April 2026 Newsletter

In this edition:

• President's Message
• Call for Program Chair for the 2027 JASPA Annual Conference
• NJSLC 2027 & 2028 Bid Process Information
• JASPA Summer Internship Program
• JASPA Five-Year Webinar Series
• Functional Area Network Sessions
• Upcoming Programs
   

President's Message

Dear Friends,

As we approach the finish line of another academic year, it is difficult not to feel a deep sense of joy — for our students, our graduates, their families, and yes, if we are being honest, for ourselves as we anticipate a much-needed slower pace, some time for rest and renewal, and the kind of reset that allows us to return with fresh eyes and full hearts.

At Loyola, we recently celebrated our annual Gratias Student Leadership Award Ceremony. We would not be a Jesuit Catholic institution without a good Latin term to anchor the occasion. Gratias — "thanks" or "gratitude" — is a fitting word to close a year shaped by the gifts our students bring to community life.

This year, I found myself unexpectedly moved by a moment of Gratias of my own.

Students do nearly everything at our ceremony. They welcome guests, emcee the program, deliver the keynote, and present awards to the faculty and staff who have walked alongside them. You know you've gotten the awards right when peers cheer, tear up, and rise to their feet. This year was no exception — and what struck me most deeply was that many of our recipients were the quiet, unsung instruments of God's grace on our campus. The Renaissance Club, who organize an annual Renaissance Fair complete with our University President as "king." The Commuter Student Association, whose leadership — mostly first-year students — received the Inclusion Award. The intramural basketball referee at the Fitness and Aquatic Center, recognized for her leadership on and off the court.

It was a vivid reminder that student leadership is not confined to titles or org charts. It lives in the margins, in the niche passions, in the quiet acts of belonging-making that rarely make it onto a résumé.

So much of our work naturally draws us toward the 20% of students whose involvement intersects most directly with residence life, first-year programs, student government, and the structures we rely on to get our work done. Gratias invites us to practice the Ignatian discipline of finding God in all things — including the students whose leadership doesn't fit neatly into our categories, whose communities create belonging for those who might otherwise feel unseen.

As we enter this time of reflection at year's end, I invite you to sit with a few questions in your next examen:

1. What does Gratias look like on your campus? Who gets celebrated — and who doesn't?
2. Who among your students is quietly creating belonging through niche passions or marginalized identities, and has yet to be named?
3. How might we extend our gratitude to the leaders on the positional margins — the ones whose magis shows up in ways we might easily overlook?

After the ceremony, I found a moment to tell a quiet, reserved senior how genuinely proud I was of the role he played in making the evening what it was. He beamed — and offered a side hug and a simple "hey, thanks."

That Gratias will stay with me for weeks, months, and years to come.

Congratulations on another year of accompanying students on their journey toward Commencement — and toward the fullest version of who they are called to be.

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam.

Peace,

Deb Cady Melzer
JASPA President
Vice President for Mission and Student Development
Loyola University Maryland

2027 JASPA Annual Conference
Georgetown University | March 6th, 2027
Program Chair Application 

JASPA is seeking applications for the Annual Conference Program Chair to oversee the programming committee that will design and implement the JASPA Annual Conference on March 6, 2027 with our partners at the host institution, Georgetown University. The deadline for submitting the application is May 1, 2026.  

The Program Chair will be responsible for planning significant portions of the conference program, including all programmatic and thematic elements, conference schedule + program, securing speakers, educational and/or round-table selection and communication with presenters, script development and post conference eval.  The Chair will also advise the program committee members and communicate and collaborate with other JASPA committees and Executive Board Members as it relates to first-time attendee orientation, awards, banquet, FANs and the annual business meeting.  Committee members will be selected this summer and committee work will take place from June 2026 through March of 2027.

Please contact JASPA’s Vice President for Programming with questions: Jessie Graf (jessica.graf@bc.edu)
 

National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference
2027 + 2028 Host Institution Bid Process

BIDS ARE DUE on Monday, JUNE 1st, 2026
Institutions will be notified by Friday, JUNE 5th, 2026 
Indicate if you are interested in hosting in ‘27, ‘28 or either.

Thank you for your interest in serving as the host institution for the 2027 OR 2028 National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC). Per JASPA Standard Operating Procedures, interested host institutions are required to submit bid information for consideration by the previous host institution and the JASPA Executive Board. 
Please submit your questions and bid (as a PDF attachment) to Jessie Graf (jessica.graf@bc.edu) by June 1, 2026. 

