Student Leadership Summit - Business Professionals of America - September 26-29 Washington, DC

Business Professionals of America invites secondary and postsecondary student members to participate in the second annual Student Leadership Summit. This multi-day event of engaging, interactive sessions will equip student leaders with knowledge and skills to help launch their leadership skills to new heights and strengthen BPA.

The event is designed for state, regional, and chapter officers along with other aspiring BPA student leaders. Sessions will be held at the Le Meridien Arlington in Washington, D.C., September 26-29, 2024.

Sessions will include personal leadership skills, team development, goal setting, strategic communication, fundraising, advocacy, etiquette training, and other valuable leadership strategies to support success.

While the summit is designed for students, there will also be numerous professional development opportunities available for advisors. Throughout the three days, advisors will have the chance to learn best practices, share experiences with peers, and gain insights into the latest trends in leadership education, ensuring they are well-equipped to guide and inspire their students.

Registration Opens: Monday, July 1, 8 a.m. Eastern Time

Registration Closes: Friday, August 30, 5 p.m. Eastern Time

The registration fee for attendees, including student members, advisors, chaperones, and guests is $175 per person and includes:

student leadership training sessions and workshops
advisor sessions and workshops
exclusive BPA gift for SLS attendees
SmarTrip 1-Day Unlimited Pass for use on D.C. Metro system
luncheon with etiquette training

Available Add-ons

Upgrade to a SmarTrip 3-Day Unlimited Pass for $20. The pass(es) will be mailed to the advisor/chaperone for use on the D.C. Metro system immediately upon arrival.
Capitol Hill tour on Friday, September 27. Tours are complimentary and will be arranged by BPA.
Wreath Laying Ceremony on Saturday, September 28. Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery along with the Executive Council and pay respects to our fallen soldiers and veterans. An optional donation for the purchase of the wreath is appreciated, but attending the event and the cemetery is complimentary.

Students who want to attend should contact their chapter, region, or state advisor to complete the registration process. Students are not permitted to attend the SLS without an approved chaperone (chapter/region/state advisor, state officer coordinator, or parent/guardian). The minimum supervision ratios vary by division (secondary is 1 chaperone to 10 students; postsecondary is 1 chaperone to 15 students).

The registration system will generate a separate invoice for conference registration and hotel reservations (if reserved through BPA). Checks can be mailed to BPA, or you can use the secure online payment link on the invoice. If you need assistance with registration, contact Jonathan Smith, BPA’s director of strategic programs and experiences, at jsmith@bpa.org.

Visit register.bpa.org and select the "Conferences" tab to locate the 2024 Student Leadership Summit registration site. Space is limited to the first 150 registrants.

Registration Tutorial

BPA has negotiated a group rate at the event venue in Arlington, Virginia. Participants are highly encouraged to stay at the host hotel, but other hotels are available within the area. Hotel rooms are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants within driving distance of Washington, D.C. are not required to stay at a hotel but must be accompanied by a chaperone.

Le Meridien Arlington
1121 19th Street North
Arlington, VA 22209
Group Rates: $149 (single/double occupancy) - $169 (triple occupancy) - $189 (quadruple occupancy)

Reserve Accommodations - Reservations within the group block must be made through the BPA conference registration system. The reservation deadline is Friday, August 30, 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Reservations made after this date are subject to the hotel's prevailing rate.

Request Room Sharing - Complete this form for each participant willing to share a hotel room with another participant of SLS. The benefit of room sharing is to reduce individual cost commitments to attend the event. Room sharing requests are not guaranteed, so please be prepared to pay for the entire hotel room should roommates not be identified. BPA will reach out to each requestor to confirm availability.

Hotel Disclaimers

Stays at the Le Meridien require a three-night minimum, with check-in on September 26 and check-out on September 29. If the group block is full, contact Jonathan Smith (jsmith@bpa.org) to see if alternative options are available.
Group rates are exclusive of taxes/fees that will be imposed at time of checkout. Applicable taxes are currently 14.25% (subject to change).
A one-night's deposit or credit card guarantee is required at time of reservation.
Hotel reservations can be canceled up to 72 hours prior to scheduled arrival. Cancelations within 72 hours of arrival are subject to a cancelation fee equal to the amount of one night's room and tax.
A credit/debit card is required at time of check-in and a prepayment in the amount of the guest's estimated charges will be imposed in accordance with the Hotel's standard payment process.
An early departure fee may be imposed should a guest checkout prior to the reserved departure date. The early departure fee is equal to the amount of one night's room and tax.
All costs associated with reserving hotel accommodations are the responsibility of the individual/entity reserving the room and must be paid directly to the hotel. BPA reserves the right to collect funds from any state association or chapter should there be an expense to BPA for such entity's failure to pay hotel.

Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia is served by Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, and United.
Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Dulles, Virginia is served by Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American Airlines, Avelo, Delta, Southwest, Sun Country Airlines, United, and WestJet.
Washington, D.C. Union Station (WAS) is the central hub for Amtrak trains traveling up and down the East Coast and to the Midwest. The Amtrak routes served are the Acela Express, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Vermonter.
Interstate Highways 66, 70/270, and 95 all pass-through Washington, D.C.

Thursday, September 26 (Dress: Business Casual)

2–3 p.m.	Registration
3–4 p.m.	Opening Session
4–6:30 p.m.	Summit Sessions
6:30 p.m.	Recess and Dinner (on your own)
11:30 p.m.	Curfew

Friday, September 27 (Dress: Professional)

8:30–9:30 a.m.	Advocating for BPA and Capitol Hill Prep
10 a.m.–1 p.m.	Advocacy Visits on Capitol Hill and Capitol Tours
1–2 p.m.	Lunch (on your own)
2:30–5 p.m.	Summit Sessions
5 p.m.	Recess and Dinner (on your own)
11:30 p.m.	Curfew

Saturday, September 28 (Dress: Professional)

8:30–12 p.m.	Summit Sessions
12–1:30 p.m.	Etiquette Lunch (provided)
1:30–3 p.m.	Summit Sessions
3–4 p.m.	Closing Session
5–11 p.m.	Free time in Washington, D.C.
11:30 p.m.	Curfew

Advisor Bootcamp: Comprehensive Training for New Advisors
Receive comprehensive training on key responsibilities, program planning, chapter officers and elections, and more to guide students and chapters successfully.

Advocating for BPA
Learn how to help inspire government, community, and school officials to support BPA. A visit to Capitol Hill will follow so you can put what you learned into action!

Best Practices and Preparation for Competitive Events
Discuss and share best practices to prepare students for competitive events at all levels of competition.

Enhancing Student Learning: Effective Strategies for Summative and Formative Assessments
Explore methods to align assessments with learning objectives, utilize a variety of assessment tools to address diverse learning styles, and provide meaningful feedback that promotes student growth and instructional refinement.

Promoting Professionalism and Leadership through Torch Awards
Designed to encourage student leadership, service, and personal growth, advisors will learn how to promote the program, administer the executive level torch recognition, and provide support throughout a student’s torch journey.

Synergy Unleashed: How to Engage Business and Industry
Engage in strategies on how to forge strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses and industries while ensuring that curricula remain relevant and responsive to the demands of the workforce.

Advocating for BPA
Learn how to help inspire government, community, and school officials to support BPA. A visit to Capitol Hill will follow so you can put what you learned into action!

BPA Launch Sessions
Join the Executive Council and members of the National Staff in short power sessions to equip you with ways to help members take advantage of BPA programs and WSAP and grow as business leaders.

Capture the Moment with BPA
BPA is full of excellent opportunities for personal growth and launching your career. Learn how you can help yourself and others Capture the Moment!

Discover Your Leadership Voice
Launch your leadership journey by recognizing the power of your own leadership voice. Gain more insight into your own leadership and how to be a better leader in BPA and beyond.

Etiquette and Hospitality
Leaders who know the rules rule! Learn the keys to proper etiquette during professional settings and meals and how you can showcase your own leadership skills when hosting meetings, meals, and more. A luncheon will be provided following this session so you can put your new etiquette and networking skills into action!

Moving Your Audience
Knowing what to present is the first step, and refining your skills to know how to present is the next step for successful leaders business professionals. Learn the tools for how to be an engaging workshop presenter and public speaker.

Professionalism and Networking
Learn the keys to perfecting first impressions and put that networking to use with potential sponsors, business partners, and other supporters of BPA.

Program of Work Showcase
Learn how to create your BPA Program of Work and come prepared to showcase some of your ideas to help your members Capture the Moment in BPA!

Project Management
You’ve made plans to Capture the Moment and help your members do the same, now power up your plans with key project management skills to help you turn those plans into results!

Promoting BPA
What does it take to communicate with your members? Learn how to help your members engage more with BPA in your chapter and state!

Workshop Workshop
How do you effectively present information to members? Learn the keys to identifying key outcomes and presenting grand slam workshops that inspire audiences to action! Each attendee will identify a workshop they can prepare to present this year with BPA.

Registration Tutorial

About BPA

Site Map