Thank you, Xavier University for hosting the
National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC)!
Dates: July 13-16, 2026
Host School: Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio
Theme: "Queen City with a Jesuit Heart"
View the conference schedule
The 28th annual NJSLC at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH had just under 200 participants from 20 AJCU schools. Deep gratitude to Xavier's NJSLC Chair, Sophie Roepke, and co-chairs, Ray Flannery, Maeve Kirby, Derek Goeglein for being incredible hosts alongside their student co-chairs: Tyrae Walker, Emily Ruschman, and Brigid Burke.
🔍 Check this list to find out the last time your institution hosted 🔎
The National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC) is a multi-day conference for all 28 Jesuit colleges and universities that are members of JASPA.
Sponsored by the Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators (JASPA), a different Jesuit institution hosts the conference every summer. The conference provides student leaders with collaborative opportunities to develop ideas, explore issues, and build stronger leadership skills to better serve their institutions in the Jesuit tradition. NJSLC is comprised of workshops, group discussions, social programming, a day of service, and opening and closing banquets.
2026 & 2027 Host Institution Bid Process
National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference
ALL BIDS ARE DUE at 8PM EST on Friday, SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2026.
Institutions will be notified by Friday, SEPTEMBER 18th, 2026.
Indicate if you are interested in hosting in ‘27, ‘28 or either.
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. Email Jessie Graf at jessica.graf@bc.edu and Sophie Roepke at roepkes@xavier.edu (most recent Chair) for more information if your institution is interested in hosting NJSLC 2027 or 2028. Please submit your bid as a PDF attachment to Jessie and Sophie by 8:00pm EST on Friday, September 11th, 2026.
All bids must include the following:
- Letter of Intent to host the conference including the preferred year the institution would like to host: 2027, 2028 or if open to either, please indicate
- 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 late June or 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 + Keynote Speaker
- Day 3: Programming + possible on-campus or off-campus service opportunities
- Day 4: Programming + Closing Ceremonies
- Day 5: Departure
- Information regarding the institution’s ability to host 175-250 conference participants. Please detail the following:
- Type of housing available including the maximum number of participants your institution could house if participation numbers exceed 250. 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 will include a short day retreat for advisors on the first full day of the conference. This will be planned/supported by the VP for Ignatian Spirituality who serves on 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.
History of NJSLC
In August of 1997, at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, students from a number of the 28 Jesuit colleges and their affiliate universities gathered in an effort to improve the leadership at each school. The original purpose of the conference was to improve the student governments at each university. Now, though, the conference includes community service leaders, orientation staffs, resident housing staff members, peer educators, club leaders, and even administrators.
Since its premier, the conference has been bringing together student leaders from around the nation in order to improve our ability to serve our fellow students. The following mission statement was adopted in 1997:
"Student organization leaders collaborating to develop ideas, explore student issues, and build stronger leadership skills to better serve their colleges and universities in the Jesuit tradition."
JASPA's sponsored NJSLC conference continues to grow around its mission statement by helping student organization leaders collaborate to develop ideas, explore student issues, and build stronger leadership skills to better serve their colleges and universities in the Jesuit tradition.
Past Host Schools
2025 - Saint Louis University
2024 - John Carroll University
2023 - College of the Holy Cross
2022 - Loyola University Maryland
2019 - University of Detroit Mercy
2018 - Le Moyne College
2017 - Georgetown University
2016 - Regis University
2015 - Canisius College
2014 - Boston College
2013 - Santa Clara University
2012 - College of the Holy Cross
2011 - Loyola University Chicago
2010 - Fordham University
2009 - Creighton University
2008 - Seattle University
2007 - Marquette University
2006 - Rockhurst University
2005 - Saint Joseph's University
2004 - Loyola Marymount University
2003 - Canisius College
2002 - Creighton University
2001 - Gonzaga University
2000 - Loyola University Maryland
1999 - John Carroll University
1998 - Xavier University
1997 - Regis University
Interested in Hosting?
Jessica Graf, JASPA Vice President for Programming, Boston College, jessica.graf@bc.edu