Gather with fellow student leaders to explore the ideas that shape our lives.
Veritas Weekend is the flagship student leadership conference of the Veritas Forum. The annual conference connects Christian students from universities across the country and provides training and discussion around integrating faith, scholarship, and life.
The 2023 Veritas Weekend will take place at The Boston Park Plaza from Friday, February 3rd to Sunday, February 5th.
This year's theme is "Loving the University: Engaging the Big Questions of Your Campus." Scholars, journalists, and other Christian leaders will explore with you how Christianity interacts with different dimensions of the modern academy, from specific disciplines (the sciences, the creative arts) to the various challenges facing higher ed.
The Veritas Weekend includes opportunities to:
The Veritas Weekend consists of two tracks to allow you to customize your experience:
AC Students Track is designed for students who are involved in a student campus publication that is affiliated with the Augustine Collective, a program of the Veritas Forum.
Veritas Leadership Fellows Track is designed for students who plan and run Veritas Forum events on their campuses.
Over the course of three days, our plenary speakers will address the theme "Loving the University: Engaging the Big Questions of Your Campus" from their specific areas of expertise.
University of Iowa
University of Iowa
Lori Peterson Branch is Associate Professor of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English Literature at the University of Iowa. She has published widely on literature, religion, and the postsecular, from the fourth-century Sayings of the Desert Fathers to seventeenth-century Dissent, contemporary Gothic novels, and Eastern Orthodoxy. She earned her PhD in English from Indiana University. With her collaborator Mark Knight, she has co-taught two NEH Summer Seminars for faculty on religion, secularism, and the novel. She edits the monograph series Literature, Religion, and Postsecular Studies for Ohio State University Press and is currently at work on a book project titled Postsecular Reason, an interdisciplinary manifesto for moving the humanities and social sciences beyond the secular-religious binary birthed in modernity.
Praxis
Praxis
Andy Crouch is partner for theology and culture at Praxis, an organization that works as a creative engine for redemptive entrepreneurship. His writing explores faith, culture, and the image of God in the domains of technology, power, leadership, and the arts. He is the author of five books (plus another with his daughter, Amy Crouch): The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World, The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place, Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing, Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power, and Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling.
University of San Diego
University of San Diego
Satyan Devadoss is the Fletcher Jones professor of applied mathematics and professor of computer science at the University of San Diego. Before moving to California, he was professor of mathematics at Williams College for nearly 15 years, and has held visiting positions at Ohio State, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, Harvey Mudd, and Stanford. An inaugural fellow of the American Mathematical Society and recipient of two national teaching awards, his thoughts have appeared in venues such as NPR, the Times of London, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He is a satisfactory father to four children and married to a queen.
Columbia University
Columbia University
Lydia Dugdale, MD, MAR, is the Dorothy L. and Daniel H. Silberberg Associate Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. She also serves as Associate Director of Clinical Ethics at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. A practicing internist, her scholarship focuses on end-of-life issues, the role of aesthetics in teaching ethics, moral injury, and the doctor-patient relationship. She edited Dying in the Twenty-First Century (MIT Press, 2015) and is author of The Lost Art of Dying (HarperOne, 2020), a popular press book on the preparation for death. Dugdale attended medical school at the University of Chicago, completed residency training at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and holds a MAR in ethics from Yale Divinity School.
Artist
Artist
Mako Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as "a small rebellion against the quickening of time." His art has been featured widely in galleries and museums around the world, and is collected by notable collections including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library, and the Tikotin Museum in Israel. Mako has published 4 books, including Art+Faith: A Theology of Making (Yale U. Press 2021, Foreword by N.T. Wright), and created an illuminated manuscript of Four Holy Gospels (Crossway 2011) to commemorate the 400 year anniversary of The King James Bible, which was a historic commission. Mako has also served on the National Council on the Arts as a President appointee, and has received four Doctor of Arts Honorary Degrees.
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Ruth L. Okediji is the Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School where she teaches courses in contracts, intellectual property (IP) law, and courses in biblical law. A widely cited prolific scholar and a foremost authority on the role of intellectual property in social and economic development, Professor Okediji has advised inter-governmental organizations, regional economic communities, and national governments on a range of matters related to patents, copyright, innovation policy, and human development. Okediji is a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Jos. She is the recipient of numerous awards for excellence in scholarship, teaching, mentorship and service, including recognition as one of the world’s top 50 leaders in IP law.
