2026 SPARC National Conference

Move your Marketing and Auxiliary relationship from transactional to strategic. This session explores the key data points that matter, regardless of your role, and how to align auxiliary insights with broader school data to drive smarter decisions. Learn how to shift from reactive requests to intentional planning that supports both enrollment and program growth.

We’ll break down how to use data to inform marketing efforts, improve communication with MARCOM teams, and build trust through a shared strategy. When you move beyond quick fixes and last-minute asks, you create space for stronger collaboration, clearer messaging, and more impactful results. Walk away with practical ways to streamline your process, strengthen your partnership, and position your auxiliary program as a strategic asset within your school.

Gen Z is reshaping our programs, expectations, and day-to-day realities—and many of us are navigating that shift in real time, often without a clear roadmap. This session offers a space to come together as colleagues facing similar challenges and opportunities. Through a guided, candid conversation, participants will share what’s working, what’s not, and the questions we’re still trying to answer. From engagement and communication to boundaries and expectations, we’ll explore the evolving dynamics of working with the next generation in our programs.

Offering financial assistance within revenue-generating programs can feel challenging—but it is possible to design models that expand access while maintaining program sustainability. In this session, two auxiliary program leaders share how their institutions built financial assistance into their summer camps and enrichment programs. Presenters will walk through the rationale behind allocating aid, how they partner with community-based organizations to reach families, and the operational processes used to distribute and manage funding. The session will also highlight lessons learned, including how these efforts have strengthened community partnerships and broadened program participation. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for creating financial aid structures, identifying community partners, and making the case for access initiatives within auxiliary and summer program operations.