Written by Susan Tomlinson Schmidt, CNP
Reading Time: 1 min 32 secs

We’ve emailed you 20+ times. We posted on social media every day. It feels like we stalked you just a little bit to make sure you registered. What’s the tea with Elevate?!

Believe it or not, everything we ask you to do to earn your credential matters. Some of it may be obvious—like study the study guide or work at an internship site. But a conference? Online? Why! Our CNP program is intentionally designed to make sure you master all of the skills and experiences you need to be successful in your first professional position. You can expect to attend professional conferences as part of your job. Employers will want you to understand what a conference is like. Your boss will want you to pick a conference that builds skills you are missing, offers good networking opportunities, and exposes you to thought leaders. We know that the best way to prepare you for these opportunities is to give you a safe place to experience a national conference. Ask the obvious questions and learn the ropes. See what the benefit of a conference can be.

Elevate will open many doors for you. You will hear from a variety of speakers who are experts in their fields. They will challenge your thinking. Give you examples of new, innovative ways to meet your mission. Show you new tools to help you get your work done. And what’s your job at the conference? Reflect on what you hear and put it to good use in your world. Offer new suggestions in class discussions. Share an interesting resource with your internship supervisor. And be aware that you are part of a huge network of CNPs that are working with you to change our world.

Enjoy Elevate—and know that you are building an important muscle that you can flex on your first job!