Calvin University
Calvin University
James K. A. Smith is professor of philosophy at Calvin University and serves as editor in chief of Image journal, a quarterly devoted to “art, mystery, and faith.” Trained as a philosopher with a focus on contemporary French thought, Smith has expanded on that scholarly platform to become an engaged public intellectual and cultural critic. An award-winning author and widely traveled speaker, he has emerged as a thought leader with a unique gift of translation, building bridges between the academy, society, and the church. He is the author of several books, most recently How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now.
The Veritas Weekend breakout sessions will offer a more intimate context to dive deeper into this year's theme and receive practical tips on running Forum events and publishing AC journals.
Augustine Collective Director, The Veritas Forum
Augustine Collective Director, The Veritas Forum
Peter serves as the Program Director for the Augustine Collective at the Veritas Forum, helping to support student publications at universities across the country. While attending Dartmouth College, he was the third editor-in-chief of The Dartmouth Apologia, one of the first publications in the Augustine Collective network. After graduating, Peter served as a writer and an editor at The American Interest, a magazine of politics and culture in Washington, DC. He then joined Thomistic Institute, an academic institute in DC, where he was the Campus Program Coordinator. Peter occasionally writes on a freelance basis, and he tweets at @PeterAWBlair.
Director of Forums, The Veritas Forum
Director of Forums, The Veritas Forum
Ashley Byrd is the Director of Forums and leads the effort to support campus partners to design and host forums that model discourse about life’s biggest questions across different worldviews characterized by intellectual humility and rigor. Previously, Ashley served as Regional Director for Veritas, where he coached planning teams in New York and New Jersey.
As a graduate of Columbia University, he developed a love for the campus that led him to serve students and faculty there as a Religious Life Advisor through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for 17 years. Ashley currently lives with his wife Carly and his daughters in Kailua, Hawaii.
CMC Events & Travel
CMC Events & Travel
Cara is the owner of CMC Events & Travel and an event lead for Veritas Weekend. She started her planning career at Tulane University, while earning her BA in English and Theatre. Since graduating, she has planned events throughout the world in the corporate, non-profit, and fundraising arenas. In her spare time, Cara enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and volunteering in her current hometown of Greenville, SC.
Aquinas House
Aquinas House
Fr. Timothy Danaher, O.P. is the Director and Chaplain at Aquinas House, the Catholic Student Center at Dartmouth College. He grew up in Steubenville, OH, where he attended Franciscan University, studying American Literature and Theology. He is a Dominican friar and was ordained in 2018 in Washington D.C. after graduate studies and ministry focused on hospital and Hispanic settings. Before arriving at AQ, he served for three years at St. Patrick’s Church in Philadelphia, PA. He hosts an occasional podcast with two other Dominicans called Friars and Film.
Shim & Associates
Shim & Associates
Haejin Shim Fujimura is the Founder and Managing Partner of Shim & Associates, a law firm in NY and NJ. Haejin is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Embers International, a global nonprofit organization catalyzing social justice and mercy ministries to bring about sustainable transformation. Embers currently focuses on protection, restoration and empowerment of survivors of trafficking, children of sex slaves, and the lowest caste youth of India. Haejin is also the President of Academy Kintsugi and the NYC Area Leader of International Justice Mission.
Augustine Collective Program Manager, The Veritas Forum
Augustine Collective Program Manager, The Veritas Forum
Moriah serves as Program Manager for the Augustine Collective at the Veritas Forum. Prior to joining Veritas, she was assistant editor at First Things, a journal of religion and public life in New York City. She holds a BA in English from Baylor University and an MAR in Religion and Literature from Yale Divinity School. Moriah currently lives in New Haven, Connecticut, where in her free time she enjoys kayaking in Connecticut’s many waterways.
PhD Student, Yale University
PhD Student, Yale University
Justin R. Hawkins is a PhD candidate at Yale University in the departments of Religious Studies and Political Science. His dissertation is entitled Crowned with Glory and Honor: The Virtue of Magnanimity, and its Discontents. He has a BA from Georgetown University, and an MAR from Yale Divinity School.
