At Community Brands, we cherish the moments when we can connect with our community in person. We were proud to be diamond-level sponsors at this year’s Enrollment Management Association Annual Conference (EMAAC). Join us as we revisit the standout moments from the conference, including a compelling panel about the recent Supreme Court rulings, celebrating our clients, and more!
Community Brands at EMAAC, showcasing the main booth and Adapting With Purpose Panel event.
Conference Summary
The Enrollment Management Association (EMA) is an organization that provides thought leadership, data and insights, and professional development for school leaders. The EMA annual conference gathers over 1,100 enrollment professionals from various backgrounds to network, discuss emerging trends, and exchange innovative ideas. This year’s theme was “Champions for Transformation: Innovating, Growing, Enrolling…Together!” The conference explored topics ranging from enrollment strategy to current trends within school communities.
Key topics this year included:
- Team culture and inclusivity
- Marketing tools to help your school stand out
- Recruitment and retention
- Shifts in the education landscape, including Supreme Court rulings
Community Brands Panel: K-12 Admissions in the Era of Supreme Court Changes
Following the recent Supreme Court ruling against colleges and universities factoring in race during the admissions process, K-12 schools nationwide are grappling with potential implications for future admissions strategies.
Community Brands hosted a panel session featuring Stephanie Fernandez of the Latin School of Chicago and David Lazo of the Bentley School, who both have a background in higher education admissions and currently work in K-12 admissions. They discussed perspectives and considerations regarding how schools can operationalize qualitative data and continue to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus and across school associations nationwide.
Stephanie and David will continue the discussion in our upcoming webinar, Adapting with Purpose Panel: K-12 Admissions in the Era of Supreme Court Changes, on October 19. Register to save your spot or receive a recording. School leaders can also read the latest Ravenna blog post on the topic, Addressing Bias in Admissions.
Community Highlights
Client Success: Rising Star Award
Alex Halladay, the Director of Admissions and Enrollment at The Northwest School, has been recognized with this year’s Rising Star Award! This award honors educators with 10 or fewer years of experience who have distinguished themselves or their schools in enrollment management. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Alex for her outstanding impact on her school community! As a dedicated admissions partner to The Northwest School, our Ravenna team is excited to continue working together and see what Alex and her team accomplish in the future.
Bowlapalooza
We laced up our bowling shoes for Bowlapalooza—an exclusive event by Community Brands featuring cosmic bowling, food, drinks, and party favors. Everyone gathered for a night of fun and friendly competition!
Bowlapalooza attendees enjoy cosmic bowling at Red Rock Lanes.
From Our Team
We asked a few team members what their most memorable experiences were from EMAAC 2023. Here is what they shared with us:
“EMA hosted a phenomenal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice panel discussion, bringing in administrators from across the country to discuss ways in which they’ve shaped their admissions and enrollment experiences to encourage families to apply who haven’t traditionally had access to their schools’ programs. Hearing senior leadership at elite independent schools strategically expanding access to education made me hopeful that EMA will have a tangible impact on the independent school world, and empower administrators across the country to build more diverse school communities.”
“My favorite part of the event was watching our team engage with customers. Whether it was a simple face-to-face introduction, sitting down and showing them how to do something with the product, making plans to meet in their region, or taking pictures with our Senior Customer Success Manager, Jill—apparently, she’s a celebrity—the whole team had an amazing time connecting in person.”
The Community Brands team chats with attendees.
Until Next Year!
We can’t wait to continue the conversations and connections from EMAAC 2023. Stay tuned with our upcoming blog posts, webinars, and guides for helpful resources year-round. On behalf of the Community Brands team, thank you for being part of our community. Working together, we have the power to influence the future of education technology and create a meaningful educational experience for students, families, and schools. We’ll see you next year at EMAAC 2024 in Boston!
