Tuesday, March 10
12:00–2:00 p.m. tour of classrooms and new performance hall
meet at the STEAMery Cafe in the Nobel Hall of Science
Gustavus Adolphus College
Chapel Drive
St Peter, MN 56082
parking info
3:00–5:00 p.m. tour of production facilities and VR lab
meet in Honsey Hall
Bethany Lutheran College
705 Luther Dr
Mankato, MN 56001
parking info
5:30 p.m. dinner
Crooked Pint Ale House
1850 Madison Ave
Mankato, MN 56001
Wednesday, March 11
Centennial Student Union (CSU)
Minnesota State University, Mankato
620 West S Rd
Mankato, MN 56001
parking info
8:00 a.m. CSU 253–255 breakfast
8:30 a.m. CSU 245 welcome
8:50 a.m. CSU 245 keynote address – Meghan Marrer Andrew, MFA, Product Marketing Manager, Color Kinetics: “If I Can Do It at Home…“
9:50 a.m. break
10:05 a.m. CSU 245 project updates
11:05 a.m. break
11:20 a.m. breakout sessions
CSU 201 – Miranda Novak, Director of Instructional Design, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, and John Knowles, Assistant Director of Learning Spaces, Augsburg University: “Succession Planning and Staff Growth.”
In higher education AV, departments are often small, and “upward” movement is difficult to build in. However, to keep folks engaged, we need to give them the ability to grow in their roles, which can also serve as succession planning. Are we taking advantage of “Latent Leadership,” meaning giving growth opportunities to our techs and student workers that afford them some autonomy and project ownership and give them space to grow.
Questions to discuss: “The Promotion Trap”: In a department with flat hierarchies, how do we keep a high-performer from leaving when we literally do not have a higher job title to give them? “The Silver Tsunami”: We often talk about succession as a future problem, but what happens if your only System Designer or Lead Tech leaves next Friday? What is the one piece of institutional knowledge you are most terrified of losing? “The Student-to-Staff Pipeline”: Many of us started as student workers. Are we training our current students to be our future colleagues, or are we just using them as “cable pullers” and “delivery drivers”?
Note: Miranda developed this presentation but cannot attend the Summit this year. With her permission, John is going to present and lead the discussion.
CSU 204 – Doug McCartney, Executive Director of Classroom Support & Instructional Technical Services, Oakland University: “Things Take Time: South Foundation Hall.”
How to stay focused, be flexible, and maintain your sanity on an audio-visual classroom project that took longer than expected (2018–2024) due to the ramifications of the COVID Pandemic.
CSU 238 – Joseph Leija, CTS-I, Associate Director of Media Technology, Denison University: “Creating a Collaborative Blueprint for Successful Learning Space Planning.”
How do you create a successful plan for learning spaces updates across campus? Who needs to be involved? How regularly does the committee meet? What tools can you use to obtain valuable feedback from faculty and students? How do you prioritize what gets approved?
12:20 p.m. CSU 253–255 – lunch and raffle
1:20 p.m. breakout sessions
CSU 201 – Mike Pedersen, MEng, CTS-D, CTS-I, Audiovisual Experience Manager, Iowa State University: “AV Infrastructure Done Right: The Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building Case Study.”
Attendees will learn how enterprise facility teams, AV teams, and AEC contractors can collaborate successfully to ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place the first time to support AV systems in the building.
Attendees will learn how to complete pre-design activities, then create a successful RFP process to choose an AV integrator for a new building construction project.
Attendees will learn successful techniques for an enterprise AV/IT team to coordinate with the AV integrator and various trades throughout the AV installation process.
CSU 204 – Michael Hooper, CTS-I, Senior Enterprise Accounts Manager – EDU, Biamp: “Speech Reinforcement without Regret.” How to make it louder without feedback.
CSU 238 – Rick Nimtz, CTS, AV Design Consultant, University of Notre Dame: “Present at a conference? I would but I can’t talk in front of people.” You want to present, you have something to say, but talking in front of other people is terrifying, how do people do it? Good presenters make it look so easy, can I do it too? What do people want to hear and how can I make it fit in the time allowed? What if I don’t talk long enough, or talk too long? At this session you’ll discover that fear and nerves are normal, and how to use them to your advantage?
2:20 p.m. break
2:35 p.m. breakout sessions
CSU 201 – Damon Whitcomb, Senior Learning Technology Manager, and John Workman, Networking Engineer, Minnesota State University, Mankato: “Networking and AV: How Do We Work Together?“
How we partner between AV and Networking to make sure that 3,000 AV devices live safely and reliably on our network?
How do you have conversations between the two groups? What are some challenges we solved and what challenges remain?
CSU 204 – Darrin Kimsey, Sales Executive, Teledyne LeCroy: “HDMI 2.2.”
When is HDMI 2.2 coming? Are you prepared? What is the industry planning?
CSU 238 – Chris Kelly, MA, Senior IT Support Specialist, Creighton University, and Troy Dale Powers, AV Systems Support Lead, Northwestern University: “Finding Your People.”
How can people find professional connections? Where can people go to learn things on a budget? What are some organizations worth joining? How can people get involved in the industry?
3:35 p.m. depart from CSU 253–255: classroom tours
5:00 p.m. pizza happy hour
LocAle Brewery
228 Poplar St
Mankato, MN 56001
Stay tuned for Summit v. 13 spring 2027!