July 22-24, 2026 | Auburn-Opelika, AL
Welcome to the 2026 AACE Summer Conference Page!
This webpage will provide you with all the necessary information and updates related to the summer conference. We appreciate your interest in attending, and we look forward to seeing you there. For additional information or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at office@aaceal.com.
We are excited to gather together this summer as peers from institutions of higher education and industry across the State of Alabama as we connect, develop, and empower one another for the betterment of our state’s workforce.
What To Expect:
- Traditional Breakout sessions
- Mini Sessions/ Roundtables
- Inspiring Keynote Speakers
- Welcome Event
- Employer Tour
- Business Mixer
- Networking with Professionals
Host Hotel
The Graduate | Auburn, AL
Address: 202 West Magnolia Avenue, Auburn, AL 36530
Room block available through June 19th, 2026 with the discounted rate. To reserve your room visit https://book.passkey.com/event/51212210/owner/50922870/home
Room block rate of $189/night available for the nights of 7/21/26-7/23/26
Conference Location
The conference will be held at the Southern Union State Community College: Opelika Campus
Address: 301 Lake Condy Road, Opelika, AL 36801
*Transportation will be provided to and from by Southern Union State Community College.
Registration Rates
- AACE Member: Early Registration Rate (Ends May 31, 2026) – $175
- AACE Member: Standard Registration Rate (beginning June 1, 2026) – $195
- Non-Members Registration Rate – $225
Tentative Conference Agenda (Subject to Change)
Monday, July 20th
1:00pm | New Member Orientation via Zoom
Tuesday, July 21st
9:00am-3:00pm (tentatively) | Pre-Conference Training – Alabama Higher Education AI Exchange: Classroom to Career hosted at Auburn University
AI is not just changing industries. It’s changing the skills behind them.
On July 21, leaders from business, higher education, and workforce development will convene for a focused conversation about how skills are evolving inside Alabama’s most critical industries, and how classrooms, career services, and employers are adapting in real time. Each industry-focused panel will bring together:
- Business leaders describing how AI is reshaping roles and expectations
- Faculty sharing how curriculum and learning experiences are shifting
- Career professionals connecting students to emerging workforce realities
This year’s Exchange, presented in partnership with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and the Alabama Association of Colleges and Employers, will move beyond theory to examine how the full talent pipeline must evolve together.
More details can be found here.
*AACE members must register through the AACE Summer Conference Registration Link here. (The Pre-Conference Training is free to attend for all AACE members).
1:00-4:00pm | Leadership Academy Final Session
136Q Foy Hall at Auburn University Career Discovery and Success Training Room
4:00pm | Hotel Check In Available
5:00-7:00pm | Welcome Bash at New Realm Brewery / Hey Day Market
(Families welcome!)
Wednesday, July 22nd
9:00-9:30am | Conference Registration / Check In for Industry Tour Participants
9:30-11:30am | Industry Tours at Auburn University College of Aviation & RFID Lab
Take a tour of the aviation building and flight simulator at the Auburn University College of Aviation Airport. (If you experience motion sickness, vertigo, or other issues from movement or close screens, this may not be the activity for you.) Then, tour the RFID Lab, where you will visit each industry simulation, retail, aviation, and food services with an overview of RFID technology and research being conducted.
12:00-1:00pm | Welcome Session & Lunch
Auburn-Opelika Tourism
1:00-2:00pm | Opening Keynote Session: “Rooted in Relationships: How Purposeful Communication Builds Professional Growth”
Joel Hughes, Alabama Department of Transportation Training Bureau Chief
2:00-2:45pm | Breakout Session
2:45-3:30pm | Breakout Session
3:30-4:30pm | Campus Tour
Thursday, July 23rd
9:00-10:00am | Welcome & Interactive AI Session
Dr. Asim Ali, Executive Director of the Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning
10:00-11:00am | Breakout Session
11:00am-12:00pm | Breakout Session
12:00-1:00pm | AACE Business Meeting & Lunch
1:00-1:30pm | Sponsor Presentation
1:30-2:30pm | Rooted Roundtables
2:30-3:30pm | Panel
4:00-6:00pm | Business Networking Mixer
Friday, July 24th
9:00-10:00am | Ending Keynote Session
10:00-11:00am | Final Breakout Session
11:00-11:30am | Awards Ceremony & Door Prizes
11:30am-12:00pm | “Rooted in Connections” Tree Planting Ceremony
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
