Build your professional network at the Crossroads Conference

Feb. 21, 2025
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Professional networking may feel like a daunting task on top of your already-hectic, day-to-day schedule. But what if you could attend a conference designed to connect with your University of Arizona colleagues, without having to worry about the time and expenses to travel? Look no further than Staff Council's annual Crossroads Conference. 

2025 Conference Overview

This year's conference, themed "Perseverance at the Crossroads," will provide two options to attend, both with plenty of opportunities for learning and networking.

In-person:

  • When: May 12, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. MST
  • Where: Student Union Memorial Center
  • Cost: $75 
  • What: Light breakfast, 30 workshop options (majority of the presenters are U of A employees), lunch, raffles and break-out times for networking. 

Virtual:

  • When: May 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. MST
  • Where: Zoom 
  • Cost: $15 
  • What: 10 workshop sessions (majority of the presenters are U of A employees) and break-out times for networking.

Save the date and indicate your interest in attending! You will receive a notification when the conference registration is live. 

"Crossroads is everything you didn't know you needed," said Danielle M. Hallahan, program manager in Administrative Operations for the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities. "It is a great opportunity to connect with those who are managing the same type of challenges and projects and get input and ideas on how to improve. It is also a time to come together and celebrate the immense good we are doing." 

Five Tips to Help You Network at the Crossroad Conference
  • Prepare questions to potentially ask the presenter(s) and commit to ask at least one during the session. Conspicuously engaging with the topic can naturally spark further conversation with other like-minded colleagues and make you more visible to colleagues. And since most presenters are U of A employees, your question can open the door for follow-up later.
  • Attend a session on a topic that's new to you. New topics can expose you to new people and lead to conversations you would not have had otherwise with U of A colleagues.
  • Intentionally chat with someone you do not know yet. Exchange emails for networking and make mental notes of topics you can follow-up on later.
  • Connect with your new acquaintances after the conference. Block time after the conference to draft and send messages via email or through LinkedIn. Reference a concrete topic you discussed or ask a follow-up question to keep the conversation moving.
  • Play matchmaker with your department colleagues. When returning from a conference, it’s common to share what was learned with your home department. But be sure to also make relevant connections between your new acquaintances and your work colleagues based on skillsets, common problems, or shared solutions.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with and learn from your U of A colleagues. Remember to sign up to receive an alert when registration is live. 

Explore other ways to connect with the university’s Staff Council and to get involved in the Crossroads Conference: