2025 APCU Presidents Retreat
The 2025 APCU Presidents Retreat will once again be held at the Emory Conference Center Hotel in Atlanta from November 17 through November 19. The decision to return to Emory was driven by the positive feedback we received about last year’s Retreat. Presidents also noted the ease of getting to/from Atlanta and the opportunity to schedule other activities in the area, such as donor meetings and alumni gatherings.
This year’s gathering will once again feature a series of member-led discussions around the challenges and opportunities facing our member institutions. Each of these discussions will take place behind closed doors and allow for casual, open dialogue and idea-sharing. In addition to topics such as building a strong, cohesive cabinet, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your operations, and achieving a healthy work/rest balance, there will also be a strong focus on building meaningful academic and financial bridges between Presbyterian secondary schools, APCU member institutions, and our nine Presbyterian seminaries.
Of course, the Retreat is also a time to relax and refresh, and the 5-star Emory Conference Center Hotel is an ideal place to do both. Our opening reception will take place in Emory’s recreation center where you’ll have a chance to mingle with friends and colleagues while enjoying some old school entertainment: bowling and billiards! Representatives from our APCU Strategic Partners will be with us for the evening to chat about their solutions and how they’re helping our schools solve problems and address critical needs.
The upgraded sleeping rooms at the Emory Conference Center Hotel offer excellent amenities and great views of the conference center grounds and surrounding woods. Despite being only a short walk from Emory University, the Candler School of Theology, Emory Hospital, and the international headquarters of the Center for Disease Control, the secluded setting provides an ideal remedy for the hustle and bustle of the daily presidential grind. Walking trails and outdoor exercise areas complement the indoor pool and extensive workout facility allowing you to balance your conference experience with some much-deserved “R&R”.
The 2025 Retreat Schedule has been updated to reflect this year’s content. The absence of a business meeting gives us the opportunity to receive a report on government activity from former APCU member president and current NAICU president, Barbara Mistick, as well as an update on the APCU Sustainability Initiative. Here is the tentative schedule for the 2025 Retreat:
Monday, November 17
- 3:00 p.m. APCU Board Meeting (directors only)
- 5:30 p.m. Opening Reception & Recreation
Tuesday, November 18
- 8:30 a.m. Strategic Conversations with Partners
- 11:00 a.m. Session #1: Legislative Policy Report
- 1:00 p.m. Session #2: Building and Maintaining an Effective Cabinet
- 2:30 p.m. Session #3 Integrating Artificial Intelligence into your Operation
- 4:00 p.m. Program Updates: Sustainability, Chaplains’ Certificate Program, Leadership Institute
- 6:00 p.m. Presidents’ Reception & Dinner
Wednesday, November 19
- 8:30 a.m. Presbyterian Articulation/Integration Discussion
- 10:30 a.m. Wellness Workshop
- 12:00 p.m. Wrap-up Conversations
Registration & Reservations
To register for the 2025 APCU Presidents Retreat, simply fill out the short registration form provided below. When you submit the form, you’ll have an opportunity to reserve your room and pay the Retreat registration fee of $400. Note that the APCU has secured a discounted rate of $205 per-night for rooms at the Emory Conference Center, single or double occupancy. If you choose to bring a guest, please indicate below if that guest will be attending the Opening Reception (Monday evening) and the Presidents’ Dinner (Tuesday evening). If so, the APCU will invoice you for an additional $180 to cover the cost of your guest’s participation in these special events. Other guest meals and amenities can be purchased on-site and charged directly to your room.