2024 Orientation Professionals Institute - Portland, Oregon

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. 

OPI provides:

1. Foundational knowledge on orientation, transition, and retention programs

2. Facilitated dialogue focused on a variety of topics, current trends, and best practices in orientation programs

3. Tools and resources for professionals new to working with orientation programs

4. Opportunities to build a network of orientation professionals working in a variety of environments 

5. A collaborative environment focused on learning from experienced professionals and emerging leaders in the field

Visit our website to learn more about the institute’s learning outcomes and curriculum and to view this year’s faculty. 

Thank you to our 2024 OPI Sponsor!

Participant Expectations:

1. OPI is a professional institute, and participants are expected to attend and participate in all sessions.

2. To foster a positive learning experience, participants should actively contribute to creating a safe and professional space, respect themselves and others, engage in collaborative learning, commit to inclusion, and remain open-minded.

3. OPI provides space for large and small group presentations and discussions. As such, participants should be mindful of sharing the space equally with other participants. This includes turn-taking in conversation, keeping side conversations to a minimum, and recognizing there will not be time for individualized coaching from Institute faculty.

4. We encourage participants to network and build meaningful professional relationships with Institute participants and faculty.

5. As the field of OTR is a well-connected network, we want to remind participants to be mindful of how they discuss their challenges at their current institutions or with colleagues. Professionalism and respect are essential.

Intended Audience:

OPI is designed to serve new full-time professional staff who are responsible for orientation programming and who possess fewer than 4 years of total professional experience. The institute is not open to graduate or undergraduate students. 

We recognize that many professionals have significant professional experience in higher education and may have recently become responsible for orientation programs on their campus, but the primary audience for OPI is emerging professionals in the field of orientation. If you have more than four years of professional experience in higher education and are still interested in attending OPI, please reach out to NODA Director of Education, Lisa Dela Cruz (delac128@umn.edu) to discuss if this is the right educational opportunity for you. 

2024 Schedule:

Location: Hilton Downtown Portland, 921 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97204

Saturday, November 9, 2024

• 8:00 – 9:00 am: OPI Registration; location: 2nd Floor Hall

• 9:00 am  – 12:15 pm: OPI Day 1: Morning Presentations and Breakouts

• 12:15 – 1:15 pm: Lunch (provided)

• 1:00 – 5:00 pm: OPI Day 1: Afternoon Presentations and Breakouts

• 6:00 – 9:00 pm: OPI Group dinner (provided)

Sunday, November 10, 2024

• 8:45 – 9:30 am: OPI Breakfast (provided); location: Broadway I-IV, 2nd Floor

• 9:30 am  – 12:00 pm: OPI Day 2: Morning Presentations and Breakouts; location: 2nd Floor Atrium

• 12:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunch (on your own)

• 1:30 – 6:00 pm: OPI Day 2: Afternoon Presentations and Breakouts

• 6 pm: Dinner and evening on your own

Monday, November 11, 2024

• 8:30  – 9:00 am: Morning coffee and door prizes

• 9:00 am – noon: OPI Day 3: Presentations, Breakouts, and Closing; location: Broadway I-IV, 2nd Floor (morning coffee provided) 

Meet the Faculty:

Learn about the 2024 faculty on our website. 

• Shea Kidd Brown (Lead Faculty), Vice President for Campus Life, Wake Forest University
• Beth Lingren Clark, Associate Vice Provost for Retention and Transition Programs, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
• Virginia Johnson, Associate Director of Orientation Programs, Purdue University
• Abbey Mikesell, Director of Undergraduate Advising, Purdue University, Daniels School of Business
• Michelle Nightingale, Dean of Student Success and Retention, Tompkins Cortland Community College
• Quincy Spencer, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement, University of Arkansas
• Shelton Lewis, Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Concordia University Texas
• Carolina Nutt, Senior Director of Student Success – COMPASS Student Experience, University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus

Registration Deadlines and Pricing:

Member Rates:

• Early Bird Registration: $415 (register by September 12, 2024)
• Regular Registration: $475 (register by October 17, 2024)
• Late Registration: $595 (register by Monday, November 4, 2024)

Non-Member Rates

• Early Bird Registration: $595 (register by September 12, 2024)
• Regular Registration: $655(register by October 17, 2024)
• Late Registration: $755 (register by Monday, November 4, 2024)

NODA Excellence Fund:

Scholarships for OPI and other NODA educational opportunities are available through the NODA Excellence Fund.

Cancellation Policy:

Please review NODA's cancellation policy prior to registering for this Institute.