Agenda
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2019
Arrival at Omni New Haven Hotel throughout the day.
1:00 PM Registration
6:00 PM Networking Event
7:00 PM Banquet & Awards Session
- Supreme Knight’s Remarks
- Awards Presentation
Evening Social
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2019
Breakfast
Opening Session
Breakout Sessions I & II
- Chaplain’s Meeting and Seminarian Sessions will run concurrently with these breakout sessions.
Lunch
Breakout Session III
- Seminarian Session will run concurrently with this breakout session.
Afternoon Session
Tour of Knights of Columbus Museum
Dinner – St. Mary’s Church Hall
Holy Hour & Consecration to St. Joseph – St. Mary’s Church
Sunday Vigil Mass – St. Mary’s Church
Evening Social
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
Breakfast
College Councils Forum
Closing Session (Will end by 11:00 AM)
*Agenda subject to change
Breakout Sessions
Recruitment Strategies: Keeping the Order’s Mission Alive
Tyler Foreman – University of Louisiana Council 14542
Nicholas Denny – Gonzaga University Council 12583
Recruitment is vital not only to the survival of our order, but also to the expansion of our college councils and the revitalization of the Knights of Columbus. When it comes to recruitment, it is important for members to realize that they are not only trying to meet their quotas to win a star council award, but they are personally hand selecting the future of our fraternity. It is also incredibly important for college councils to focus on recruiting because, like most groups on campus, the face of a council will change every two to three years due to new members joining and old members graduating.
Recruitment will make or break your council. With weak recruitment strategies a council will not be able to replace its leadership and will eventually die out, but with a planned out strategy a council can increase their campus presence as well as boost recruitment and involvement. After speaking with various college councils across the country we were able to determine common issues and calculate affective techniques to help prevent some of these issues. Through this breakout session, attendees will learn the most effective recruitment strategies, as well as methods of keeping these new members engaged and active.
Leaders for Life: Knighthood after College
Nicholas Holoman – John Carroll University Council 8320
Evan Crowell – U.S. Military Academy Council 8250
While the work of a college Knight can be rewarding, challenging, and inspiring, this work does not end once your four years on campus are over. Membership in our order is a lifelong commitment! Your years as a college Knight will form you into a leader that has the skills necessary to carry out the New Evangelization in our parishes and communities. Our hope is that you will utilize these skills to energize local councils in your continued service to our order and our greater Church.
This session will provide council leaders with guidance in maintaining active membership after college. Additionally, we will provide information on finding a new council after graduation, and on how to more effectively ensure that graduating seniors transfer out. Finally, we recognize that the climate of parish Knights of Columbus councils is often much different than that of a college council. This session will provide ideas for active council engagement as you move forward into a parish council and continue to carry out your call as a Knight of Columbus.
Council Operations and Best Practices
Austin Cavallin – U.S. Air Force Academy Council 8200
Chris Czyzewski – St. Peter’s University Council 7913
Jacob Halterman – St. Anselm College Council 4875
As members and leaders in our respective councils there are many tasks we undertake. While recruitment and programming are certainly important, a council must lead by example. In order to do this, you must develop best practices and establish goals. With a vision and the clearly-stated K of C mission, current and future members will understand their roles and the expectations that accompany them. Additionally, as members become more involved and active, those with strong leadership qualities begin to emerge, helping the current officers to identify and develop their successors.
Our presentation will provide a clear outline for councils to use to effectively maintain the Knights mission; to manage successful events; to practice responsible financial stewardship; and to conduct meetings appropriately. We will emphasize the importance of regular meetings between officers. We will provide a profile that will prepare councils to develop and enact a transition plan for their future leaders. Finally, our session will share an outline to integrate faith and its importance to our mission. After all, a council that prays together, stays together.
Programming and Fundraising: Running the Heart of Your Council
Kevin Angell – University of Notre Dame Council 1477
Sterling Jennings – Benedictine College Council 4708
This presentation will focus on the key elements of success in running council events and fundraisers. Your council's programming is the driver of your council's success as vibrant programs will help to build fraternity and to enable council growth. We discuss steps to take to help your council stay active throughout the year and offer programs that will appeal to all members of your council, as well as provide step-by-step guidelines on how to run successful programs.
Additionally, we will discuss how to fundraise for both your council operations and for local communities. Fundraising is a difficult, but essential aspect of a successful college council. Many college councils struggle to raise money, so we will look at examples of successful college council fundraisers, and examine ways that your council can best raise funds. Finally, we will provide resources that can be used for council programming and fundraising.
Seminarian Session: In Imitation of Fr. McGivney
Jorge Mendoza Gonzalez – Mount Angel Seminary Council 15595
As men in formation to the Catholic Priesthood, we are being called to live radically in service of Christ and His Church. Now more than ever we are called to lift high the cross of Christ. It is our call to bring Christ and His Church to a society divided and torn by human weakness. We are called to be men of faith, action, and prayer. The Knights of Columbus empower us to be tangible witnesses, at our seminaries and communities, of the love of God. Strengthened by charity, we unite through fraternity to spread our Catholic faith.
In this breakout session and presentation, we will be covering important information about our unique role as seminarians within the Knights of Columbus. We will also talk about some unique barriers we face as seminary councils and how each council can overcome those things hindering them from success. Finally, we will focus our time on personal growth as Knights of Columbus and how the Knights of Columbus can assist us in future ministry as pastors of souls.
Lodging
Attendees to the 2019 College Councils Conference will stay at the Omni New Haven Hotel (155 Temple Street). Your online registration serves as your room reservation for Friday and Saturday night. Please note that even though your room will be included on the Supreme Council’s master bill, the hotel will need a credit card to keep on file for incidentals. If you count as an additional student above the two covered by the Supreme Council, your registration will still reserve you a room, but your council will be billed the $200 conference fee after the conference.
Student representatives from the same school will occupy a room together. A lone representative from one school will be paired with another sole representative from another campus. Chaplains and Financial Secretaries will receive single-room accommodations.
Please note that due to the size of this event we cannot make arrangements for wives or other family members.
Any questions or concerns regarding lodging should be directed to the College Councils Department at college@kofc.org or 203-752-4671.
Travel Information
You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements. Please follow the guidelines below when purchasing tickets, etc. (Prices listed for ground transportation services are subject to change.)
If you plan to travel by air, please use a travel search engine (e.g., Kayak.com) to purchase airline tickets. These sites aggregate the information from airline websites and discount travel sites (e.g., Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com) to find the best prices available.
Airfare should be purchased in advance, and no later than Friday, Sept. 13, 2019 (two weeks before the conference). If you have an expensive itinerary, please contact the Supreme Council staff before booking your ticket, as we may be able to find you a better deal with our travel agents.
To reduce costs, we encourage you to fly into one of the following major tri-state area airports:
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York City;
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Queens, New York City;
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey; and
- Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, Connecticut.
Detailed directions from each of these airports to New Haven may be found below. Subject to train schedules and road traffic, a one-way trip from Newark or New York City airports to New Haven can take up to 3.5 hours. Travel from Bradley airport to New Haven is approximately one hour. Please plan accordingly to arrive in time for Friday evening’s activities and to attend the closing events before making your departing flight on Sunday.
Please plan to arrive in New Haven by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27, and to depart from New Haven no earlier than 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 29.
Directions from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Upon arrival at the airport, use the New York Airport Service express bus to travel to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Transit time between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Grand Central Terminal is approximately one hour. If you are traveling with a group, it may be cost-effective to share a taxicab.
- Upon arrival at Grand Central Terminal, purchase a ticket to New Haven for the Metro-North Railroad. Transit time between Grand Central Terminal and Union Station in New Haven is approximately two hours.
- On weekdays, there is a free shuttle service that provides transportation between Union Station and downtown New Haven. This shuttle runs every 20 minutes and drops off in front of the hotel. More information may be found at CT Transit:
https://www.cttransit.com/services/union-station-shuttle-new-haven - Alternatively, you can take a taxicab from Union Station to the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale (155 Temple Street). A taxi will cost about $5-10.
Directions from LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Upon arrival at the airport, use the New York Airport Service express bus to travel to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Transit time between LaGuardia Airport and Grand Central Terminal is approximately 45 minutes. If you are traveling with a group, it may be cost-effective to share a taxicab.
- Upon arrival at Grand Central Terminal, purchase a ticket to New Haven for the Metro-North Railroad. Transit time between Grand Central Terminal and Union Station in New Haven is approximately two hours.
- On weekdays, there is a free shuttle service that provides transportation between Union Station and downtown New Haven. This shuttle runs every 20 minutes and drops off in front of the hotel. More information may be found at CT Transit:
https://www.cttransit.com/services/union-station-shuttle-new-haven - Alternatively, you can take a taxicab from Union Station to the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale (155 Temple Street). A taxi will cost about $5-10.
Directions from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Upon arrival at the airport, use the Newark Liberty Airport Express bus to travel to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Transit time between Newark Liberty International Airport and Grand Central Terminal is approximately 45 minutes.
- Upon arrival at Grand Central Terminal, purchase a ticket to New Haven for the Metro-North Railroad. Transit time between Grand Central Terminal and Union Station in New Haven is approximately two hours.
- Alternatively, you may consider taking Amtrak directly from the airport station to New Haven.
