The Newman Convening will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago (151 E Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL, 60601).

We will book your rooms in advance of the convening and Campus Compact is covering the room expenses for November 14th and 15th.

If you are staying extra nights or requested a single room please contact Campus Compact Event & Operations Specialist, Kaitlin Rattigan, at krattigan@compact.org. Please note there is an extra cost for staying additional nights of $129.50 (plus tax) per night. If you need a single room for medical or accessibility reasons please contact Kaitlin at krattigan@compact.org. 

Check-in time is 3:00 pm and checkout time is 12:00 PM. Upon your arrival, there will be a Campus Compact table in the skyway bridge on Wednesday November 13th for early arrivals and Thursday November 14th to greet you and to give you some materials you will need for the convening. Should you stop by the hotel prior to the conference venue, the hotel can store your luggage at the front desk if your room is not ready.

Campus Compact will be providing the following meals during the convening (students and institutions will not have to pay for these meals):

• Dinner on Thursday, November 14th
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on Friday, November 15th
• Breakfast and Lunch on Saturday, November 16th

Campus Compact will also be providing coffee throughout the convening.

If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, please specify that in your registration.

We highly recommend that you bring a reusable water bottle with you to Chicago. The hotel will have water available during meal and snack times, and the hotel will have multiple water sources to fill up your water bottle. 

Getting from the airport to the hotel:

• Coming from O'Hare International Airport:
  • You can take the Blue line for $5 and get off at the Washington stop. It is then a 17-minute walk from the Washington stop to the hotel. Here is the route to walk from the stop to the hotel.
  • You can take a Lyft straight to the hotel for approximately $44, or
  • You can take an Uber straight to the hotel for approximately $47.
  • *** To get to the rideshare area in the airport, navigate to Terminal B ***
• Coming from Midway International Airport:
  • You can take the Orange line and get off at the State/Lake stop. It is then an 11-minute walk from the State/Lake stop to the hotel. Here is the route to walk from the stop to the hotel.
  • You can take Lyft straight to the hotel for approximately $34
  • You can take an Uber for approximately approximately $49.

If you are driving to the Convening, here are some parking options:

• Valet Garage parking at the hotel for 6+ hours is $94. For 3-6 hours the cost is $59 (note: this may work on Saturday because the program is shorter).
• There are also several walkable garages nearby with more affordable parking options ranging from $14-$79 if you check here on SpotHero.

Dress Code:

Attire is not strictly enforced. Still, we do recommend business casual (no formal ties or suits needed), just pants or nice shorts and a nice shirt or top. We want you to be comfortable but don't wear gym clothes or pajamas in the workshop sessions. We will take a group picture on Friday, November 15th, but participants will be wearing their Newman t-shirts mainly during the day (t-shirts will be distributed when you check-in). 

• Check out the weather in Chicago to help you for what to pack
• Check out some of these TikTokers for ideas on business casual dress here and here. But please know, we are very casual at Campus Compact and the most important thing is for you to feel comfortable and confident. The idea of "professionalism" (including workplace dress codes) are rooted in problematic and outdated thinking.

Packing List:

Documents & Essentials:

• Photo ID (for hotel check-in and any travel needs)
• Conference confirmation details (electronic or printed)
• Personal health information (insurance card, emergency contact info)
• Mobile phone and charger
• Notebook, pens, or tablet for taking notes during workshops
• Business cards (if available for networking)
• Any travel tickets (plane, bus, or train) or itinerary details
• Neck pillow or blanket (for travel if needed)
• Download Uber/Lyft App

Clothing:

• Business casual attire for conference sessions and networking events (e.g., slacks, blouses, dress shirts, blazers, modest dresses)
• Comfortable shoes for walking around the conference venue and Chicago group adventure
• Evening casual wear for dinner and the mocktail networking happy hour
• Weather-appropriate outerwear (check the forecast for Chicago, and bring a warm coat, scarf, gloves, or umbrella if needed)
• Workout or lounge wear (optional, for downtime or relaxing in the hotel)

Personal Items:

• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.)
• Haircare items and makeup (if needed)
• Travel-size hand sanitizer and tissues
• Water bottle (optional, but helpful for staying hydrated during long sessions)
• Snacks (for breaks between sessions)
• Medications (any prescriptions or over-the-counter meds)

Other Helpful Items:

• Laptop or tablet (if you'll be taking electronic notes or checking in on work)
• Portable phone charger or power bank
• Earbuds or headphones
• Small backpack or tote bag for carrying items during the day
• Light reading material or something for relaxation during travel
• Extra cash or cards for any personal expenses
• Padfolio/Notepad/ Pens

Travel Reminders:

• Plan for airport or train station arrival times, and allow enough time for any security checks.

If anyone wishes to wear a mask at all during the convening, you are welcome to do so and we ask that everyone be respectful of each other's comfort level when it comes to in-person space sharing. We will be providing social contact stickers (green = hugs ok, yellow = handshakes ok, red = distance please) that will be placed on name tags to ensure everyone is respecting one another's boundaries. We encourage all Newman Fellows to take precautions as necessary to stay safe and healthy. Follow the CDC prevention guidelines for further information. 

We will also have KN95 masks available when you check in at the hotel, and we will have some Antigen Rapid Tests should you need to test yourself anytime throughout the convening. 

If able, please take a COVID-19 rapid test before you leave for the Convening, and if you have a positive test or strong sickness symptoms, please stay home. Your health is the first priority. We will work with any Newman who has to miss due to sickness. 

Wifi

• Network Name: Campus Compact
• Access Code: campus2024

Social Media

• Connect on social media using #NewmanEffect
• Tag us on Insta and Twitter @Campus_Compact

During the conference, Campus Compact will be producing a series of promotional videos to highlight the work we’re doing across the country, and we need your help! In the videos, we’ll feature the voices of Newman Civic Fellows to tell the story of the fellowship, the impact our fellows have in their communities, and the importance of supporting this work. We invite you to participate by sharing your unique story with us.

If you choose to participate, Compact staff will interview you about your participation in the fellowship, the social issues that matter to you, and the importance of democracy. By sharing your story, you will help us spread awareness about Campus Compact’s mission and impact, allowing us to raise critical funds and grow our impact for years to come.

Interview opportunities: During the Mocktail Happy Hour on Thursday, during lunch on Friday and at the conclusion of the convening on Saturday. Check back here for updates on when interviews will be taking place.

Find Molly Leiper, Director of Communications at Campus Compact, at the Convening if you would like to contribute!

We appreciate your help!

Campus Compact is a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. Campus Compact supports institutions in fulfilling their public purposes by deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility. As the largest national higher education association dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, we provide professional development to administrators and faculty to enable them to engage effectively, facilitate national partnerships connecting campuses with key issues in their local communities, build pilot programs to test and refine promising models in engaged teaching and scholarship, celebrate and cultivate student civic leadership, and convene higher education institutions and partners beyond higher education to share knowledge and develop collective capacity. Visit compact.org.