Happy 2025, I hope your new year is off to a good start! It’s an exciting time in CDS with a lot of good things happening. Conference planning is going full steam and preparations are on track, with more than 130 proposals submitted. That is an increase of more than 25% from a year ago. There will be lots of ways to engage this year including a robust slate of pre-conference workshops, exciting mobile learning workshops, and some unique ways to experience Geneva and the Finger Lakes region of New York. When making your plans to attend the conference this year it will be important to make your housing arrangements early. The conference will be held on the campus of Hobart & William Smith Colleges, so we do not have a conference hotel. CDS does have blocks of rooms at hotels near the campus and a block of dormitory rooms on campus. However, if you’re not planning to stay in the dorms you will need to make reservations early to make sure you’re able to get a room at the conference rate. Details will be coming out soon so be sure to regularly check the CDS website for updates (cdsociety.org). Expect lodging information in early February with conference registration opening in early March.
CDS is still soliciting proposals to host the 2026, 2027 and 2028 conferences. If you have an interest in hosting the CDS conference, please submit your letter of interest by February 28, 2025 via email to the Programs Committee Co-Chair, Sarah Massengale, at hultines@umsl.edu. I have helped host a couple of CDS conferences over the years. CDS has good support for the process, a proven planning process and considerable flexibility to highlight the community development in your region. It’s also a nice way to strengthen networks amongst those in your region involved in community development and share the unique and successful practices in your community. We are going to learn a lot about community development in Geneva this summer and that’s exciting for us but also for our hosts.
A couple of weeks ago the program committee held a webinar on changes to how CDS is organized to support programs led by co-chairs Neil Linscheid and Sarah Hultine-Massengale. The program committee has four working groups including conference planning, conference site selection, webinars and training, and awards. All four are very active and have many opportunities for members to get involved. If you are interested in being a part of one of the program subcommittees or any of the other CDS committees or working groups please CLICK HERE and sign up. It’s a great way to broaden your network and contribute to the work of the society.
In service,
