2026 Conference: Pre-Conference Institute Faculty Application

2026 Pre-Conference Institute
Faculty Application

The Pre-Conference Institute is scheduled to take place on Monday, July 13, 2026. International ACAC members are invited to apply to serve as faculty for the Pre-Conference Institute in advance of the 2026 Conference at Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Pittsburgh! 

The Pre-Conference Institute is intended to provide members with the opportunity to participate in a focused, collaborative, and interactive professional learning experience led by fellow International ACAC members prior to the annual conference. The International ACAC Professional Development Committee is looking for faculty members who represent a wide array of personal and professional backgrounds and who are excited to share their experience and knowledge with colleagues from around the world.

Given the spirit of equity and inclusion that serves as the foundation of our work, we ask that you reflect on how you intend to contribute to our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and promote principles of DEI through your participation as a faculty member for the Pre-Conference Institute. 

To support your consideration of which stream you want to apply for, brief descriptions of the New Professionals and the updated Mid-Career Pre-Conference streams can be found below.

New Professionals (0-3 years experience in current role) 

This Institute stream is designed for International ACAC members new to their role as an international university representative or international secondary school or independent counselor who wish to deepen their skill sets, knowledge bases, and professional networks across our field. The New Professional stream topics include: applying to post-secondary destinations worldwide, evaluating credentials, presenting and reviewing recommendation letters, ethical practices, centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work, paying for college, building a professional network, and more.

Mid-Career Professionals 

This updated Institute stream is designed for International ACAC members with substantial experience as international university representatives or secondary school or independent counselors who wish to augment their professional practice in a tailored learning setting. This year’s Mid-Career stream will have a particular emphasis on supporting participants in honing their supervisory skills, fostering strong team cultures, and deepening their own leadership development. The Mid-Career Professional stream topics include: project management, supervisory techniques, career advancement, ethical practices, centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work, maintaining office accountability, presenting data, best practices for effective partnerships, managing teams successfully, and more.

Interested International ACAC members can submit a completed application by Friday, January 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. 

Please note, all applicants will be asked to submit a 150 word professional bio and a copy of their resume.

For questions regarding the application process, please reach out to Kristen Pantazes, Pre-Conference Institute Chair, at PD@InternationalACAC.org.

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Member Information

(e.g., College Counselor, Assistant Director of International Recruitment, etc.)

View the list of countries by region.

What time zone will you be located in during the planning process for the 2026 Conference? 

Please note: this is for scheduling purposes only and will not be considered as a part of the faculty selection process.

Please upload your CV/Resume. If you are unable to upload here, please email CV/resume to PD@InternationalACAC.org no later than January 30, 2026.

20MB max
Faculty Position Information

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Faculty Position Information

Please share which years you served, which professional stream you supported, and which topics/sessions you covered:

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Faculty Position Information

Please provide a short professional bio. [Short paragraph – 150 word max]

While the list below is not comprehensive, please think about what you may be best suited to teach. Please check all that apply:

Advocating for Students as Secondary & Admissions Professionals
Applying to Global Destinations (non-US)
Crafting Effective Personal Statements & Essays
Creating a Secondary Counseling Calendar & Program
Creating Inclusive Teams: How to Create Trust in the Workplace
Creating Professional Opportunities & Navigating Change
Creating School Profiles & Transcripts
Effective Partnerships Around the Table
Engaging Students Virtually & In-Person
English Proficiency Testing
Evaluating International & National Curricula
Growing Your Team: Hiring, Onboarding, Training
High School Counseling Skills (improving a program, office, or community)
Leadership Development – For Yourself & Your Team
Managing Family Expectations Around Fit
Managing Up & Advocating for Your Team
Mentorship & Mentoring
Paying for College in the US & Globally
Presenting Yourself Professionally (curating resumes, job interviews, and more)
Serving Students: How to Develop & Advocate for College Access
Supervisory Strategies & Support
Transition to University
Understanding Bias: How to Recognize our Own Implicit Bias
University Admission Skills (hiring vendors, presentation skills, and more)
Using Data in Admissions
Writing & Reading Recommendation Letters

Of those you selected above, if you would like, please list your THREE most preferred topics here:

Are there any other topics you may want to cover that are not included in the list of possible sessions? 

[Short paragraph - 150 word max]