College & University Residence Life Collaborative
Conference
Collaborative
Series
The mission of the Conference Collaborative Series (CCS) is to recognize the dedication of outstanding live-in student staff, both in their work on their home campus and in their commitment to supporting live-in student staff on other campuses. Through this commitment to excellence, CCS seeks to provide current and future live-in student staff with an accessible, innovative way to collaborate and enhance their knowledge and skills. Each year, CCS will highlight program sessions presented at state or regional conferences specifically for live-in student staff (Resident Advisors, etc.). These sessions will be delivered virtually and available to institutions, students, and professionals at no charge. When available, program session recordings will be made accessible following the sessions.
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Scroll down to learn more about our upcoming programs, including program descriptions and links to register, and details about past programs.
2026 Spring CCS Programs
Navigating Neurodiversity
Jac Bors, Area Coordinator, SUNY Brockport
Amber Rice, Assistant Director of Residential Curriculum, SUNY Brockport
Neurodiversity is a concept that recognizes and values the diversity of our brains and cognitive functioning. It emphasizes that variations such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others are natural and should be accepted rather than stigmatized. In this session we’ll define what encompasses neurodiversity, learn how to foster an inclusive environment for neurodivergent peers and residents, and even learn strategic skills and coping mechanisms if you struggle with neurodivergence.
Representing the 2025 SUNY Brockport Resident Assistant Conference
Let’s Get Better Together: Supporting Your LGBT+ Residents
Corinne O’Connor (she/her), Graduate Area Coordinator, Cedar Crest College
Cam Beverage (she/they), Resident Advisor, Cedar Crest College
Catherine Legutko (she/her), Resident Advisor, Cedar Crest College
This interactive presentation will go over LGBT+-related terminology, creating a safe space for residents, addressing bias, and targeting engagement opportunities for residents. LGBT college students tend to have worse mental health outcomes than non-LGBT counterparts. In this regard, it is important for resident advisors to understand and recognize their residents’ backgrounds and experiences in a sensitive manner.
Representing the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers (MACUHO) Student Staff Live-In Conference
Gaining Experience for a Career in Student Affairs
John Michael Haky, Associate Director of Residence Life, Youngstown State University
Many college and university student affairs professionals find their passion for working on college campuses through their involvement as student leaders during their undergraduate years. However, because there are no specific undergraduate academic programs for a career in student affairs, students acquire the relevant knowledge and experience to advance in that field outside the classroom. This session will provide students with opportunities and strategies, both on campus and beyond, to gain essential experience that helps them transition to graduate or professional opportunities after graduation.
Sponsored by the CURL Collaborative
Gamifying Belonging: A Residence Life Revolution
Hayden Koppes (he/him), Community Assistant, University of the Fraser Valley
This session provides a comprehensive overview of Baker Battles, a semester-long, floor-based competition/system was created to address low community engagement in my residence building. Modeled after systems like the Harry Potter House Cup, it combines fun, teamwork, and healthy competition to strengthen connections. Over 3 years, Baker Battles has grown from internal events to cross-departmental collaborations with UFV Rec, the Pride Collective, the Wellness Centre, and more. This session will explore how staff developed the program, gained institutional support, measured its impact, and adapted it over time, as well as provide details and strategies for how it could be applied in different settings/scenarios. The presenter will also share their experience/advice with designing programs, including a detailed outline of how to build one of my signature Game Show event Games, a digital copy of the Baker Battles handbook, and lots of images and examples of everything. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies for building inclusive, sustainable, and engaging programming in their own buildings.
Representing the 2025 Residence Life Professional Association (RLPA) LEAD Conference
Read More:
From first-year struggles to award-winning solutions: The rise of UFV Baker Battles (UVF Today)
Next Stop! Connection Station, A Roundtable for Student Leaders
Trevion Daniels-Richard, Resident Assistant, Texas Southern University
This program focuses on student leadership, and how our roles are similar and different from one another since we go to other institutions. During the presentation, attendees will engage in an icebreaker asking every student to write down one word that sums of their time as a student leader. After everyone put their words in a jar, a few students will have the opportunity to read aloud, and different perspectives of other students will be shared and discussed.
Representing the 2025 Southwest Association of College & University Housing Officers (SWACUHO) Student Staff Leadership Conference
Coming this Fall, there will be more ...
The above sessions are just the first part of the 2026 Conference Collaborative Series. Coming this Fall, we will be featuring sessions from conferences that were hosted during the Winter/Spring months of 2026, including representation from:
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The 2026 University of Northern Iowa RA Conference
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The 2026 Northeast Ohio Housing Officers Mike Corr RA Conference
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The North Carolina Housing Officers Student Leadership Drive-In
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Check back here for details about future sessions.
Have your conference featured as part of CCS
If you host or organize a conference that benefits housing and residence life live-in student staff, we would love to collaborate with you!
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Email connect@curlcollab.org with interest or questions.