Join Us at HECA 2026 in Chicago

We're excited to be heading to Chicago next week for the 2026 Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) Conference, where members of The Student-Athlete Advisors will be presenting two sessions that explore some of the more nuanced corners of college advising.

The first session, Supporting LD/ND Student-Athletes through the College Search Process, will examine the unique challenges and opportunities facing student-athletes with learning differences and neurodivergent profiles. Athletic recruiting adds another layer of complexity to the college search, and Amy Bryant will join Jen Hambleton form the LD/ND space to discuss how counselors can help students find colleges where they can thrive academically, socially, and athletically.

Our second session, You Can't Write That!! Making the Most of Cliché and Controversial Essay Topics, tackles a question counselors hear all the time: "Can I write about that?" Together with experienced college essay specialists, Katie will explore how students can approach overused, sensitive, or unconventional topics in thoughtful and authentic ways. Rather than focusing on lists of forbidden subjects, we'll discuss what actually makes an essay work and how counselors can help students uncover meaningful stories in unexpected places.

One of the things we enjoy most about conference presentations is the opportunity to bring together specialists from different corners of the profession. Both sessions pair members of The Student-Athlete Advisors with experts in related fields, creating conversations that go beyond traditional admissions or recruiting advice and explore the intersections where students often need the most support.

If you'll be attending HECA this year, we'd love to see you there. Stop by, introduce yourself, and join us for what we hope will be two engaging conversations about the evolving work of college advising.