Ahead of the upcoming Digital Collegium Annual Conference (Oct. 18 to 21, in Pittsburgh and online), Link Journal writer Tim Nekritz asked event chair Tom Wojciechowski, associate vice president for web development and content strategy at Daemen University, about the conference’s benefits, logistics and longevity, and why it resembles a family gathering.
Q. Starting with the obvious, who should attend and why should a person want to attend the annual conference?
The great thing about the Digital Collegium annual conference is that it has valuable content for a wide range of professionals who work with higher education, from developers, marketers and programmers to managers, designers, writers and all team members in-between. If you work in higher education, you will be able to bring new ideas and professional connections back to your campus.
Q. This conference has been going on since 2000 (!) and has developed its own legend and lore. Why do you think it’s still going strong?
For a lot of our attendees, going to the annual conference feels like a homecoming. You are surrounded by peers who are doing what you do and who manage similar projects, goals and challenges. Personally, I have met some of my closest and dearest friends through the conference.
While you’re at the conference, you’ll probably hear about taking a golden nugget back home with you. Basically, it’s a reminder to focus on discovering just one or two core concepts that you know you can bring back to your institution and help implement. That doesn’t mean you won’t learn lots, lots more, but those special golden nuggets of information are the real value and takeaways.
“For a lot of our attendees, going to the annual conference feels like a homecoming. You are surrounded by peers who are doing what you do and who manage similar projects, goals and challenges.”
Q. The annual conference is obviously a huge production—can you talk a bit about how long planning takes and how many people are part of it?
The annual conference is a labor of love. It is planned and executed by a team of mostly volunteers. This year, there are around 40 people who have been working as a team for the last year to put together the annual conference.
These people selflessly volunteer hundreds of hours of work because they believe in creating a positive environment where colleagues share their successes and have frank and productive conversations. In addition to our dedicated volunteers, DigiCol has two outstanding staff members without whom the association and the conference would not be able to achieve all they do.
Q. Any particular advice for people planning to attend for the first time?
Welcome! And: challenge yourself! Try going to a session that is not something you do at work but are interested in. Make an effort to attend the after-session activities. There will be lots of sponsor events, an opportunity to have a free dinner with a board member and a fun evening at the Heinz History Center that is capped off with singing (if that is your thing) and socializing at Karaokeplane.
One of our goals is that by the time the conference ends, you have made some professional connections and even maybe a few new friendships.
Q. Last and certainly not least, what are you most looking forward to for this year’s conference?
A. I can’t wait to see everyone! I most look forward to Sunday when everyone is checking in for the conference; the energy and positivity is wonderful.
I am particularly excited about our keynote chat with Priya Parker and all she has to say. And I have already planned out my whole conference schedule using the Event Hub tools.
I think I know where I am going to get my golden nugget from — but I wouldn’t be shocked if it was from a totally different and unexpected source! Be sure to come say hi in Pittsburgh, and I’ll let you know what I learn.
Want to learn more?
Digital Collegium’s 2026 Annual Conference will take place Oct. 18 to 21. For more information or to register, visit the Annual Conference website.