Conferences as Classrooms
Attending conferences has been such an integral part of my Tufts experience. They’ve allowed me to explore more of my identity and develop my professional aspirations. I’m not exactly the kind of person that likes too many large group interactions but when I’m in a room full of people who have a shared identity or shared professional interest, that all fades away.
As someone who hadn’t really critically thought about my identity or professional interests before coming to Tufts, attending conferences wasn’t even on my radar. However, once I heard about all of the amazing opportunities to attend—whether through a club, department, or other avenue—I knew that I wanted the chance to do this. Funny enough, when I wasn’t searching for a conference, one fell into my lap via a suggestion from some staff mentors: the 2024 NASPA Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington.
What started as a chance to explore a possible career pathway became this “aha-moment” in how I view my own professional growth. This conference experience showed me that professional development can be as much about self-discovery as it is about networking with others or attending educational workshops. Sitting in sessions led by people who shared my background and values made me realize that my career goals can truly align with my values as I continue discovering what works for me. I don’t need to separate who I am from what I do.
In many ways, these conference experiences have become extensions of the classroom. They’re spaces where my learning happens through networking and community-building rather than lectures, discussion posts, or exams. Whether it’s engaging in dialogues about representation in higher education or understanding how our peer institutions approach student support, each conference has challenged me to think critically about the kind of impact I want to make—be it at Tufts or in my next step. These experiences have taught me that professional growth is about learning how to apply that knowledge meaningfully.
That realization continues to guide how I approach leadership and informs how I show up in a classroom discussion. Professional development isn’t solely tied to internships or one-off events; it happens wherever learning and community intersect. This is what makes conferences feel like classrooms to me: spaces that teach through dialogue and collective purpose. As I continue my journey beyond Tufts, I carry these lessons forward, remembering that every space can become a classroom when I approach it with openness and intention.
Here are the conferences I’ve attended throughout my time at Tufts:
2023 Circle of Change Leadership Conference in Miami, Florida
2024 Annual NASPA Conference in Seattle, Washington
2024 Annual NCORE in Honolulu, Hawai’i
2024 1vy-G Conference in Providence, Rhode Island
2025 Annual NASPA Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana