student advocacy (especially with respect to holding effective meetings, internal organization, etc.). Additionally, this in-person meeting will foster collaboration and continued dialogue between organizations in the SouthCentral Region, which will promote more effective leadership, advocacy, service, and other new opportunities for graduate-professional students.

You are invited to present on at least one of the following topics during the meeting:

1. Organizational Best Practices

2. On-Campus Advocacy

Presentation length should be 5-15 minutes in length, and can use any medium. (The meeting will be equipped with a projector and screen with speakers.) Your presentation can inform attendees about a challenge or successful program that has been implemented on your campus, or it can teach attendees an idea or skill which may be helpful in improving graduate education and student culture on their campuses. Note that the session themes are intentionally flexible; if you have something you would like to sure, feel free to submit!

Keep in mind that each presentation will be coupled with the opportunity for open-ended discussion. Even if you do not present, all attendees will have an opportunity to speak and give input regarding their perspective and their experiences on their campus. Everyone will have a voice.

Submissions must include:

- Name(s) of presenter(s)
- Institutional affiliation
- Selection of which topic your submission is most appropriate for (see above).
- Title
- Brief abstract (800 characters or less).

Please contact Al Willsey at gpcpresident@missouri.edu with any suggestions, questions, comments, or concerns.

We look forward to seeing you at Mizzou in Columbia, MO on Friday, April 26th, for registration and a welcome reception, and on Thursday, May 23, for the meeting!