Every meeting professional knows that no two events are alike—but some events present a unique challenge: designing one experience that serves multiple audiences with very different goals.

For Jason Pierce, Senior Director of Learning and Development at Alpha Kappa Psi, that's exactly what he faced preparing for the organization's 63rd Convention in New Orleans.

As the educational leader for both Alpha Kappa Psi and its educational affiliate, the Commonwealth Leadership Alliance®, Pierce oversees everything from educational programming and speaker recruitment to logistics and event execution. His role blends strategy with operations, ensuring every aspect of the convention supports the organization's mission of developing future business leaders.

More Than a Student Organization

While Alpha Kappa Psi is known as a professional business fraternity with nearly 180 collegiate chapters around the world, its mission extends well beyond graduation.

Through the Commonwealth Leadership Alliance®, members—and now even non-members through a new subscription model—have access to professional development programming designed to support career growth at every stage. That educational mission serves as the foundation for the convention experience.

One Event. Multiple Audiences.

Planning a convention every two years comes with its own complexities, but perhaps the biggest challenge is designing an experience that resonates with everyone in attendance.

Students arrive looking for career development and networking opportunities. Alumni want to reconnect with lifelong friends. Chapter volunteers need operational training. 

Rather than trying to create one experience for everyone, Pierce intentionally designs moments for each audience while creating opportunities for them to come together.

"What's going to make our student audience successful is very different than what's going to make our alumni experience successful," he explained. "Design your program for each audience who's going to be there."

That philosophy shaped this year's convention format.

Designing with Purpose

Based on attendee feedback, the convention was shortened from four days to three and each day now has a distinct focus.

Thursday centered on travel, volunteer education, and appreciation activities. Friday became "Brotherhood Day," featuring the organization's business meeting, awards, ceremonial traditions, and banquet. By grouping formal activities together, attendees only needed one business outfit—a small adjustment that makes a meaningful difference for travelers. Saturday shifted entirely to career and professional development before concluding with a networking-focused riverboat cruise through New Orleans.

"It's a little something for everyone," Pierce said. "We intentionally overlap the big events so alumni and students have opportunities to connect while still creating dedicated experiences for each group."

Education That Mirrors the Workplace

The convention's educational programming is intentionally concise, with one dedicated day featuring a keynote, breakout sessions, and one of the organization's signature experiences—a business case competition.

Student teams were presented with a real-world business scenario and challenged to develop solutions spanning finance, marketing, operations, and leadership. Teams don't have to come from the same university, encouraging collaboration across chapters while simulating the cross-functional teamwork they'll experience throughout their careers. Cash prizes add an extra layer of excitement and motivation.

Listening to Attendees

Like many organizations, Alpha Kappa Psi continues to evolve its convention based on member feedback and changing attendee needs.

One challenge Pierce and his team recognized was the changing landscape for collegiate attendees. Because the convention takes place during the summer, many students are balancing internships or seasonal jobs, making it more difficult to commit both the time and expense of traveling to convention.

To help reduce those barriers, the organization reimagined how chapters could use their convention funds. Rather than requiring chapters to use the funding solely for registration, they introduced greater flexibility by allowing those dollars to be applied toward hotel accommodations.

"The chapters could now decide how to use those funds in the way that best supports their members," Pierce explained. "If sending a smaller delegation means they can use those dollars for lodging instead, that was now an option."

The change gives chapters more control over their budgets while helping make convention attendance more attainable for students who may have otherwise been unable to participate. Pierce noted that the response was overwhelmingly positive, with many chapters taking advantage of the added flexibility.

It's a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful attendee experience improvements aren't flashy activations—they're thoughtful decisions that remove barriers and make participation possible in the first place.

As Alpha Kappa Psi celebrated its 63rd Convention and the 50th anniversary of admitting women into the fraternity, it's clear that intentional planning isn't just about logistics. It's about creating meaningful moments that strengthen connections, support learning, and help attendees leave better prepared for what's next.