Senior Editor, Plough Quarterly
Project Manager for Veritas Media, The Veritas Forum
Project Manager for Veritas Media, The Veritas Forum
Carley serves as Podcast Production Manager for Veritas Media at The Veritas Forum. Before joining the Veritas staff, Carley earned bachelor's degrees in Atmospheric Science and Communication at Cornell University. During her time at Cornell, Carley worked on the editorial staff at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and wrote for Claritas, Cornell's journal of Christian thought. She now lives with her husband in Durham, North Carolina. In her free time, Carley enjoys reading fiction and taking photos of interesting clouds.
Comment Magazine
Comment Magazine
Jeff Reimer is an associate editor for Comment magazine, and writes regularly on literature, art, faith, and culture. In addition to Comment, his writing has appeared in Commonweal, Plough, Fare Forward, and elsewhere. He lives in Newton, Kansas, with his wife and four kids.
Director of Operations for Forums, The Veritas Forum
Director of Operations for Forums, The Veritas Forum
Haley serves as the Director of Operations for Forums, where she is responsible for developing the strategy and management of the systems and processes that support the work of Forums planning on campuses. She brings experience as a Higher Education administrator and a consultant for nonprofit organizations. Haley holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and a MS in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University. She lives on Cape Cod with her rescue dog Koda.
Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House
Bria Sandford is the editorial director of Sentinel and an executive editor with Portfolio and Thesis, all imprints of Penguin Random House. In these roles she acquires and edits a wide range of commercial nonfiction, from “big idea books” to history, memoir, economics, and business books. She has edited fifteen New York Times bestsellers.
Graduate Student, Yale Divinity School
Graduate Student, Yale Divinity School
Vienna Scott is currently a graduate student in religion and literature at Yale Divinity School. As an undergraduate at Yale, she was the Executive Editor of The Yale Logos. She is currently exploring the relationship between the production of literature and history as it relates to religion.
University Engagement Director, The Veritas Forum
University Engagement Director, The Veritas Forum
Teal is University Engagement Director and Director of Student Development, Forums, for the Veritas Forum, jumping into Forum planning and student engagement with great excitement. After earning her BA in English at the University of Mary Washington, Teal earned her MA in Religion from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Teal spent a rewarding five years as a Ministry Fellow at Harvard University with Christian Union before joining the team. She lives with her husband Jeff north of Boston where they are always on the hunt for delicious coffee and new running routes.
The Veritas Forum
The Veritas Forum
Katherine is the Director of Digital Engagement at the Veritas Forum, where she works with the media team to drive growth and engagement around Veritas content. Prior to joining Veritas, she was the Director of Communications at Hope for New York, an antipoverty organization serving New Yorkers in need. She holds a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Katherine lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family.
We look forward to three meaningful days together. If you are not a current student, your schedule may look slightly different and you will receive your tailored schedule prior to the weekend. Please reach out to your main contact point at the Veritas Forum with any questions.
Please note that the below is the current schedule and some of the details may change before the weekend begins.
This year we're so excited that Veritas Weekend includes two tracks. Below you can find information relevant to you and your track.
Please note that this information is for current AC students only. If you are not a current AC student, please reach out to your Veritas contact point or to augustine@veritas.org for your specific conference information. Please click on the plus sign to the left to expand the FAQ.
Veritas Weekend is The Veritas Forum’s flagship student conference. It gathers the students for a time of encouragement and equipping. During the conference, students interact with Christian scholars, writers, and artists, and share experiences with peers from other campuses.
Veritas Weekend has two tracks: The Augustine Collective Conference track for students who are part of an AC journal and the Forums Leadership track for students who plan and execute Veritas Forum events on their campus.
For AC students, the experience of Veritas Weekend will be almost identical to the experience of attending the Augustine Collective Conference in the past.
To meet, think, discuss, and pray with your fellow Veritas students from across the country? To hear from and interact with fantastic speakers? To strategize with your teams for the future? To acquire or refine the skills necessary to help build a thriving publication? To renew your vision for the work you’re doing? Pick your reason! Whatever brings you to the conference, we’re thrilled to see you.
