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2022 AJCU Honors Conference

The AJCU Honors Conference ("Racial Justice and the Common Good in Honors Education") will take place at Saint Louis University from April 1-2, 2022.

The annual AJCU Honors Conference is designed to promote discussion and share best practices surrounding honors education at Jesuit institutions.  Inspired by the AJCU's commitment to racial justice, this year's conference will invite honors directors, students, faculty and staff to think collectively about the challenges, opportunities and imperatives related to bringing racial justice to the forefront of our practice. The conference itinerary is still under development, but a general outline follows. At the bottom of this page, you will find information about conference registration and accommodations.

This conference includes honors program directors, administrators and faculty, as well as students at Jesuit colleges and universities. Each school is invited to bring several students to the conference's annual gathering to enrich the conversation. Although some threads of each conference are tailored specifically to administrators or students, most sessions are open to all conference participants.

This year marks the return of  the in-person conference after two years of  pandemic-induced cancellations and deferrals. We are eager to join, once again, in community with our Jesuit colleagues across the country.

Tentative Conference Schedule

Thursday, March 31
Happy Hour at the Element St. Louis Midtown Hotel (~5 p.m.) for early arrivals

Friday, April 1
Conference Welcome and Opening Remarks (9 a.m.-10 a.m.)
AM breakout sessions (10 a.m.-12 p.m.)
Lunch (12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.)
Racial Justice Ignatian Examen (2 p.m.-5 p.m.)
Day 1 Wrap-Up (5 p.m.-5:30 p.m.)
Directors Dinner (6 p.m.-8 p.m.)

Saturday, April 2
Morning breakout sessions (9 a.m.-11 a.m.)
Group concluding session (11 a.m.-12 p.m.)
Group Lunch Off-Campus (12-2 p.m.)
Departure or optional off-site activities (2 p.m. onward)

Conference Registration

Register for the 2022 AJCU Honors Conference by visiting the SLU Marketplace. The conference cost will be $190/guest, which will cover lunch for all guests on Friday and Saturday, the directors’ dinner on Friday, and other on-ground costs (e.g., snacks, local transportation after arrival at the hotel, etc.).

In order to plan for the appropriate number of guests, we ask that you complete your registration by February 15, 2022.

A note regarding ongoing COVID-19 concerns: If you register now and the conference is unable to proceed due to ongoing public health concerns, we will issue full refunds. 

Local Accommodations

Hotel

All conference sessions will take place on SLU's campus. Local hotel accommodations are available at the Element St. Louis Midtown Hotel, located just off campus (roughly 10-minute walk from the location of all sessions). Complimentary breakfast is available at the hotel on Friday and Saturday mornings.

We have secured a group rate of $159-199 under the AJCU Honors Conference heading.  Please use this link to book online.  All reservations must be made by March 3, 2022.  After that date, any unclaimed rooms from our block will be released to the general public and the preferred rate will no longer be available.

The preferred rates above are for "King Standard" and "Two Queen" suites.  In addition to these room types, the Element Hotel offers an innovative solution for larger groups, the Studio Commons, a four-bedroom suite with a common room in the middle.  While this room is not part of the AJCU Honors Conference reserved block, it might be a good solution for groups traveling with several students or two programs that wish to travel together and reduce costs.  The four-bedroom suite runs ~$900 night and can sleep up to eight people.

Parking is available at the St. Louis Element midtown for $25/day, but the SLU Honors Program will provide parking vouchers on campus for those driving to the conference.

Airport and Ground Transportation

Most out-of-town guests will fly into St. Louis Lambert International Airport (located roughly 17 miles from SLU's campus).  Taxi and Uber/Lyft are available from your terminal for roughly $30-40 one-way.

Once on SLU's campus, we will provide transportation to any conference-sponsored destinations (e.g., director's dinner, Saturday lunch).  Most activities will take place on campus, so there will be minimal need for transportation in and around St. Louis during the conference proceedings.