We are confirmed as an in-person gathering—and we are very much looking forward to seeing you there!

The conference will be held at the UMass Amherst Center at Springfield as well as the UMass Amherst campus. We are opening registration now to ensure that individuals at member institutions are able to make travel plans and book hotel accommodations well in advance.

Accommodations
Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
Negotiated, discounted reservation rate: $139/night
Available for Wednesday, 4/20 and Thursday, 4/21

The last day to book this special rate is March 23, 2022. The hotel has direct access to UMass Amherst Center at Springfield, which will be our anchor for the conference.
Book your room: marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1641480248804&key=GRP&app=resvlink

Travel
The Bradley International Airport (BDL) is the closest airport to Springfield and is a 25 minute drive from the hotel.

Attendees can reserve a free conference shuttle (coordinated by UMass Amherst) from the airport on Wednesday 4/20 (departing BDL at 1:30 and 3:00 PM) and to the airport on Friday 4/22 (departing the hotel at 1:30 PM). The hotel does not offer shuttle service, so if you need shuttle service please note that in your registration and we will contact you with details. Alternatively, you can arrange an Uber from the airport or you may want to rent a car.

Other regional airports in Boston, MA (Logan) and in Albany, NY are approximately 1 hour and 30 minute drive from the hotel.
 

Wednesday, 4/20

Thursday, 4/21

Friday, 4/22

Please note that this agenda is subject to change. Start and end times will remain the same, but a finalized agenda with specific details on conference sessions, activities, participants and venues will be forthcoming and sent to all registered attendees prior to the conference. 
 
COVID guidelines: Currently all UMass Amherst in-person events require attendees to be vaccinated. Masking is optional. We will update these guidelines as/if necessary as the date nears. 

This year’s host, University of Massachusetts Amherst, is the commonwealth’s flagship university. UMass Amherst is ranked as one of the nation’s top public research universities. With more than 28,000 students and over 200 distinct academic programs - including highly ranked programs in business, computer science, health care and the social sciences - UMass Amherst is the largest public research university in New England and one of the most comprehensive institutions in the Northeast. The university's mission is to provide an affordable and accessible education of high quality and to conduct programs of research and public service that advance knowledge and improve the lives of the people of the commonwealth, the nation, and the world. The mission of the university’s Civic Engagement & Service-Learning (CESL) office is to inspire life-long learning, democratic engagement and to build the capacity for communities, students, faculty and staff to work collectively for a more just world. 
 
​​The University of Massachusetts Amherst acknowledges that it was founded and built on the unceded homelands of the Pocumtuc Nation on the land of the Norrwutuck community. Land acknowledgement by itself is a small gesture, and becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships, informed action and greater public education of Native sovereignty and cultural rights - a critical step toward equitable relationship and reconciliation. Learn more about our land acknowledgment here: https://www.umass.edu/diversity/umass-land-acknowledgement