Want to learn more? Check out this promo video from a previous AC conference.
The full schedule is still to come, but you can see the current schedule above. It will conclude by noon on Sunday the 5th. The weekend will consist of a mix of plenary sessions, breakout sessions, worship, time to connect as a team, and time for fellowship with students from publications across the country.
Speakers this year include: Lori Branch, Ruth Okediji, Makoto Fujimura, Haejin Shim Fujimura, James K.A. Smith, Lydia Dugdale, Satyan Devadoss, and Andy Crouch, with more to be announced. The theme is “Loving the University: Engaging the Big Questions of Your Campus."
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel (50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116) will host this year’s conference. This 4-star hotel, located near the historic Boston Common, was recently renovated and features great meeting spaces for this growing event.
There is no fee to attend, and all meals provided on site are free (dinner on Friday night is not provided). Lodging at the Boston Park Plaza is also covered. The cost to you of your travel will depend upon the following:
-If your and your school submit a reimbursement form before the travel receipts deadline (December 5th, 2022 by 11:59 pm EST), then you will receive reimbursement for ½ the cost of your primary method of travel (up to a maximum total reimbursement of $200 per person).
-If you do not submit your reimbursements by the travel receipt deadline (December 5th, 2022), then you will be responsible for the full cost of your own travel.
-If you submit a Full Scholarship and are accepted, the full cost of your primary method of travel will be covered (see below for more information on the full scholarship process).
Meals en route or any meals, snacks, coffee, etcprovided as part of the official schedule will not be covered. This includes dinner on Friday night. Any souvenirs or other incidental costs you incur in Boston will not be covered.
-Monday, October 17th, 2022: Registration Opens
-Monday, November 28, 2022 11:59 pm EST: Registration Closes
-Wednesday, November 30th, 2022 11:59 pm EST: Final Admissions off Waitlist Issued
-Monday, December 5, 2022 11:59 pm EST: Travel Receipts for Student Purchased Travel Due
-Friday, February 3, 2023 Conference Begins
Registration this year is on a first come, first serve basis. We have 200 spots for Augustine Collective students. Students who register in excess of 200 will be placed on our waitlist in case of cancellations or other circumstances. In addition, there will be a cap of 12 people per school in our registration period. Anyone who registers from a school that already has 12 people registered to attend will be put on the waitlist as well, even if you are one of the first 200 people to register overall.
We will admit additional students over a school’s 12 person cap after the close of registration based on when they registered on a first come, first serve basis(e.g. if we are able to admit people off the waitlist after close of registration and the first person on the waitlist is someone from a school which already has 12 students registered, we will still admit that person first). Before the close of registration, however, we will take a school’s cap into account if we have already reached 200 and are admitting someone off the waitlist to fill a canceled spot.
Once you register, we will contact you to confirm whether you have secured a spot or to inform you that you have been placed on the waitlist. Even if you are aware you will be put on the waitlist, we encourage you to register anyway as we expect to be able to admit at least some people off the waitlist.
-You can register for the conference here
-Registration closes on Monday, November 28th at 11:59 pm EST.
Our general expectation is that student attendees stay for the entire duration of the weekendfr, arriving between 4p.m. and 6p.m. on Friday, February 3rd and departing after 11a.m. on Sunday, February 5th. If you have any concerns about staying for the whole weekend, please do let us know at augustine@veritas.org and we can discuss it with you further.
Before the close of the registration (Monday, November 28th at 11:59 PM Eastern) you may cancel your registration at any time by emailing augustine@veritas.org. If you cancel, your spot will be filled on a first come, first serve basis (including off the waitlist if we already have 200 people registered). However, our expectation is that anyone still registered by the deadline Nov. 28th plans to attend the conference; we will admit people for any available spots off the waitlist by Wednesday the 30th and acceptance of the spot at that time is also a firm commitment to attend.
Moreover, when you submit your travel for reimbursement (no later than Monday. Dec. 5th) we consider it a firm commitment that you will attend and we would strongly ask that you not cancel after that time unless for a genuine emergency.
Please note that if you do cancel for any non-emergency reasons after purchasing your travel, we will not reimburse you for any travel you purchased and will ask you to return any money received for your travel reimbursement. Of course, if a true emergency arises, such as a medical or family situation, you should cancel and we will still reimburse your travel. Please email us at augustine@veritas.org if this situation applies to you.
Your team should all take the same transportation method if at all possible. In general, we would like schools to prioritize travel options in the following order:
1. Driving personal cars or school-sponsored cars (we will reimburse gas and parking costs by receipt after the event)
2. Bus (unless timing isn’t feasible given conference events)
3. Rental Cars (unless there aren’t enough drivers in the group or a train is less expensive)
4. Train (unless planes are less expensive)
5. Plane (reserved for schools that are too far for other forms of transport)
We are asking teams to book the most affordable option available to them, but this will be on “the honor system”—we do not need to confirm the option before you purchase any tickets.
If you need to come to the conference from a location other than your school, please contact us at augustine@veritas.org in order to confirm that this is possible. We reserve the right to exercise discretion, particularly if coming from your preferred location is more expensive than coming from your school.
Tip: Determine whether your college or university offers any funding to students for traveling to conferences or events. If you will be driving, please also determine whether your college or university allows students to rent or borrow vehicles at low or zero cost. Please look into all policies regarding such vehicles (for example, whether it can be kept off campus overnight).
Tip: Determine whether there are any other local means of funding (for example, through a church or campus ministry) that could go towards off-setting the cost of the travel. If you will be driving, determine whether there are friends, churches, or campus ministries that you could rent or borrow vehicles from at low or zero cost.
If you and your school submit receipts before the deadline of Dec. 5th at 11:59 pm EST, we will reimburse you for up to half the cost of your travel at a maximum of $200 per person. For example:
-If your flight/train/bus is $150, you will receive a reimbursement of $75
-If your flight/train/bus is $200, the reimbursement will be $100
-If your flight/train/bus is $400, you will receive a $200 reimbursement
-If the cost is greater than $400, you will still only receive the maximum reimbursement of $200
Please note that policy only applies to students who are coming from their school. Please contact us if you require transportation from an alternative location.
If you submit a Full Scholarship application and are accepted, the full cost of your primary method of travel will be covered (see below for more information on the full scholarship process).
Please note: We will not cover the following non-primary forms of transportation for all students (including those students that receive a full scholarship):
-Ground transportation (e.g., rideshare) to or from your school to an airport, train station, or bus station
-Ground transportation (e.g., rideshare) to or from the Boston Park Plaza to an airport, train station, or bus station
Tip: If you are flying or taking a train or bus into the Boston airport, please plan accordingly. The T (subway) in Boston will be much cheaper than a taxi/Uber/Lyft. The Silver Line from the airport to South Station is free; for more details see here and note that it seems the reverse trip from South Station to the Boston airport upon departure is not free.
Given the number of students in attendance, we are looking to streamline the reimbursement process by working with one point of contact per school. Please work through your EiCs to arrange and book travel. The steps of the process are:
1. Students register for the conference (by November 28th).
2. The point person will then confirm the travel method and cost with students from their school.
3. AC Conference attendees will pay the point person from their school.
4. Point person will purchase travel for the whole group (this should wait until after Wednesday, Nov. 30th if you are expecting someone from your school may be admitted off the waitlist).
5. Point person will submit one reimbursement form for the group (by December 5th).
6. The Augustine Collective reimburses the point person for half of the total travel.
7. The point person reimburses each individual member for half the cost of their travel from the funds received from the Augustine Collective team.
If you are driving and we are reimbursing you for gas and parking, those receipts do not need to be submitted by December 5th. They can be submitted after the weekend for ½ reimbursement (up to $200 per person). Those who are driving should plan to park their vehicles in the Boston Common Parking Garage (clearance of 6'3").
This process should not require that any individual front the cost of multiple tickets as it asks student members to send the point person the cost of their ticket before that point person purchases the batch.
However, we understand that your point person may not wish to be in charge of purchasing travel for the group. If this is the case, we encourage you to ask if anyone else in your publication is willing to take on this role.
If no one in the group is willing to be the point person in terms of purchasing, we ask that one person remain our point of contact but we will work with your school to arrange for individual reimbursement. Please email augustine@veritas.org if this is the case for your school.
Please note that though the first method outlined above is our ideal process, we understand it may not work for everyone and we are certainly willing to be flexible. Fundamentally, we want to make sure that we are serving you and your team in your preparation for the conference, so you can always feel free to be in touch with us if different arrangements need to be made.
We want to ensure as best we can that finances are not a barrier to your attendance at the 2023 Veritas Weekend. Apply for a travel scholarship to have the full cost of your primary form of transport to the conference in Boston reimbursed. You should apply for a full scholarship at the time when you register for the conference. Remember that registration this year is on a first come, first serve basis.
You can apply for a full travel scholarship here.
We will review scholarship applications on a rolling basis as they come in alongside registrations. If we do not grant you a full scholarship and you are no longer able to attend as a result, we will cancel your registration on our end and that spot will be open again. If you are put on the waitlist at registration, you still still make sure to apply for a full scholarship at the time of registration. We will evaluate your application for a full scholarship if you are admitted off the waitlist, no later than Nov. 30th.
As we have a limited number of scholarships available, please be aware that this scholarship is meant for students who truly could not attend the AC conference without full financial support. Thank you for understanding.
If you’ve received a scholarship, please do not book your own travel. Veritas will be booking for you and will email you to confirm the details of your itinerary.
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel will host this year’s conference. This 4-star hotel, located near the historic Boston Common, was recently renovated and features great meeting spaces for this growing event.
The Park Plaza is a close walk from a few different T stops.
Park Plaza Hotel Address: 50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Lodging will be in the The Boston Park Plaza Hotel. More information to come.
The dress code is smart casual (and warm). You should bring any toiletries you would normally bring for a hotel stay. You may also wish to bring a water bottle, a notebook, a Bible or other devotional items, and any other items you’d want for a program of this kind. The event may involve walking outside, so be sure to bring shoes that are comfortable to walk in outside. As a team, your journal should bring copies of your journal's latest issue (and optionally, back issues too!) to trade with other campuses—ideally at least 50 copies.
Yes. Conference registration will include a place to note this information.
Currently no COVID regulations are planned, but we will update you if that changes.
The full schedule is still to come, but you can see the current schedule above. It will conclude by noon on Sunday the 5th. The weekend will consist of a mix of plenary sessions, breakout sessions, worship, time to connect as a team, and time for fellowship with students from publications across the country.
Speakers this year include: Lori Branch, Ruth Okediji, Makoto Fujimura, Haejin Shim Fujimura, James K.A. Smith, Satyan Devadoss, and Andy Crouch, with more to be announced. The theme is “Loving the University: Engaging the Big Questions of Your Campus"
We plan to accommodate this and will provide more details closer to the event.
With any questions, please email the Augustine Collective Conference team at augustine@veritas.org.
Please note that this information is for current Forums students only. If you are not a current Forums student, please reach out to your Veritas contact point for your specific conference information. Please click on the plus sign to the left to expand the FAQ.
Veritas Weekend is The Veritas Forum’s flagship student conference. It gathers the students for a time of encouragement and equipping. During the conference, students interact with Christian scholars, writers, and artists, and share experiences with peers from other campuses.
Veritas Weekend has two tracks: The Augustine Collective Conference track for students who are part of an AC journal and the Forums Leadership track for students who plan and execute Veritas Forum events on their campus.
To meet, think, discuss, and pray with your fellow Veritas students from across the country? To hear from and interact with fantastic speakers? To strategize with your team for the future? To acquire or refine the skills necessary to help plan an innovative and relevant forum? To renew your vision for bringing the breadth and beauty of Jesus to dialogue across difference? Pick your reason! Whatever brings you to the conference, we’re thrilled to see you.
Want to learn more? Check out this promo video from a previous AC conference.
The full schedule is still to come, but you can see the current schedule above. It will conclude by noon on Sunday the 5th. The weekend will consist of a mix of plenary sessions, breakout sessions, worship, time to connect as a team, and time for fellowship with students from across the country.
Speakers this year include: Lori Branch, Ruth Okediji, Makoto Fujimura, Haejin Shim Fujimura, James K.A. Smith, Satyan Devadoss, and Andy Crouch, with more to be announced. The theme is “Loving the University: Engaging the Big Questions of Your Campus."
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel will host this year’s conference. This 4-star hotel, located near the historic Boston Common, was recently renovated and features great meeting spaces for this growing event.
The Park Plaza is a close walk from a few different T stops.
Park Plaza Hotel Address: 50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
There is no fee to attend, and all meals provided on site are free (dinner on Friday night is not provided). Lodging at the Boston Park Plaza is also covered.
The cost to you of your travel will depend upon the following:
-If your and your school submit a reimbursement form before the travel receipts deadline (December 5th, 2022 by 11:59 pm EST), then you will receive reimbursement for ½ the cost of your primary method of travel (up to a maximum total reimbursement of $200 per person).
-If you do not submit your reimbursements by the travel receipt deadline (December 5th, 2022), then you will be responsible for the full cost of your own travel.
-If you submit a Full Scholarship and are accepted, the full cost of your primary method of travel will be covered (see below for more information on the full scholarship process).
Meals en route or any meals, snacks, coffee, etc. not provided as part of the official schedule will not be covered. This includes dinner on Friday night. Any souvenirs or other incidental costs you incur in Boston will not be covered.
-Monday, October 17th, 2022: Registration Opens
-Monday, November 28, 2022 11:59 pm EST: Registration Closes
-Wednesday, November 30th, 2022 11:59 pm EST: Final Admissions off Waitlist Issued
-Monday, December 5, 2022 11:59 pm EST: Travel Receipts for Student Purchased Travel Due
-Friday, February 3, 2023 Conference Begins
Registration this year is on a first come, first serve basis. We have 50 spots for Forums students. Students who register in excess of 50 will be placed on our waitlist in case of cancellations or other circumstances. In addition, there will be a cap of 5 people per school in our registration period. Anyone who registers from a school that already has 5 people registered to attend will be put on the waitlist as well, even if you are one of the first 50 people to register overall.
We will admit additional students over a school’s 5 person cap after the close of registration based on when they registered on a first come, first serve basis (e.g. if we are able to admit people off the waitlist after close of registration and the first person on the waitlist is someone from a school which already has 5 students registered, we will still admit that person first). Before the close of registration, however, we will take a school’s cap into account if we have already reached 50 and are admitting someone off the waitlist to fill a canceled spot.
Once you register, we will contact you to confirm whether you have secured a spot or to inform you that you have been placed on the waitlist. Even if you are aware you will be put on the waitlist, we encourage you to register anyway as we expect to be able to admit at least some people off the waitlist.-You can register for the conference at the form to come-Registration closes on Monday, November 28th at 11:59 pm EST.
Our general expectation is that student attendees stay for the entire duration of the weekend, arriving between 4p.m. and 6p.m. on Friday, February 3rd and departing after 11a.m. on Sunday, February 5th. If you have any concerns about staying for the whole weekend, please do let us know at haley@veritas.org and we can discuss it with you further.
Before the close of the registration (deadline to come), you may cancel your registration at any time by emailing haley@veritas.org. However, our expectation is that anyone still registered by the deadline (to be announced) plans to attend the conference. Moreover, when you submit your travel for reimbursement (no later than a deadline to be announced), we consider it a firm commitment that you will attend and we would strongly ask that you not cancel after that time unless for a genuine emergency.
Please note that if you do cancel for any non-emergency reasons after purchasing your travel, we will not reimburse you for any travel you purchased and will ask you to return any money received for your travel reimbursement. Of course, if a true emergency arises, such as a medical or family situation, you should cancel and we will still reimburse your travel. Please email us at haley@veritas.org if this situation applies to you.
Your team should all take the same transportation method if at all possible. The Veritas team will be reaching out to a designated point person at your school to figure out the best form of transportation for your group. Please do not book travel until you have heard from the Veritas team to discuss the best options.
