Concurrent Sessions II

10:30am - 11:15am

Addressing Initiative Fatigue: Tactics for Partnerships & Organizations

Presented by: Dakota Pawlicki

Our calendars are full of them: committees, task forces, councils, advisory groups, and other gatherings focused on one body of work, one problem, one grant. As a result, many cross-sector partnerships and organizations alike commonly report suffering from initiative fatigue. However, initiative fatigue is not a problem itself; rather it is a symptom of a systems design problem. Applying lessons learned from dozens of successful cross-sector partnerships and internal change management processes, this session will provide attendees with tactics to solve and dissolve initiative fatigue.

Helping High Schools Make Informed FAFSA Decisions Through Cooperative Extension-led Programming

Presented by: Dr. Portia Johnson

Alabama FAST: FAFSA Application Survival Toolkit (ALFAST), delivered by Human Sciences Extension at Auburn University, provides career counselors and coaches with support to meet the state FAFSA participation requirements, raises FAFSA awareness among students, and empowers families to make the best choice for their student’s career aspirations and family financial situation. A 1-hour workshop, FAFSA Ready, Set, Go, is offered in person to local schools by Cooperative Extension professionals. The initiative launched in Fall 2023 reaching over 10,400 seniors in 89 schools, partnering with 33 career coaches and counselors. Partnering schools receive free printed ALFAST materials and reproducible FAFSA resources.

Partnerships: The Key to Implementing Pre-college Initiatives on a Shoe-string Budget

Presented by: Dr. Venus Hewing, Jeffery Turnipseed

The Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement (CEOE) has partnered with various internal and external constituents to implement successful pre-college initiatives for underserved middle and high school students. This presentation is intended for intermediate, secondary, and post-secondary educators and other involved with creating pre-college programs. The presenters will discuss the benefits of forging collaborative relationships in implementing pre-college initiatives on a limited budget and ways to identify potential partners. In addition to discussing some of CEOE’s collaborative pre-college programming, the presenters will also encourage participants to share similar experiences.