Call for Sessions
Ready to submit a session proposal and be a part of Spring Learning? Applications are open, and close on December 11, 2026.
Submitting a program for a Spring Learning Conference is a quick and simple process. You don’t need to be an expert to be a conference presenter, just have a program or idea you would like to share with the NODA community. Undergraduate students are welcome and encouraged to present at a NODA Spring Learning Conference, we ask that a professional or graduate student member submit the session proposal on the undergraduate student’s behalf.
Submit a proposal for:
Skills Based Sessions – Highlight the skills and tools that don’t always get to shine in the OT&R arena. Skill based sessions are practical demonstrations of everyday skills OT&R professionals may need.
Educational Session – Showcase current research, best practices, and/or professional techniques which advance the field of orientation, transition, and retention (OT&R) or enhance our professional careers.
Roundtable – Organized conversation with one or more moderators. Moderators provide a contextual overview to the topic and then facilitate dialogue between participants.
Associate Member Highlight - Presentations by Associate Members highlighting partnerships with NODA members or promoting specific goods or services. Fees apply to present.
Submit a proposal
Conference Speakers & Highlights
LeaderShape is known for creating immersive learning experiences that help students build the confidence and capacity to lead. With the collaboration of the NODA planning teams they have designed a keynote specifically for our new spring learning series that will continue that tradition by engaging students in meaningful reflection, hands-on practice, and real-world application. The keynote invites participants to explore their personal leadership strengths and styles to uncover how these qualities shape the way they show up on a team and in their orientation leader roles. Through interactive tools and guided reflection, students gain deeper self-awareness and a stronger understanding of their leadership potential.
Other highlights include…
- Undergraduate Case Study Competition information coming soon!
Hotel Information and Travel information
Travel
Airports:
Ground Transportation: When using GPS wayfinding programs, please use “UMass Amherst Campus Center Parking Garage.”
- From the North
- From I-91 South, take exit 36 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp, turn left and follow road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Go 1 mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow 8 miles to the UMass exit.
- From the East
- Via Route 2 West to Exit 71 (Belchertown/Amherst). From Route 2 take Route 202 South for about 15 miles to a blinking yellow light at Amherst Road. (You will see signs "to Rt 9 and Rt 116"). Turn right and follow Amherst Road (becomes Pelham Road after about 4 miles) for 7 miles to Amherst center.
- From the South
- From I-91 North, take Exit 25 in Northampton. From the exit ramp, turn right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North (turn left at traffic lights). The UMass exit is 1 mile up.
- From the West
- From Route 2 East, follow to Greenfield/I-91 exit. Take I-91 South to Exit 36, Deerfield. At the end of the ramp turn left and follow the road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Go 1 mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow for 8 miles to the UMass exit.
