--- title: "Higher Education Professionals: Out With Old, In With Different" id: "15898" type: "post" slug: "higher-education-professionals-out-with-old-in-with-different" published_at: "2013-02-13T23:02:03+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:04:33+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/02/13/higher-education-professionals-out-with-old-in-with-different/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/02/13/higher-education-professionals-out-with-old-in-with-different.md" excerpt: "How one group of higher education professionals created an atmosphere of innovation, as well as a casual conference setting, for their event. Also: A collection of new technologies to bring to your next event." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "event planning" - "higher education" - "Meetings" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Higher Education Professionals: Out With Old, In With Different If you had the opportunity to plan an entire event from scratch, what would you do to break from the event-planning mold? One university’s attempt, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Standards Are Too Standard https://twitter.com/OmniMeetings/status/301752832275644416 **They say rules are meant to be broken,** but when is it OK to challenge standards? Some think the best way is to start with a blank slate—and when staff at Rutgers University started working on an event with New Jersey Alliance, these higher education professionals had just that opportunity. When they sat down to design their event, Big Ideas in Higher Education, they had the challenge to build it from scratch—and loved it. “We didn’t have anyone saying, ‘This is the way it’s always been done,’” Courtney O’Connell, assistant director of leadership and training at Rutgers, [told MeetingsNet (opens in a new tab)](http://meetingsnet.com/association-meetings/benefits-breaking-rules?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_content=6164697a-12fa-49ef-9d92-dc7adf00a8d1) . The university and association had one goal in mind, and that was to improve the state of dull higher education events. They didn’t hold any keynote addresses, relied on guerilla marketing, and brought in experts from different fields instead of academics to spark innovation. How have your events strayed from the traditional? *(ht [@OmniMeetings (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/OmniMeetings) )* ### Shiny New Toys > Are you using the last event tech trends at your meetings and events? [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/e87eVMS1 (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/e87eVMS1) > > — Richelle Wilkins (@RichelleDeniseW) [February 13, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/RichelleDeniseW/status/301798271960104961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **With the stampede of new technologies,** it’s hard to keep up with which ones are valuable and which ones aren’t. But new gadgets are always fun to play with, and they can add spark to events. From glamorous interactive walls to applications that let users view and work with presentation slides on their own devices, *BizBash* [has collected five new tech gadgets to consider for your next event (opens in a new tab)](http://www.bizbash.com/5_new_event_technology_gadgets_you_should_know_about/washington/story/25198) . *(ht [@RichelleDeniseW (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/RichelleDeniseW) )* What cool stories have you been sharing today? Let us know in the comments. [Anita Ferrer](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Anita Ferrer is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/anita-ferrer/) Tags: [#event planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-planning/) [#higher education](https://associationsnow.com/tag/higher-education/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F02%2F13%2Fhigher-education-professionals-out-with-old-in-with-different%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !