ACSN 2026 Annual Conference
July 20 - 22, 2026 | Durham, NC
Make plans now to join us in 2026 on the campus of Duke University!
More information to come on conference registration, call for proposals, sponsorship opportunities, and more.
Keynote Speaker
Proactive Networking: Exact Instructions for Boosting Visibility and Advocacy on the Job
Visibility at work is no longer optional—it’s essential for effective collaboration, recognition, and career growth. Yet alumni and working professionals of all ages and stages -- especially those in Gen Z and those who are underrepresented, neurodivergent, or uncomfortable with in-office socialization -- struggle to connect beyond their immediate teams.
This session discusses step-by-step, research-backed strategies drawn from Steve Dalton's best-selling Penguin Random House books that make networking easier, more structured, and more inclusive—helping every professional proactively build the relationships that lead to stronger mentorship, advancement, and community.
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Steve Dalton is a nationally recognized career expert and the creator of the “proactive networking” system at the heart of The 2-Hour Job Search. First published by Penguin Random House in 2012, the book has sold over 100,000 copies and is trusted by job seekers and career coaches around the world for its clear, step-by-step approach to building professional relationships that lead to job offers.
Dalton is also the author of The Job Closer, which expands his time-saving, framework-driven approach to cover the full job search journey—from career selection to offer negotiation—and integrates AI tools to simplify complex, time-consuming tasks.
Prior to becoming an author, Dalton was a career coach at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where he helped thousands of MBA students over 17 years navigate an ever-changing job market. Before that, he was a twice-promoted strategy consultant at A.T. Kearney and a consumer brand marketer at General Mills—experience that gives him a broad and practical perspective on what today’s employers truly value. Through his company, Contact2Colleague, Dalton now helps individuals and organizations apply his structured methods to improve internal mobility, advocacy, and long-term career growth.
His work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company, and his instructional videos are among the most viewed on YouTube for job seekers. He holds an MBA from Duke University and a chemical engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University, and lives in Durham, North Carolina.
Hotel Information and Reservations
JB Duke Hotel
230 Science Drive
Durham, NC 27708
Hotel Room Rates: $235 per night
Hotel Block Deadline: Friday, June 19, 2026 at 5:00 pm ET
If you need to speak to the hotel Reservations department, please contact the JB Duke Hotel at (919) 660-6400 and request Reservations.
When inquiring about your group please reference the following:
Alumni Career Service Network (Group ID #1155106)
Parking
There is free parking for guests of the J.B. Duke Hotel (230 Science Drive, Durham, NC).
AirportsThe nearest airport is Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) (16.1 miles). Driving directions from the airport can be found here. Ride share services to the hotel can range from $25-40.
Ready to Explore Durham and the Triangle?
Consider extending your trip to explore more of Durham, the Triangle, and beautiful North Carolina.
ACSN invites all alumni career services professionals to join us for our annual conference at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Learn more about Durham (or ‘Dur’m’ to locals).
Durham, North Carolina has a rich cultural history and a thriving present, with a celebrated food and arts scene and a buzzing start-up culture. Don’t miss strolling through downtown, where former tobacco warehouses have been turned into restaurants, bars, galleries, and living spaces, and where you can see the creativity of entrepreneurs who build on the historic legacy of the city’s Black Wallstreet. In addition, Durham is part of the Research Triangle area, which includes the cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill as well as UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, NC Central University, the Research Triangle Park and major employers such as Red Hat, SAS, Lenovo, GlaxoSmithKline, and IQVIA. The Triangle area has been ranked as the #6 best place to live in the United States and a top 5 place for recent college grads.
Local attractions:
NC Museum of Art (30 min)
Carolina Tiger Rescue (45 min)
Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort (2 hours)
Asheville NC and the Blue Ridge Mountains (3.5 hours)
Wilmington NC and surrounding beaches (2.5 hours)
Outer Banks (4 hours)
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