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Conference Agenda

Southwest College Bookstore Association

2026 Conference and Trade Show

Where Campus Retail Comes Together

📅 October 18–20, 2026 📍 South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center · League City, TX
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Board only

Board Meeting

Required Attendees: SWCBA Officers and Trustees

2:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.

Launch Pad Round Table

Presenter: Erin Green, Assistant Director of College Bookstores, Ellis County

📍 Amphitheater
3:30 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Mission Control: Stellar Service — "Delivering Out-of-This-World Experiences"

Presenter: Vicki Marvel, Retired Bookstore Manager, Alvin Community College

📍 Amphitheater

Learn practical techniques for keeping your customer service skills fine-tuned. Vicki Marvel shares proven strategies, real-world experiences, and best practices for delivering exceptional service that creates positive experiences for students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors.

4:30 p.m. – 5:20 p.m.

Orbiting Day One Access Programs: Finding Your Perfect Orbit for Success

Presenter: John Creed, VitalSource

📍 Amphitheater

Discover the evolution of Day One Access programs and how they are transforming course materials in higher education. Learn the differences between Course Access, Total Access, and the Flexible Access model through real-world examples from Navarro College and Wayland Baptist University. Leave with a clear understanding of each model and practical resources to help determine the best fit for your campus.

6:00 p.m.
Evening event

Opening Night

📍 Oasis Room

Welcome to SWCBA! Spend the evening reconnecting and networking with colleagues over dinner and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

8:00 a.m.
Buying show

Buying Show Setup

📍 Crystal Ballroom
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

Galaxy Trends: Southwest Sector

Presenter: NACS

📍 Amphitheater
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Hyperdrive: Powering General Merchandise Success

Presenter: Kevin Leitner, Director of Education, Independent College Bookstore Association

📍 Amphitheater
10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Vendor Showcase

📍 Amphitheater
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Business Meeting & Lunch

Presenter: Kellie Ranum, President

📍 Crystal Ballroom

Join SWCBA President Kellie Ranum for the annual Southwest College Bookstore Association update, including accomplishments, membership and financial updates, future plans, and opportunities for member involvement.

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Buying show

Buying Show

📍 Crystal Ballroom
4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Keynote

Building Your Crew — Why You Should Build a Symbiotic Relationship Between a College Bookstore and Faculty

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rebekah Crowe, Professor of History & Dean, School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Wayland Baptist University

📍 Amphitheater

Dr. Rebekah Crowe is a Professor of History and the Dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Wayland Baptist University. In addition to overseeing 14 baccalaureate and 8 master's degrees across a diverse university system, she still finds time to teach history courses every semester, specializing in US West, Women, and Public history. She has been the unofficial faculty liaison with the Pioneer Store for five of the fourteen years she has been at Wayland Baptist University.

6:30 p.m.
Evening event

Closing Night Celebration

📍 Crystal Ballroom

Conclude the conference with recognition of those who have served, the induction of new officers, dinner, drinks, and prize giveaways.

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Board only

Board Meeting

Required Attendees: SWCBA Officers and Trustees