- On weekdays, there is a free shuttle service that provides transportation between Union Station and downtown New Haven. This shuttle runs every 20 minutes and drops off in front of the hotel. More information may be found at CT Transit:
https://www.cttransit.com/services/union-station-shuttle-new-haven - Alternatively, you can take a taxicab from Union Station to the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale (155 Temple Street). A taxi will cost about $5-10.
Directions from Bradley International Airport (BDL)
- We encourage you to consider an airport shuttle service, such as Connecticut Limo, to travel from Hartford to New Haven. Reservations should be made in advance; you can do so online at http://www.ctlimo.com/. A one-way fare is $55 per person and roundtrip is $110 per person (you get a discount when traveling in a group). The Connecticut Limo drops passengers off directly at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale (155 Temple Street). Connecticut Limo picks up passengers in front of Door # 1 (near the Southwest baggage claim area).
- Alternatively, you may arrange an Uber ride once you arrive at Bradley. This can be cheaper if you travel in a group as most non-peak times run $70-$80 from Bradley to the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale (155 Temple Street).
- A traditional taxi service is also available. However, these run at a flat rate of $120 from Bradley to New Haven.
Metro-North Railroad
- The Metro-North Railroad is a commuter rail system.
- When traveling from New York to New Haven, peak (i.e., rush hour) fares apply in the morning until 9:00 a.m. and in the evening from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. When traveling from New Haven to New York, peak fares apply in the morning until 9:00 a.m. The peak fare for one-way travel between New York and New Haven is $23.50; the off-peak fare is $17.75. All weekend fares are off-peak.
- We encourage you to purchase your tickets in the station, as fares are much more expensive if you purchase your tickets from the conductor on the train. You may also download the Metro North Railroad app and purchase tickets through that.
- More information on the Metro-North Railroad may be found on the Metropolitan Transit Authority website: http://mta.info/mnr/
New York Airport Service
- The New York Airport Service provides safe and reliable transportation between destinations in Manhattan and the New York City airports. Upon arrival at the airport, proceed to the New York Airport Service bus stop, which is located outside baggage claim at every terminal.
- Tickets may be purchased online or on the bus. For more information, please consult the New York Airport Service website: http://www.nycairporter.com/
- From LaGuardia Airport to Grand Central Terminal, one-way fare is $16.00; round-trip fare is $30.00. From John F. Kennedy International Airport to Grand Central Terminal, one-way fare in $18.00; round-trip fare is $35.00.
Newark Liberty Airport Express
- The Newark Liberty Airport Express provides safe and reliable transportation between destinations in Manhattan and Newark Liberty International Airport. Upon arrival at the airport, proceed to the bus stop, which is located outside baggage claim at terminals A, B and C.
- Near Grand Central Terminal, buses load and drop off at 120 E. 41st Street, between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue. The main entrance to Grand Central Terminal is located at Park Avenue and 42nd Street.
- Tickets may be purchased online or on the bus. If tickets are purchased online, tickets should be printed as the bus does not accept e-tickets. For more information, please consult the Coach USA / Olympia Trails website: https://www.newarkairportexpress.com/
- From Newark Liberty International Airport to Grand Central Terminal, one-way fare is $17.00; round-trip fare is $30.00. There is also a $1.00 administrative fee per ticket.
Traveling by Car
- Should you prefer to drive from campus or rent a car once you land at one of the above airports, please make your way to the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale (155 Temple Street).
There is self-parking available at the hotel for $23.00 per night. You may have this fee billed to your room. However, please note that these funds will then be deducted from your council’s travel stipend check.
Eligibility and Reimbursement
This year, the Supreme Council will cover the travel costs and Conference Fee (hotel/meals) for two students and the council chaplain from each college council in North America. At the Supreme Council’s discretion, members of college roundtables and other developing college councils may also be invited.
Student representatives should be enrolled at the college or university their council supports. The Supreme Council suggests that college councils send students who serve as officers of the council (i.e., grand knight), however this is not required; any student may represent his council. At most, a college council may send seven student representatives, however, the Supreme Council will only offer travel stipends and waive the Conference Fee for the first two.
If the council chaplain cannot attend the conference, his invitation may be extended to another priest who works with the council.
Those who attend the conference at the expense of the Supreme Council are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. In the weeks following the conference, travel stipend checks will be mailed to each council’s financial secretary. The council will bear the responsibility of reimbursing the student representative(s) from these funds. These checks will reflect distance from New Haven, CT, and average travel costs from that region. Councils unsure of the travel stipend amount for their council can contact the College Councils Department at (203)-752-4671 or college@kofc.org.
Conference Fee
There is a $200.00 Conference Fee to cover lodging and meals throughout the conference. The Supreme Council will waive this fee for attendees that travel at the expense of the Supreme Council. For college councils that send additional representatives above those covered by Supreme, they will be billed this fee in their next council statement. It will be up to the council to collect this fee from the individual traveler if it desires.
