2025 KAAN Annual Conference

2025 Kansas Academic Advising Network Conference: There's No Place Like Advising. Fort Hays State University. Creating a Home for Students in Advising. Banner composition with buildings from Ft. Hays State.

There is No Place Like Advising: Creating a Home for Students within Advising

2025 Kansas Academic Advising Network Conference
September 18-19, 2025

Fort Hays State University
Memorial Union
600 Park Street
Hays, KS 67601

We invite you to join the Kansas Academic Advising Network in Hays, America, for our 32nd annual conference.

Important dates

  • April 7, 2025: Call for proposals opens. Submit your proposal now.
  • July 1, 2025: Conference registration opens.
  • July 15, 2025: Call for proposals closes at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
  • August 1, 2025: Notification of acceptance to presenters.
  • August 1, 2025: Awards nomination deadline. Submit your nomination now.
  • August 1, 2025: Payment deadline for the early bird discount.
  • August 19, 2025: Deadline to book a hotel room at a discounted rate.
  • September 17, 2025: Deadline for conference payment.

Select a topic below to expand.

Schedule at a Glance

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Check-in for an optional pre-conference workshop
Pre-conference workshop begins

KAAN Social at Arcade 11, 201 W. 10th St, Hays, KS 67601

12:45 p.m.
1:30-4 p.m.

6-8 p.m.

Friday, September 19, 2025

Check-in and continental breakfast
Conference welcome
Concurrent sessions
Break
Concurrent sessions
Break
Concurrent sessions
Lunch with keynote presentation and business meeting
Concurrent sessions
Conference awards presentation and door prizes

7:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
9:40 a.m.
10:40 a.m.
10:50 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:40 p.m.

Steering Committee Elections

We want you! The Kansas Academic Advising Network Steering Committee has the following positions up for election at the 2025 Annual Conference.

Vice Chair
The vice chair shall perform the duties and responsibilities of the chair in the chair’s absence and, when so acting, shall exercise the chair's powers. Vice chair shall serve as chair of the professional development fund committee and program committee. Vice chair will spend one year as vice chair, one year as chair, and one year as past chair on the steering committee.

Chair
The chair shall preside at all meetings of the association and steering committee and serve on the professional development fund committee. The chair is generally responsible for overseeing all association activities. The chair may call special meetings of the steering committee and will serve as an ex officio member of all standing and ad hoc committees. Due to an unexpected vacancy, this is a two-year appointment: one year as chair and one year as past-chair.

Secretary
The secretary shall keep records of all association and steering committee meetings and notify all members of special and regular meetings. Secretary shall serve on the nominations and elections committee.

Membership Coordinator
The membership coordinator will serve as the co-chair for the membership committee, shall maintain accurate membership records, and oversee coordinated efforts to promote, recruit and maintain membership (e.g., social media posts, newsletters and other mediums as approved by the steering committee).

Communication Coordinator
The communication coordinator will serve as the co-chair of the membership committee, shall work to maintain access to all electronic platforms (WordPress, Jotform, MailChimp, Google, PayPal, etc.) utilized by the organization, provide basic technical support and act as the designated liaison with contracted technical support.

Submit your nomination for steering committee

Keynote Speaker

Bonds-RaackeDr. Bonds-Raacke has extensive higher education administrative experience, including previous roles as the president of Saint Martin's University, provost and vice president for academic affairs at St. Norbert College, and dean of the graduate school and Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects at Fort Hays State University.

As a faculty member, Dr. Bonds-Raacke built a reputation for experiential student learning by fostering undergraduate research and study abroad experiences across the curriculum. She is also passionate about access to higher education, support of first generation and non-traditional students, and inclusion in the classroom. Currently, Dr. Bonds-Raacke works within the academic affairs division of the Kansas Board of Regents.

Dr. Bonds-Raacke earned her Ph.D. and M.S. from Kansas State University in experimental psychology and her B.A. from Christian Brothers University. She serves as a site visitor for the American Psychological Association and previous president of the Southwestern Psychological Association, a regional affiliate.

Married for 25 years to husband Dr. John Raacke, Dr. Bonds-Raacke lives in Hays, Kansas, and enjoys spending time with her adult daughters, Callie and Brooke, and two dogs, Doc and Stitch.

Conference Registration

Conference Registration

The annual KAAN Conference is an in-person event. Registration for the conference includes a one-year membership to KAAN, which provides access to numerous opportunities for leadership, networking, professional development, scholarships and more.

All individuals attending the conference, including volunteers and presenters, must register and pay the event fee before receiving event materials or participating in the event. Payment for the conference can be completed through the registration form via PayPal or can be delegated to a third party. Registration is not complete until payment has been received.

Payment for registration must be received no later than August 1 for the early bird discount and September 17 to attend the conference.

Early-bird registration: (by August 1, 2025) $80.00 (includes one-year KAAN membership)
Regular registration: $95.00 (includes one-year KAAN membership)

Payment Methods

  • Credit Card: Credit card information must be provided before the registration can be processed. Credit card information will not be accepted via email or phone. Credit card payments must be completed online.
  • Check/Money Order: A check or money order should be accompanied with a copy of the event registration. Checks must be made payable to KAAN and include a copy of the electronic invoice received after completing the online registration form.
    Mail checks to the following address:
    Ashley Wetzel, KAAN Treasurer
    600 Park Street, Hays, KS 67601

    A fee of $35 will be charged for returned checks, changes in payment method, or credit card alterations after the initial payment is processed.

For additional information on registration policies, including registration transfer and cancellations, refer to the KAAN conference registration policies.

Questions about conference payment should be directed to the KAAN Treasurer at contactus@kansasadvising.org.

Hotel Information

Avid Hotel
206 West 43rd Street
Hays, Kansas, 67601
785-625-1101

Doubles and kings are available
Check-In: 3 p.m. / Check-Out: 11 a.m.
Conference Rate: $98

Hilton Garden Inn
221 West 43rd Street
Hays, Kansas, 67601
785-727-7721

Double queens available
Check-in: 3 p.m. / Check-out: 11 a.m.
Conference rate: $95, tax-exempt

Cutoff date for booking the conference rate is August 19, 2025. Group rates apply to the dates of the event. Availability and rates cannot be guaranteed once the room block is sold out. Confirm the arrival date and the leave date when booking online to ensure the conference rate is applied. Make sure to bring tax-exempt information with you to check in.

Awards

The Kansas Academic Advising Network is excited to present our awards program, which honors current KAAN members and institutions that have significantly contributed to academic advising within our organization and their respective institutions.

We hope this program will encourage broader support and recognition of academic advising. Nominations are open for awards in the following categories:

Advising Scholarship Award: Published in a peer-reviewed professional journal.

Advising Publication Award: Creative and unique use of print or online publications (student planners, newsletters, electronic resources, etc.) that support academic advising.

KAAN Service Award: Significant contribution to our organization.

Supportive Advisor Award: Individual who exemplifies a commitment to advising and is a true advocate for students and academic advisors.

Nominations close on August 1.

See also: more information about awards and previous award winners.

See also: past KAAN conferences.

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