Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and the Texas A&M Foundation proudly welcome development and advancement professionals for the 2025 SEC Business School Development Conference, July 15-17, in Bryan-College Station. Since last hosting in 2014, Mays has experienced transformative growth, expanding to serve more than 7,400 students and advancing its physical presence with the state-of-the-art Wayne Roberts ’85 Building – the newest addition to the Mays Business Education Complex. Mays is excited to welcome our SEC colleagues to our campus, and we look forward to hosting collaborative discussions on advancing business education excellence across the SEC.

Registration Information

Register today and join development and advancement professionals from across the Southeastern Conference at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School for the 2025 SEC Business School Development Conference.

Registration opens: March 27

Deadline to register: June 29

Registration fee: $400

Conference Agenda

Tuesday, July 15

3 p.m. | Meet in Texas A&M Hotel lobby for tours | Drive to Bush Library Tour at 1000 George Bush Drive W, College Station, TX 77845. Park in Lot 41

Whether you signed up for the Kyle Field Tour or the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Tour, everyone will meet in the hotel lobby at 3:00 PM to head out to their respective tours.

5 p.m. | Welcome Social | Block T Bar and Grill, Texas A&M Hotel

Join us in the A&M Hotel’s Block T Bar and Grill to gather and catch up prior to dinner at the Hagler Center. Attire is summer business casual. Wear comfortable walking shoes as we plan to walk to dinner around 5:45 p.m. Our team will be there to greet and escort the group to dinner.

6 p.m. | Dinner: Texas A&M Foundation | Jon L. Hagler Center  (0.7 mile walk from A&M Hote) 401 George Bush Drive E.

If you are arriving right in time for dinner, please feel free to come directly to Hagler Center. Free parking is available.

Wednesday, July 16

• Welcome
• Student Panel
• Working with Faculty and Staff in High Impact Programs
• Portfolio Strategy Management
• Donor Panel

12 p.m. | Lunch

1:30 p.m. | Donor Panel

2:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions

• Breakout Session 1.1: Development
  • Navigating the Development Journey: Tips, Tricks & Best Practices
  • Join roundtable discussions exploring the evolving challenges and opportunities faced by early, mid, and late-career advancement professionals as they prioritize their ideal workday.
• Breakout Session 1.2: Advancement
  • Engaging Recent Grads: Strengthening the Annual Fund Through Alumni Connections
  • Hear from the Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University on strategies to connect with recent graduates and inspire their ongoing support for the annual fund.
• Breakout Session 1.3: Marketing
  • The Power of Strategic Publications
  • When it comes to effective publications, strategy is key. Dive into the Texas A&M Foundation’s publications strategy to learn how its marketing and communications team shares key messages across three targeted publications and collaborates with development professionals to craft content that informs and inspires donors and prospects.
• Breakout Session 2.1: Development
  • Building Legacy: Generational and Family Giving Insights
  • Explore how our donor system tracks generational and spousal giving, and learn best practices for cultivating lasting relationships with key family donors at Texas A&M.
• Breakout Session 2.2: Advancement
  • Stewardship in Action: Best Practices from Donor Success Officers
  • Discover innovative stewardship projects, including the Adopt a Scholar program and outreach to under-engaged donor pools, as shared by our Donor Success Officers at the Texas A&M Foundation.
• Breakout Session 2.3: Marketing
  • Reimagining Proposals and Crafting Personalized Donor Deliverables
  • Discover how the Texas A&M Foundation marketing and communications team enables development officers and other non-designers to create beautiful proposals and personalized documents. By empowering others with designed templates, see how users are enabled to craft a more tailored donor experience that is on brand with your organization.

4:15 p.m. | Wrap-Up & Mays tour 

5 p.m. | Social Hour

• Welcome
• Corporate Giving
• Planned Giving

Conference Lodging

A hotel block has been reserved at the Texas A&M Hotel & Conference Center. 

Call and ask for the SEC Business School Development Conference room block.

The Texas A&M Hotel & Conference Center is located on the beautiful and historic Texas A&M campus. Housed in a striking glass tower across from Kyle Field and near the Memorial Student Center (MSC), the hotel and conference center provides stunning accommodations for all guests.

Hotel Address: 177 Joe Routt Blvd., College Station, TX 77840

Hotel Phone: Local: 979-260-2235 | Direct: 888-654-4436

You may choose to fly into Easterwood Airport (CLL) in College Station, or a nearby airport that operates out of the closest major cities:

• Houston: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Houston Hobby (HOB)
• Austin: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)