Special promotional content provided by Madison College
Madison College will host the inaugural THRIVE Conference on Friday, March 28, bringing together educators, administrators, students, and community leaders to explore best practices to foster equity and opportunity in higher education—specifically at two-year colleges.
The event, organized by the Madison College Institute for Equity and Transformational Change (IETC), aims to foster collaboration and research on strategies to support student success and institutional innovation. It is free to attend.
“We are striving towards research and development that’s going to promote and embed inclusive educational excellence across Madison College,” said Dr. Marco Torrez-Miranda, director of the IETC.
A Space for Innovation in Two-Year Colleges
Torrez-Miranda emphasized that while research is often associated with four-year institutions, two-year colleges also serve as vital spaces for innovation.
“We’re trying to empower our faculty and staff, who live in the spaces of working with students that we serve, to be able to use a research framework to innovate and develop programming to better support all of our students and college community,” he said.
The conference will build on smaller-scale workshops and forums previously hosted by the IETC, an inclusive hub where faculty, staff, and the college community actively advance equity-based practices. Growing national interest in research and best practices within two-year colleges has led to the expansion of these conversations into a full-scale conference.
“As we’ve been in other national spaces to talk about the models of the work, there’s been such interest… This is really a space to share practices that are coming from research that’s both internal and external, but focused on this two-year context,” Torrez-Miranda explained.
What to Expect at THRIVE
THRIVE—which stands for Together for Higher Retention, Inclusion, Voice, and Engagement—will include multiple conference tracks tailored to different participants:
- Faculty Track – Focused on instructional practices and pedagogy
- Leadership Track – Geared toward institutional decision-makers
- Wellness Track – Addressing mental health and well-being in education
- Student Track – Created to engage students in shaping their own educational experiences
“That’s one of the things I think is different about this particular conference,” Torrez-Miranda said. “A big mission that we have within the IETC is to re-envision and co-create higher education with students, not for students.”
A National Reach
While Madison College is hosting the conference, participation is not limited to Wisconsin.
“We have some [proposals] from within the Wisconsin Technical College System, but also from out of state—Texas, California… It’s interesting to see how folks are engaging with this type of conference,” Torrez-Miranda said.
In addition to faculty and academic researchers, community organizations that work within the Madison College district and beyond have submitted over 20 proposals.
Accessibility and Registration
In an effort to be widely accessible, the conference will be free and available in both in-person and virtual formats.
“We want to be accessible… Whether virtually or in person, [we want people to] engage in that learning and community building,” said Torrez-Miranda.
Participants must register in advance due to space limitations at Madison College’s Truax Campus (1701 Wright St.). Virtual participation will not have the same capacity restrictions.
The IETC is co-hosting the event with the Madison College Community Impact Team, which builds and nourishes relationships to create initiatives and experiences aligned with the college’s goals and community needs.
Building a Long-Term Impact
The THRIVE Conference is designed as more than just a one-day event—it’s part of a larger effort to make research-driven change in two-year colleges.
“One of the initiatives that we deploy within the institute is action research… We try to empower faculty, staff, and leadership to use action research to improve and innovate our practices,” Torrez-Miranda explained.
The IETC hopes that by sharing findings across institutions, the conference will contribute to broader educational innovation.
“Oftentimes, in my experience with higher ed… things get so siloed, and we recreate the wheel,” Torrez-Miranda said. “The intention is not just sharing out but ensuring that we’re keeping up with what other folks are learning.”
Madison College’s Vision 2030 is committed to analyzing data to identify and close success gaps by updating systems, policies, and practices to ensure equity. The IETC plays a pivotal role in translating this commitment into action.
Looking Ahead
While the final conference agenda is still being finalized, organizers expect discussions to cover student success strategies, institutional equity, and challenges facing two-year colleges. The keynote speaker has not yet been announced.
“The keynote will speak to how we have unity in advancing this work for the benefit of our students,” Torrez-Miranda said.
With THRIVE’s inaugural year drawing interest from across the country, organizers hope it will become a long-term platform for research and collaboration in higher education.
“We want this to be a space where educators come together and find community and unity in being able to move the work forward.”
For more information and to register for the event, visit mcthriveconference.com.
