NextGen Institute 2026

The ACPA NextGen Institute engages participants in an exploration of the student affairs profession and relevant pathways into the field. By fostering connections among participants, mentors, and ACPA entities, NextGen provides opportunities for information gathering, reflection, and guidance that create a valuable pipeline for future graduate students and professionals in student affairs. NextGen strives to reflect research-informed scholarship and practice in welcoming new collaborators in our efforts to actualize more socially just campuses and a more inclusive profession and world. NextGen is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to learn about the field of student affairs. Topics include the breadth of functional areas, trends in Student Affairs, different types of colleges and universities, the graduate school application and selection process, and ACPA. The institute is an opportunity for the next generation of Student Affairs educators to learn from faculty and professionals with a variety of personal and professional experiences and identities from diverse institutional types. NextGen is a wonderful opportunity for participants to learn about the Student Affairs profession, meet new colleagues, establish mentoring relationships, and reflect on the intersection of their personal and professional identities in pursuit of a meaningful career path.