An S-PAC model [student professionalism awareness conference]

A student professionalism awareness conference (S-PAC) had been proposed for the Ohio Northern University (ONU) since the early eighties. Each time it was shelved because the effort involved was too overwhelming for the small program. While conventional thinking told the authors that a small school should plan a small S-PAC, they found success by going in the opposite direction. Expanding the S-PAC into a one day conference, planning it as a college event and requiring student attendance, produced an event that was well received and accomplished all the goals of an S-PAC. It also produced several benefits that were unexpected. ONU's first S-PAC was held on 7 March 2001 and was, by all accounts, a resounding success.