Our step by step guide takes you chronologically through the process of getting from your community to Marquette this October.
There may be several options available for you to secure funding to attend MBLGTACC.
Does your student government offer grants or funding to student organizations?
Is there an LGBTQ+ resource center that can provide funding?
Does your major’s department/college offer scholarships for conference attendance?
Perhaps your dean of students or VP of student affairs has a conference travel assistance program.
As part of your funding request, it may be helpful to highlight the educational benefits of attending MBLGTACC, as well as the resources available to attendees at the vendor fair and by networking with students from other institutions.
To inform your funding request, we encourage you to get quotes for transportation and hotel accommodations, consider the cost of meals, and review registration costs.
Conference attendees are responsible for booking their own hotel accommodations. Several hotels in Marquette, MI are offering a discounted group rate for MBLGTACC attendees. Please check the listing for each hotel to see when discounted rates expire; we encourage you to reserve rooms early. Note that in most cases, you won’t be required to pay until check-in and you can cancel your reservation up to 48 hours before your scheduled arrival.
Check with the department or organization that is sponsoring your conference attendance for support in booking a hotel if you do not have access to a debit or credit card to put on file. Please note that if you will not have the physical debit/credit card used for the reservation, most hotels require a credit card authorization form completed by the cardholder. So check with the hotel and your department/org sponsor to coordinate payment ahead of time.
Please note, the group rate does not include taxes or fees. Please contact the hotel directly for more information about taxes and fees.
Many groups opt to reserve campus vehicles or a charter bus to travel to MBLGTACC. Be sure to check out policies on your campus about reserving vehicles for use by student organizations. It can be helpful to get a quote from multiple bus companies to ensure you’re getting the best deal on travel.
If students from neighboring institutions are also attending MBLGTACC, consider reaching out to coordinate transportation. In the past, multiple groups have partnered to reserve one charter bus to get to MBLGTACC.
Determining when your group needs to depart in order to arrive on time for the conference. Keep a few things in mind when planning your travel to and from the conference:
Frequency of rest and meal stops along the way
Do you have drivers for rented vehicles?
Is there a time change? Our region is split into Central and Eastern time zones
You likely want to check into your hotel before checking into conference registration. Leave plenty of time for this so your group can drop their things and reset.
Review the conference schedule regularly for any updates that impact your travel
How to get the word out to your campus about attending the conference.
Find relevant email lists in use at your school or college. (ask permission of list owners if needed)
Use existing social media channels
Word of mouth
Poster/flier templates
Get in touch with your resource center / multicultural center - can they help with communication or support at all?
What information to gather from students attending from your campus.
Here are some recommended questions to ask on a sign-up form for your campus’s students to make registration, travel and attendance simpler:
Name and pronouns to be used in the space (keep in mind folks may want to try out different names & pronouns at the conference than what they use on campus)
Email (one they actually use)
Dietary restrictions
Accessibility Requests (Ex: ASL interpreters, large print programs, etc)
In order to guarantee accommodations, accessibility requests should be submitted by October 3, 2023
Do they have a preference on who they room with in the hotel?
If using rental cars, is this attendee eligible and willing to drive?
Register your group for the conference and pay online or by mail. Entering the email addresses and names of your group members will generate an automatic email to them, prompting them to complete their registration preferences and individual detail.
Everyone who is assigned to a ticket will automatically receive emails with updates from MBLGTACC. It may be helpful to set up a group chat (Discord, Slack, GroupMe, etc.) with your delegation to ensure you can share important information with everyone in your group.
Start building your schedule before you even arrive at the conference! You can start making the hard choice of what workshops and session you’ll attend by:
Checking out the online version of the conference program, which will be made available by mid-October.
Reading through the workshop tracks covering topics/work that interest you
Getting the latest conference information and updates as they are announced—sign up for email updates. And follow us on social media (@mblgtacc) to see even more about speakers, entertainers and presenters featured at the conference.
Depending on your travel itinerary, you may choose to check in to your hotel first, or stop by the convention venue to check in for the conference. Be sure to check out the conference schedule while planning your travel plans. Around noon on Friday, you’ll receive a notification that it’s time to check in for MBLGTACC. This is just like checking in for a flight before you get to the airport. You’ll have an opportunity to review your name and pronouns—and make any corrections—before we print your name badge. At the convention center, visit the registration/check-in desk to pick up your badge and a swag bag. Name badges will be sorted alphabetically, by last name, so be sure everyone in your group stops by to get their own badge.
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