To submit a proposal, you will need the following: 

• Name and contact information of presenter(s) 
• Program title 
• 300 word description of the program to be used in the review process. All programs will have 45-minute time slots.
• Please include the following in this description:
• How will you present? Type of program(lecture, panel (include participant names or roles), interactive discussion, etc)
• Why are you presenting? Foundation/evidence/theory/model/history guiding the content. Examples include “After five years of using this model;” or “A recent program evaluation;” or “This topic has been a frequent source of discussion.”
• What will you present? Primary or most significant content
• How can you enhance your attendees’ experience? Strategy(ies) to make the session engaging
• Up to 3 learning objectives for the program and a plan for implementation of each
• Here is a video tutorial created by AHEAD on writing learning objectives and engaging audience
• Intended target audience: 
• If target audience is program administrators, is this for new, evolving, or established programs?
• For a general audience, is your target audience new (or new-to-autism) professionals or seasoned professionals?

College Autism Summit themes

There are three areas of focus for which we invite programs and panels.  Consider your experiences related to building, expanding, and innovating programs, supports, and initiatives, relevant research, provocative topics and alliance-building.  

Pertinent presentation topics to consider include: 

Themes	Descriptors
Program Development and Evolution	1st year program development Bridge programs  Family & parent transition & education Community college programs Supportive living programs on campus Defining program identity on campus & recruiting allies Faculty engagement strategies Developing leadership opportunities for students within the program
Student Wellbeing	Promotion of diversity and inclusion principles Mental health support models Mentorship programs & community building strategies Supporting transitions & changes generated by current events such as COVID-19 Building wellbeing support networks on campus Providing resources and connection opportunities for students who identify with diverse or intersectional identities such as LGBTIQA+
Career Readiness and Transition	Positioning students to be hirable via portfolio development / networking / soft skills  Unique strategies & instructional models  for preparing students for career readiness  Career center collaboration models Assessing student career interests, preferences and goals Hiring initiatives for diverse ability hiring across campus Connecting with agencies and companies with neurodiversity hiring initiatives & potential sponsorship

By submitting your proposal, you are agreeing to the following:

• All presenters must register for the conference. If  you are unable to pay the registration fee due to financial hardship, please contact Lee Williams for attendee scholarship information.
• All handouts and session support materials that you would like to share with the audience, including PowerPoint presentation, apps, one-page  summary sheets, and/or videos, must be provided to the College Autism Summit Planning Committee by October 19, 2021. These materials will be posted on the conference platform for participant download. Additional material may be shared during the session, but submitting material in advance makes it more accessible to diverse learners.
• Any videos shown during presentations must be captioned. Video captioning is the responsibility of the presenter. 
• Presenters must verbally describe any visual aids used during a session.
• Presenters agree that the proposal summary and/or learning goals may be edited for space and clarity when added to the Summit schedule/platform.

Proposal Deadline is August 1 at midnight. Notification of acceptance is September 1.

Thank you for your interest & contributions to the 2021 College Autism Summit! We look forward to seeing you there virtually.