Conference FAQ
If you are attending Track 1 at AFA Leaders Conference, this means you are new to our AFA program. Welcome! We want to make sure you receive all the information you need to make this experience great.
Students are selected in a variety of ways. Approximately 150 students are pre-identified by leader and academic scholarship programs offered by AFA. Remaining attendees are selected through an application process for corporate or college/university sponsorship through AFA and its partners.
Do you have questions or need help with the application? Please send the program team an email at programs@agfuture.org.
AFA and its partners expect each attendee to attend all sessions of the AFA Leaders Conference. AFA has a responsibility to its partners that delegates will fully participate in the program to be best stewards of their investment. Therefore, students who are unable to attend the entire conference may have to forego sponsorship or face repercussions such as loss of an academic scholarship. If a student finds they are unable to attend the entire conference for any unexpected reason, they should contact AFA immediately to discuss their options.
The AFA Leaders Conference is primarily a business casual event. However, Friday of the AFA Leaders Conference calls for business professional attire.
The AFA Leaders Conference is attended by over 800 college men and women from across the nation. More than 300 industry leaders are involved in the conference as speakers, panelists, discussion group leaders, exhibitors or guests.
AFA is here to help! AFA works to strengthen our relationship with more and more colleges and universities each year. We are more than happy to do any of the following: provide a customized excuse letter to provide to your professor; utilize our personal relationships on your campus to make a request on your behalf; or contact the professor, department chair or dean directly. Please feel free to reach out to the program team for assistance as soon as you know you have a conflict. As much as possible, we try to avoid a situation where a student has to forego the AFA opportunity (see the question on attendance) because of an academic conflict.
Good question. AFA has formal relationships with many campuses where we have a specific relationship with faculty and staff which seems to deem the AFA Leaders Conference a sanctioned event by the University. However, you must work directly with your professors on your class schedule.
Your sponsorship does not include transportation to/from the conference, miscellaneous beverages/snacks purchased, tips for hotel bellmen, etc. Delegate conference registration which is worth $1,000 is covered by AFA's partners and includes hotel room, guest room internet, meals and program costs associated with the 3 ½ day conference.
Please visit our cancellation policy. Click here.
Open application is made available through the AFA website in the spring months. Apply for Sponsorship. Selection is made in September. Also check with your college career service or academic programs office to see if your college will be sponsoring students as well. Learn More
AFA provides academic scholarships to individuals who are chosen through Community Partners in 8 Midwestern states each year, as well as to individuals selected as AFA National Leader and Academic Scholars. That scholarship package includes sponsorship for the scholar to attend the AFA Leaders Conference the fall of that same year. This is AFA’s definition of a scholarship and these are generally known as AFA Community Scholars.
Sponsorship is awarded to those who apply and are selected to attend the AFA Leaders Conference through any other mechanism – corporations, colleges or universities, an intern employer, a local community donor, etc.