In general, we would like schools to prioritize travel options in the following order:
1. Driving personal cars or school-sponsored cars (we will reimburse gas and parking costs by receipt)
2. Bus (unless timing isn’t feasible given conference events)
3. Rental Cars (unless there aren’t enough drivers in the group or a train is less expensive)
4. Train (unless planes are less expensive)
5. Plane (reserved for schools that are too far for other forms of transport)
Again, we will work with your team to find the best mode of transportation to the conference. In general, we will only reimburse the best affordable option proposed for your school. We will be working with the point person at your school to land on the best affordable option here, taking into account the various specifics of travel from your school’s location.
If you need to come to the conference from a location other than your school, please contact us at haley@veritas.org in order to confirm that this is possible. We reserve the right to exercise discretion, particularly if coming from your preferred location is more expensive than coming from your school.
If you and your school submit receipts before the deadline of Dec. 5th at 11:59 pm EST, we will reimburse you for the cost of your travel at a maximum of $200 per person.
Please note that policy only applies to students who are coming from their school. Please contact us if you require transportation from an alternative location.
If you submit a Full Scholarship application and are accepted, the full cost of your primary method of travel will be covered (see below for more information on the full scholarship process).
Please note: We will not cover the following non-primary forms of transportation for all students (including those students that receive a full scholarship):
-Ground transportation (e.g., rideshare) to or from your school to an airport, train station, or bus station
-Ground transportation (e.g., rideshare) to or from the Boston Park Plaza to an airport, train station, or bus station
Tip: If you are flying or taking a train or bus into the Boston airport, please plan accordingly. The T (subway) in Boston will be much cheaper than a taxi/Uber/Lyft. The Silver Line from the airport to South Station is free; for more details see here and note that it seems the reverse trip from South Station to the Boston airport upon departure is not free.
Given the number of students in attendance, we are looking to streamline the reimbursement process by working with one point of contact per school. Please work through a designated point person to arrange and book travel. The steps of the process are:
1. Students register for the conference (by November 28th).
2. The point person will then confirm the travel method and cost with students from their school.
3. AC Conference attendees will pay the point person from their school.
4. Point person will purchase travel for the whole group (this should wait until after Wednesday, Nov. 30th if you are expecting someone from your school may be admitted off the waitlist).
5. Point person will submit one reimbursement form for the group (by December 5th).
6. Veritas reimburses the point person for the Veritas portion of travel.
Those who are driving should plan to park their vehicles in the Boston Common Parking Garage (clearance of 6'3").
If no one in the group is willing to be the point person in terms of purchasing, we ask that one person remain our point of contact but we will work with your school to arrange for individual reimbursement. Please email haley@veritas.org if this is the case for your school.
Please note that though the first method outlined above is our ideal process, we understand it may not work for everyone and we are certainly willing to be flexible. Fundamentally, we want to make sure that we are serving you and your team in your preparation for the conference, so you can always feel free to be in touch with us if different arrangements need to be made.
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel will host this year’s conference. This 4-star hotel, located near the historic Boston Common, was recently renovated and features great meeting spaces for this growing event.
The Park Plaza is a close walk from a few different T stops.
Park Plaza Hotel Address: 50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Lodging will be in the The Boston Park Plaza Hotel. More information to come.
The dress code is smart casual (and warm). You should bring any toiletries you would normally bring for a hotel stay. You may also wish to bring a water bottle, a notebook, a Bible or other devotional items, and any other items you’d want for a program of this kind. All students will be walking to dinner around Boston on Saturday evening, so be sure to bring shoes that are comfortable to walk in outside.
Yes. Conference registration includes a place to note this information.
More information to come.
The full schedule is still to come, but you can see the current schedule above. It will conclude by noon on Sunday the 5th. The weekend will consist of a mix of plenary sessions, breakout sessions, worship, time to connect as a team, and time for fellowship with students from across the country.
Speakers this year include: Lori Branch, Ruth Okediji, Makoto Fujimura, Haejin Shim Fujimura, James K.A. Smith, Satyan Devadoss, and Andy Crouch, with more to be announced. The theme is “Loving the University: Engaging the Big Questions of Your Campus."
With any questions, please email the Forums Conference team at haley@veritas.org.
If you are not a current student, your registration will be handled separately and you will receive your registration form shortly if you haven't already. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your main contact point at The Veritas Forum.