Unwind and connect at our end-of-day reception: an opportunity to relax, reflect, and build relationships with colleagues from across SEMSA. Join us for light refreshments, conversation, and community as we close out the day together.
Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Summit 2026
May 28, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Performing Arts Center
We look forward to seeing you at our conference-style summit! Please review the session information below, and after clicking "Register for the Summit," you’ll be able to select the sessions you’d like to attend from an à la carte menu. Session attendance is required to register for lunch.
Welcome and Introduction: Miossi Hall
9:00 – 10 a.m.
Join us as we kick off the SEMSA Summit with a warm welcome and reflections on where we’re headed as a division and the work ahead. We will also celebrate our community through the presentation of the Chandler Awards, recognizing staff who exemplify exceptional service to students and the Cal Poly community.
Breakout Session 1
10:10 – 11 a.m
The Water of Systems Change: The Role of Student Affairs in Transforming Higher Education
Department: Campus Health & Well-Being
Location: Miossi Hall
Participants will explore the three interconnected levels of systems change: structural (policies, programs, resources), relational (trust, collaboration, belonging), and transformational (beliefs and narratives about students and success). Utilizing guided systems mapping, participants apply the model to challenges such as retention gaps, first-generation success, or student belonging.
By identifying leverage points across all three levels, student affairs professionals learn how their daily practice shapes not only access to resources, but also campus culture and student identity. The session positions student affairs as central to advancing equity through programs and through shifting relationships and mindsets that define who belongs and who thrives.
Kirsten Vinther-Fanucchi, Associate Director - Safer
Kimme Schiltgen, Health Promotion Lead
Breakout Session 2
11:10 – noon
Building Safer Spaces: Cultivating a Resilient Campus through Trauma Informed Practices
Department: Campus Health & Well-Being
Location: Miossi Hall
Nearly two-thirds of incoming undergraduates have experienced trauma, with lasting impacts on academic success. Staff and faculty are often the first point of contact for students seeking support, yet many are unsure how to respond or what resources are available. Supporting students through traumatic experiences can also take an emotional toll, leading to vicarious trauma.
In this session, Safer staff will share practical tools for providing trauma-informed care, navigating student disclosures, and managing secondary trauma. Participants will gain awareness of campus resources and strategies to effectively support students who have experienced trauma.
Gillian Cutshaw, Campus Advocate - Safer
Rene Candelaria, Prevention Specialist - Safer
Kirsten Vinther-Fanucchi, Associate Director - Safer
Lunch: PAC Lobby
12:00 – 1 p.m.
RSVP for lunch and enjoy in the PAC Lobby, Patio or Pavilion. Please indicate if you prefer a vegan or gluten-free meal when registering.
Breakout Session 3
1:10 - 2:00 p.m.
Bridging Systems, Supporting Students: A Collaborative Model for Basic Needs
Department: Dean of Students, Campus Health & Well-Being, and Nutrition & Food Science
Location: Miossi Hall
Supporting students’ basic needs requires intentional collaboration across roles, departments, and areas of expertise. This session highlights how partnerships among Basic Needs, Off-Campus Housing, CalFresh Outreach, and Healthcare Navigation are working to reduce barriers and create more supportive, accessible systems of care. By centering equity and student well-being, we’ve developed tools that simplify resource navigation and promote a more compassionate, coordinated approach to support. Attendees will leave with practical examples of how cross-campus collaboration can translate into responsive, student-centered practices.
Maritza Perez, Basic Needs Coordinator
Sarah Bacio, Off Campus Housing Coordinator
Mel Vedrin, Student Healthcare Navigator
Olivia Watts, CalFresh Outreach Program Manager
Breakout Session 4
2:10 – 3:00 p.m.
Connecting Enrollment with Budget
Department: Institutional Effectiveness
Location: Miossi Hall
Learn about the State, CSU and campus budget processes and how these are tied to our enrollment goals. Included will be a review of the progress our campus has made and the strategies we are pursuing as part of our strategic enrollment planning.
Joe Borzellino, Associate Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management
Reception: PAC Lobby
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.