Each year at the American College of Health Care Administrators Convocation and Exposition, the ACHCA Academy of Long Term Care Leadership and Development Academy showcases the applied research, scholarly work and creative professional activity of undergraduates and graduates in the broad fields of health and aging services administration study.

The Convocation gives undergraduate and graduate ACHCA student members from universities across the country an opportunity to present their scholarly work on a wide variety of topics from applied research with a faculty member or to an innovative project with an ACHCA member. Students participate through oral presentations, poster displays, and gallery exhibits. Throughout the few days, participants have the opportunity to interact with other students, faculty, and ACHCA members from across the country.

Who participates?

Undergraduate and graduate students. Preference will be given to students who are members of the UW-Eau Claire student chapter of ACHCA, who have worked closely with a member of the HCAD faculty on a scholarly research project. Faculty mentors attend the annual ACHCA convocation with students.

Why participate? 

Share your scholarly and creative work at a nationwide conference while interacting with other students and colleagues from across the country. Network with national ACHCA members, faculty, and students from other institutions. Build your professional resume.

How to participate

To participate, students should speak with either Dr. Creapeau or another faculty member in the HCAD program during the Fall semester each year to develop a research project and get further details about creating a scholarly poster to present. Research projects will be completed and posters printed during Spring semester, with the convocation held annually each April. The UWEC Office of Research and Sponsored programs, in association with the Learning and Technology Services, graciously assist the HCAD program and its students in the production of posters and with costs for attendance at the national ACHCA convocation.

Need more information?

Please contact Dr. Lindsey Creapeau in the HCAD program (CREAPELJ@uwec.edu or 715-836-2088), with any questions about the ACHCA convocation, the Student Applied Research Project for the year, or to express interest and be placed on a list for updated information.

Sample posters presented at the 2023 ACHCA Spring Convocation

• A Comparative Study of Grief Support and Burnout Among Nursing Home Staff (Bjorklund)
• Leading through Loss: Attitudes and Experiences of Nursing Home Administrators in Training (Campbell)
• Grief Support in Nursing Homes (Gomez)
• The 2022 National Emerging Leadership Summit: The Power of Partnerships (Heap, Gordon)
• The Development of an Assessment Tool to Examine the Next Generations Perspective about Senior Living Leadership (Kiffmeyer)
• Benefits to Learning About Baldridge and the Applications to Quality of Care (Platt)
• Measuring the Impact of a Dementia Simulation with Health Care Administration Students (Prestholdt)
• Utilization of Student Interns in Long Term Care Academic Programs: A Win-Win (Schumacher)
• Emphasis on the Directory of Programs Initiative (Van Eyll)