The American College of Healthcare Executives is offering an opportunity for Student Associate members enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate health administration program to attend the 2025 Congress on Healthcare Leadership at no cost by serving as a volunteer Program Assistant.
The 2025 Congress on Healthcare Leadership will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX, March 24-27, 2024.
Program Assistants are Student Associates who work no less than six (6) hours during ACHE’s Congress, helping with seminars, receptions and luncheons; checking name badges; and providing assistance to other Congress attendees. Program Assistants are required to attend one virtual orientation session (multiple sessions will be offered to accommodate varying schedules). In exchange for their volunteer service, Program Assistants receive a complimentary registration to attend Congress education sessions and networking events.
Program Assistants must be current Student Associate members in good standing at the time of their application and when Congress is held in March 2025. Learn how to become an ACHE Student Associate. Program Assistants must also be current students, i.e., they must not have a graduation date prior to May 2025.
Administrative Fellows can apply to be Program Assistants if they are current Student Associate Members at the time of Congress and have not graduated before May 2025. Administrative Fellows that have already graduated may not apply.
Program Assistants will be selected using a randomization formula in Excel. Approximately 400 student volunteers will be needed to support the event. A mix of first-year and second-year graduate students will be chosen before offering opportunities to undergraduate students.
This is a great opportunity for Student Associates interested in attending Congress to meet other Student Associates, network with healthcare leaders across the care continuum and receive all the benefits associated with a basic Congress student registration. The basic Congress student registration includes educational sessions, networking with healthcare professionals and peers, and access to career development services. Program Assistants may take advantage of these benefits during the time when they are not fulfilling their assigned Program Assistant duties and as registration space allows.
Program Assistants are required to attend one virtual orientation session and commit to six (6) hours of volunteer service at Congress. Program Assistants will select their assignments through the Shift Scheduler that will open in January 2025.
The online Program Assistant application will launch on November 13, 2024, and will remain open through December 4, 2024.
After you are accepted as a Program Assistant, you will receive an email with information about how to sign up for your orientation session and volunteer shifts. You must sign up for no less than six (6) hours. The shift scheduler will open no later than January 8, 2025.
When you are signing up for your PA shifts, please make sure to pay attention to the start and end times, as it is the PA’s responsibility that the shifts do not overlap. Unfortunately, our system does not prevent errors in overlapping. Please be mindful of your other schedules: school, work, personal and possible Congress Education Sessions. You will not be able to switch, add or drop shifts after you pay your deposit.
You will get an email the day/night before your specific shift with specifics of that shift. When signing up for shifts via the Scheduler tool, you will only know the dates and times.
Students should notcomplete a paid Congress registration during the Program Assistant application process. All applicants must be Student Associate members prior to applying for a Program Assistantship. Notification of acceptance as a Program Assistant will be made on December 5. Upon completing the Shift Scheduler, you will receive a confirmation message that includes a link for your complimentary Congress registration.
If your PA shift overlaps with your Congress session, your PA shift takes priority.
Your PA schedule shows the volunteer shifts that you signed up for to assist with Congress via the Scheduler tool. Your Congress schedule shows the education sessions that you signed up for at congress.ache.org for free, and will be attending as a registrant, not a volunteer.
You can find both your PA (shifts and orientation) and Congress schedules on your My Events tab of your MyACHE profile at ache.org.
Business attire is required.
There is a $275 deposit that is in lieu of the Congress registration, in addition to the cost of travel, accommodations and meals.
After you complete your volunteer hours, you will receive your $275 deposit reimbursement approximately 6‐8 weeks afterCongress concludes.
You can update your email, address, etc., on your MyACHE profile at ache.org. However, it is your responsibility to email us at ProgramAssistants@ache.org if your email address changes.
Program Assistants are responsible for the cost of their travel, accommodations and meals. To ensure the most affordable visit, travel arrangements should be made soon after confirmation of acceptance as a Program Assistant, particularly if you plan to stay in the official Congress hotel blocks. To save on costs, many students have also shared alternative accommodations with other students in their program.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at ProgramAssistants@ache.org.