Welcome, Innovations 2026 presenters! The 29th annual Innovations Conference incorporates ideas and initiatives from four conference tracks into the broader goal of encouraging and facilitating student and organizational learning through innovation, experimentation, and institutional transformation. Your participation as a presenter at this event represents your dedication to the future of community college education.

Presenter Agreement

In order to present at this event, presenters are required to respond to the “Innovations Conference Presenter Schedule and Confirmation” email by January 31 to:

1. Confirm their intention to present at Innovations 2026, and
2. Confirm their understanding of the presenter requirements below.

Presenter Requirements

• Presenters must register for Innovations 2026 according to the League’s payment, refund, and cancellation policy in order to present at this event.
• Presenters must provide their own laptop or tablet, and associated connectors, for their sessions; the League does not provide this equipment.
• Presenters must agree to inform events@league.org in writing of any session or presenter changes no later than January 31.
• Presenters must affirm that (a) they own or otherwise have the right to use the content presented, (b) they have the right to give the League consent to publish the presentation, and (c) the League has their explicit permission to post the presentation (i.e., PPT, video recording) for the purposes of promotion and/or expanding the Innovation Library.

If you have registration questions, please contact events@league.org.

Please note: Neither honoraria nor expenses are provided to presenters.

Conference Schedule

The 2026 Innovations Conference will take place over 3.5 days starting at 8:00 AM on Sunday, March 15, and ending at 12:00 PM on Wednesday, March 18. The schedule provides an overview of activities taking place at the conference.

Video Streaming Sessions

Keynotes and Special Sessions will be recorded for future delivery on iStream, the League's comprehensive, online resource library. All Special Session presenters will be notified and asked for their permission to record their session. No session will be recorded without written permission from all presenters involved in that session.

Conference App

The League’s event app* provides all the information participants need for a rewarding conference experience. Your session(s) will be featured on the app to allow for maximum exposure. You will have the opportunity to upload your photo, biography, and presentation materials to the app. Instructions will be provided for this process.

*A PDF of the schedule will be available on this website for those who prefer a hard copy. Please download and print a copy prior to arriving on site; hard copy schedules will not be provided by the League.

PLEASE NOTE: PRESENTERS WHO NEED A LAPTOP/TABLET AND ASSOCIATED ADAPTERS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THEIR OWN.

Special Sessions and Forums

Forums are supported with Internet access, a video projector compatible with Windows and Mac platforms, a microphone in larger meeting rooms, speakers, and a screen. Presenters who need a laptop/tablet or an adapter for their session(s) are required to bring their own. The League does not provide this equipment. (Presenters who need to rent equipment/adapters from the AV company will be charged a fee; availability is not guaranteed.)

Please note: An Internet connection will be available to presenters; however, reliability can be an issue. Please ensure that your presentation is NOT reliant on an Internet connection and do not plan to stream videos or other media that require online access.

Presenters are responsible for ensuring that presenter-provided equipment connects and functions with the equipment provided by conference organizers. Presenters assume full responsibility for the technical requirements of custom setups, as well as the security and operation of their own equipment.

Poster Sessions and Roundtable Discussions

The conference will provide a round table and 10 chairs for each accepted Roundtable Discussion and a bulletin board, push pins, table, and two chairs for each accepted Poster Session.

Please note that electricity and Internet connections are NOT available for Roundtable Discussions or Poster Sessions. Roundtable Discussions and Poster Sessions cannot accommodate equipment other than a presenter-provided, battery-operated laptop.

The dimensions of the boards for Poster Sessions are as follows:

1. Usage dimensions: 40" W x 26.75" H
2. Total dimensions: 45.2” W x 54.75” H

Here are some helpful tips to assist you in preparing and delivering an effective presentation.

Presentation Tips

Plan your presentation well in advance. A good presentation requires careful planning and review.

You risk losing your audience if your presentation does not address the issues described in your session description. One of the most common complaints heard from conference participants is that the session description provided in the conference app did not describe the actual presentation.

Rehearse your presentation in advance. A dry run of your presentation to knowledgeable individuals is the most successful method of preparation. (Breakout rooms will not be available for dry runs; please make arrangements to practice your presentation elsewhere.)

Be sensitive to your audience. Avoid distractions and potential offense by insensitivity to gender, sexual preference, race, and ethnicity.

Equipment failures are not uncommon, so be prepared to make your presentation without equipment support.

Your session will be 60 minutes long. Throughout the conference, there will be 15 minutes between sessions. Out of respect for presenters who follow you, begin and end your session on time.

Be prepared for questions and answer them directly. Try to anticipate the types of questions you may be asked. Repeat the question to make certain the entire audience has heard it before you begin to answer.

Be comfortable and poised. Good eye contact will help hold the audience's attention, as will a steady voice that emphasizes the variety and interest of your presentation. Your body movement should be conscious and deliberate. Avoid swaying and pacing. Remember, you have something important to say and the audience wants to be supportive!

PowerPoint Tips

Use whatever PowerPoint template you prefer, but keep the size of your audience in mind. Visuals that are not clearly legible to all participants are distracting and annoying. Remember that some participants will be in the back of the room.

Use simple, easy-to-read fonts. Generally, one font should be used throughout your presentation, with perhaps another used sparingly for special emphasis.

Keep your displayed message simple. Your presentation graphics should highlight the points you are making, not repeat them word for word.

Avoid using too many colors on one slide to communicate your message. Too many colors can distract from the message.

When selecting font and background colors, keep in mind that dark text on a light background or light text on a dark background provides the best visual contrast. Black text on a white background is a classic, highly legible combination, while other high-contrast pairs, such as dark blue on yellow or white on black, are strong combinations. Be sure to test your colors on different screens and projectors, as they may appear differently than they do on your own monitor.