All bids must include the following:

• Letter of Intent to host the conference including the preferred year (2027 or 2028; or if open to either, please indicate) the institution would like to host
• Letters of Support from:
  • Institution President
  • Senior Student Affairs Officer
  • Student Government President
  • Any other letters of campus support
• Identification of two or three 5-day date ranges (ideally in July in order to accommodate institutional fiscal year differences) when the institution would be able to host the conference. These dates may be listed in order of preference. Typical schedule would entail:
  • Day 0: Early Arrival
  • Day 1: Arrival/Opening Ceremonies/Mass
  • Day 2: Programming
  • Day 3: Programming
  • Day 4: Programming/Closing Ceremonies
  • Day 5: Departure
• Information regarding the institution’s ability to host 175-325 conference participants. Please detail the following:
  • Type of housing available including the maximum number of participants your institution could house if participation numbers exceed 325. Please also indicate, based on your preferred dates, if housing is available for early arrivals and/or late stays.Space available on campus to host large group events and smaller breakout sessions, including opening and closing ceremonies, Mass, meals, and special events.
  • General overview of meal options and venues.
  • Potential offsite venues that may be used for special events that showcase the city where your institution is located.
  • Highlights of the hosting institution and city that may be used to enhance the overall conference program.
  • Local attractions and excursion opportunities.
  • Transportation options both to the host institution and while the conference is occurring.
• Proposed Theme and Tentative Schedule (consider including the following aspects):
  • Workshop sessions (including how host institution will incorporate presentations from conference attendees)
  • Entertainment
  • Community Engagement
  • Spiritual Formation
  • Time to explore the host campus/city
• Proposed Budget:
  • Proposed conference registration fees 
  • Institutional contributions
  • Potential sponsorships
  • In-kind donations
  • Projected Expenses
    • Housing 
    • Meals
    • Local Transportation
    • Speakers
    • Event-related (e.g. tech support, setup/teardown, etc.)
• Proposed Planning Team and Planning Timeline:
  • Proposed Structure of Planning Team, including identification of potential student leaders and professional staff advisor (s) and their responsibilities.
  • Planning Timeline including targeted registration dates, call for program proposals, etc.

Additional Information

• A staff advisor is required to accompany each NJSLC delegation.
• The conference should include a program track for advisors. This will be supported by the JASPA Executive Board.
• The overall NJSLC program will feature Jesuit and Catholic mission and identity themes and will include a meaningful focus on service/justice work.
• Jesuit Student Government Association (JSGA) will likely ask for meeting times and locations within the NJSLC conference schedule.

JASPA Support and Expectations

• JASPA will plan (in collaboration with the host institution) and support an Advisors track during NJSLC. The JASPA VP of Programming will coordinate details with the NJSLC host institution advisor.
• JASPA will host a reception for the Advisors on the first night (or other appropriate time) of the NJSLC conference.
• The JASPA Executive Board summer meeting will be held in conjunction with NJSLC, overlapping by at least one day so that Executive Board members can participate in some NJSLC events. The NJSLC host institution facilitates meeting arrangements. The JASPA Executive Board will coordinate with the host institution’s SSAO. 
• The JASPA VP of Programming will provide ongoing support to the host institution including engagement in financial planning discussions to clarify the financial expectations of the conference, including the role of host institution, the role of JASPA, reasonable program scope and costs, and assuring appropriate registration fees.

JASPA Summer Internship Series

In the inaugural year for the JASPA Summer Internship, we are thrilled to welcome 10 interns to our AJCU campuses this summer! Please see the list of interns below. If they are currently on your campus, we encourage you to reach out to congratulate them. If they are coming to your campus for the summer, please also consider reaching out to them to give them a warm JASPA welcome! We are excited to work with these individuals who represent the future of student affairs on our campuses.

We appreciate all of you who submitted internship positions and worked with us through our processes during this pilot year. We are currently evaluating the program and look forward to working alongside you all for years to come to develop a strong pipeline of professionals wishing to positively impact our AJCU communities. For questions or comments, please contact Dr. Molly Dugan (duganm@xavier.edu) or Doug McAcy (douglasmcacy@creighton.edu).

JASPA Five Year Institute Webinar Series

The Five-Year Institute Featured Session Series provides the chance to enjoy sessions from the 2025 Five-Year Institute for no cost from the comfort of your home campus!

Fostering Belonging through Restorative Practices - Collaborative Approaches to Student Conduct and Community
May 5, 2026 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Register Here

Questions? Contact Brian Regan, JASPA Vice President for Online Enrichment - reganbi@bc.edu

Functional Area Network Sessions

Functional Area Networks (FANs) have a few sessions coming up, please feel free to attend any (or all!) of the sessions even if they are not within your FAN area or even within your specific area of higher education. We are happy to engage with everyone who is curious about what student affairs may look like in another area. Please also share with your colleagues who may find interest in the FAN webinars. Academic Support Services,

Administrative & Business Operations FAN/JASPA
Date and Time: Thursday Apr 30, 2026 ⋅ 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM (Eastern Time - New York)
Description: Join us to keep the momentum going after the Administrative and Business Operations FAN session at the JASPA conference. This informal virtual gathering is a chance to connect, reflect on key takeaways, share new ideas, and help shape what comes next for our network. It would be wonderful to connect whether you were able to attend the FAN session or were not - all perspectives are welcome.
Zoom Link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/4139347735

Health, Wellness, CARE FAN
Friday, May 1, 2026 from 12:00 PM -1:00 PM CST (Central Time)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://georgetown.zoom.us/j/96000854921?jst=2

Thank you for your continued engagement with our FAN Groups. Stay tuned for more upcoming webinars in other FAN areas.

Upcoming Programs