State of Illinois

07/13/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/14/2026 11:24

ISAC HOSTS 16TH ANNUAL COLLEGE CHANGES EVERYTHING® CONFERENCE: Education Matters

Postsecondary Access and Success Event on July 16 to Feature Enrique Rodríguez from Univision Chicago and more than 30 Interest Sessions

REGISTER NOW-ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!

CHICAGO -
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state's college access and financial aid agency, announces the 16th annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference on Thursday, July 16, 2026 from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Illinois' preeminent postsecondary access and success event brings together stakeholders committed to increasing the proportion of adults in the state with high-quality degrees and credentials. Together, we will focus on this year's powerful and multi-faceted theme: Education Matters . For students and families and for the social and economic health of our state, education is the foundation on which opportunity is built. But education is also currently at the intersection of every public policy decision; these systems, policies, and barriers require our attention and collective action.

"We have reached a critical inflection point on education in this country and around the world," said ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow. "As new technologies and multiple, sometimes competing, policies are fundamentally rethinking education in the United States, this year's conference offers an opportunity for education professionals, policymakers, and others to envision and act on a future that improves access, encourages innovation as a norm, and supports students through this time of epic transformation."

Enrique Rodríguez, News Anchor at Univision Chicago and 11-time Emmy award winner, will headline the conference as keynote speaker. An immigrant from México who came to the United States in 1985, Rodríguez has covered the Democratic and Republican conventions for Univision Chicago and Univision Network; Pope Francis' visit to México; local, county, state, and presidential elections in the US and México; and much more. He has been a champion for education, and spends countless hours working in the community, especially to share his story with young Latinas and Latinos.

The conference will feature more than 30 interest sessions on topics related to college access and student success, including

  • Understanding Young People's Perceptions of College
  • Reframing Masculinity: Supporting Boys and Men in a Changing World
  • Fixing the Formula: Targeting Wealth in State Financial Aid Policy
  • From Classroom to Career: How Educators and Industry Partners Can Build Meaningful Work-Based Learning Experiences
  • Centering their Stories: Post-secondary Recommendations From Immigrant Families and Students
  • Building Business Need Proposals in Financial Aid When Resources Are Limited
  • How Embedding Career Readiness Inside the Degree Changes What's Possible
  • Removing Barriers and Building Pathways in Early Childhood Education,
  • and much more.

In addition, attendees can stop by the art exhibit "Freedom to Learn, Opportunity to Grow," a photographic exploration of Illinois as a place where every student's journey begins and evolves. Attendees can also drop in to the "Collage Studio: Visualizing Our Work with Students," where they can carry their experience forward by creating a poster of the impact they strive to make.

The College Changes Everything Conference is sponsored by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission in collaboration with partners: Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois College Access Network, Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University, ACT Now, Women Employed, and iCan Dream Center.

About College Changes Everything


College Changes Everything® (CCE) is a college access movement that recognizes that college can be a life-changing experience not only for students, but also for families and communities. In Illinois and across the nation, those who obtain education beyond high school not only see a significant impact on their potential career prospects and future salary, but also change levels of poverty, life expectancy, crime, and obesity rates in their communities. Find out more and join the conversation at collegechangeseverything.org .

About ISAC


The mission of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is to provide Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable. ISAC provides comprehensive, objective, and timely information on education and financial aid for students and their families-giving them access to the tools they need to make the educational choices that are right for them. Then, through the state scholarship and grant programs ISAC administers, ISAC can help students make those choices a reality. Find us at isac.org or on Facebook (@ILStudentAssistance), X and on Instagram @ISACfinaid. and watch our videos on YouTube .
State of Illinois published this content on July 13, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 14, 2026 at 17:24 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]