APC Colleges

Today, we recognize Juneteenth – a celebration of freedom, resilience, and the ongoing journey toward equality.

💬 This afternoon, we had three more incredible sessions on Cybersecurity, AI, and Middle States Accreditation.

➡️Howard Leslie TIV Consultant and John McCormick of Monroe University covered the emerging risks, internal control vulnerabilities and best practices for prevention detection, and response to ensure the protection of sensitive data, financial resources, and institutional reputation.

➡️Dr. Scott Carnz and Dr. Peter E. Zirogiannis of LIM College explored how LIM College implemented AI across academic support services, classrooms, and administrative operations.

➡️David Cohen of Five Towns College moderated a panel of Dr. Erica Schacht of the College of Westchester, Dr. Scott Carnz of LIM College, Anne Loria and Christopher Keaton of Bryant & Stratton College, and Christopher Barto of Monroe University. They covered effective approaches to self-study development, organizing evidence, engaging campus stakeholders, and preparing for site visits to position institutions for a successful outcome with the Middle States Accreditation.

Thank you to all who participated in the Innovation Summit. We hope everyone that joined us the past two days walked away with something new to take back to their schools!

This morning we heard from three amazing speakers and an incredibly thoughtful panel. They covered topics from employment to keeping students engaged in the classroom. 🚀

First, we heard from Michael Hatten of NYADI The College of Transportation Technology and Trey Wright, Managing Director of the Recruits Wright Group. Their session explored how a strategic partnership between a hiring firm and a career college resulted in 16 successful placements with a retention rate that is above industry norms.

Next, we heard from Cara Ruggiero of Berkeley College. Her session covered course design as product development by showing how to help solve issues that most higher education institutions are facing – student disengagement and chronic absenteeism. She drew on principles of user research, rapid iteration, and feedback-driven design and went over practical strategies for building courses that students feel genuinely invested in.

Our first panel of the day covered the topic of meeting students where they are with practical strategies for holistic support. Moderator Maria Gangi, of the College of Westchester, led the conversation with
➡️Alex Canals and Saafia Del-LLano of Monroe University
➡️Michael Cavalli of Five Towns College
➡️Will Moya of Berkeley College

The group highlighted actionable strategies and real-world approaches that institutions can use to connect students with critical resources, strengthen support systems, and create more inclusive learning environments.

We are looking forward to hearing more from our amazing speakers later in the day!

We were absolutely thrilled to welcome the U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent to this year's APC Innovation Summit for a fireside chat. The conversation moderated by APC board chair David Cohen from Five Towns College was incredibly informative for all in attendance.

We are so appreciative to him for taking the time to join us and sharing important insights to higher education at the federal landscape and changes on the horizon.

Today is and we have so much to celebrate. Our member colleges are filled with school spirit and without our mascots cheering loudly from the sidelines, our APC school communities would not be the same!

We were pleased to welcome Howard Leslie, a TIV Consultant and friend of APC, to join us for an afternoon session on what schools should do to adapt following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including:
➡️ adjusting financial aid strategies.
➡️ enhancing student communication.
➡️ anticipating enrollment impacts and identify gaps that may require new financing solutions or policy engagement.

Our first session for the day: "Surviving in a Regulatory Environment!"

There's plenty to talk about at the federal level, including what's happening with regulations and the US Department of Education. Our expert presenters Kristina Gill and Katherine Brodie from Duane Morris shared insights into the Department's request for negotiated rulemaking and congressional action, and proposals related to federal student loans, loan servicing and private loan options. 🏛️🧑‍🎓

And we're off - the 2026 APC Innovation Summit is underway! Our two-day conference started off with a board meeting to discuss this past year and plan for some exciting ways we can collaborate to support our member colleges and all of the students that they serve.

We have a packed program, filled with guest speakers, industry insights and member panels. Stay tuned! 🚀

Congratulations to the Monroe University class of 2026! We cannot wait to see all that you accomplish! ✨

We are a week away from the 2026 Innovation Summit in Saratoga Springs, NY! Check out a sneak peek at the exciting speakers and topics we'll cover on the first day. Hope to see you there!🚀

Learn more and register: https://loom.ly/41DOrlI