Be part of the 60th Anniversary in Nashville 

Join thousands of students, advisors, alumni, and partners at BPA’s 2026 National Leadership Conference (NLC), a five-day celebration of competition, recognition, networking, and professional growth. This is your moment to inspire future-ready leaders and share actionable tools they can use right away. 

Conference Dates: May 6–10, 2026 
Workshop Presentation Dates: May 7–8 (8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) 
Location: Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center — Nashville, TN 

Ready to go?  

- Make a real impact on motivated student leaders and dedicated educators.
- Showcase your expertise on a national stage during BPA’s 60th anniversary year.
- Spark change with hands-on ideas, tools, and strategies students and advisors can apply immediately. 

We welcome proposals from students, advisors, alumni, industry professionals, and higher education representatives who bring expertise, passion, and a commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders. Diversity of background and perspective is encouraged, so attendees benefit from a wide range of insights. 

Workshops at the NLC are designed to serve different audiences and can be offered in a variety of engaging formats. When submitting your proposal, please select the option that best fits your content and goals. 

Audiences 

- Leadership Passport Sessions (Student-Focused): Practical, hands-on learning for immediate application in school, chapter, or early career.
- Advisor Professional Learning Sessions (Educator-Focused): Evidence-based strategies, tools, and resources for classrooms and chapters.
- These may be developed and delivered by advisors or education professionals supporting advisor PD. 
- Other Audiences: We also welcome creative proposals that don’t fit neatly into the categories above. These could include sessions designed for alumni, parents, education stakeholders, or entirely new ideas that bring fresh perspectives to the NLC experience. 

Formats 

- Workshop (45 minutes): Interactive, skill-building sessions that include time for Q&A.
- Speed Session (20 minutes): High-energy talks on one powerful idea, resource, or tool. 
- Other: Propose a unique, engagement-forward format. 

Suggested Topic Areas 

Workshops should be educational, engaging, and practical. Suggested topics include: 

- Business & Financial Skills 
- Leadership & Teamwork; Communication & Public Speaking 
- Life Skills & “Adulting”; College & Career Preparation 
- Technology & Innovation 
- Classroom & Chapter Strategies
- Emerging Trends in Business and Education 

Please note: Sessions determined to be promotional may require a sponsorship agreement in order to present. 

Strong proposals will: 

- Provide clear outcomes with 3–4 actionable takeaways. 
- Feature interactive design through activities, discussion, or demonstrations. 
- Align with BPA’s mission and the 2026 theme (Amplify Your Impact). 
- Demonstrate accessibility and inclusion in content and delivery. 
- Maintain a non-commercial focus. Sessions should be educational and not promotional in nature or primarily intended to market a product, service, or organization. 

- Oct 1, 2025 — Call for Proposals opens (rolling review/acceptance) 
- Nov 15, 2025 — Priority submission deadline (to be included in the Conference Preview Guide) 
- Jan 2026 — Conference Preview Guide released (includes proposals submitted by Nov 15) 
- Mar 2026 — Optional speaker orientation webinar 
- May 7–8, 2026 — Workshop presentations at NLC 

Proposals submitted after the priority deadline may be accepted pending value and availability; however, they will not appear in the preview guide. 

For questions or to request additional information pertaining to workshop or other speaking opportunities, please contact:

Gayle Robinson
Director of Strategic Programs & Experiences
program@bpa.org