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EAST CONFERENCE 2027

March 16-18, 2027

Hot Springs, AR

Leadership Teams

Leadership Team Applications & Facilitator Nomination Forms are due by 3:00 pm CST on Friday, November 6, 2026.

Each year, dozens of students are chosen to help EAST staff host, manage, and document the EAST Conference. This group of students works together to form the Ambassador Team, the Documentation Team, and the Technical Support Team. This is an excellent opportunity for active EAST students looking to gain practical professional experience and who are interested in becoming more involved with EAST Conference. Programs with Leadership Team members may bring these students to Conference as complimentary full-access participants - in addition to their chosen eight (8) students. Programs are responsible for all travel and lodging expenses for Leadership Team members. By submitting the Facilitator Nomination form, the facilitator acknowledges that program attendance and full program participation at EAST Conference is required.

Requirements & Expectations

The EAST Conference Leadership Teams are vital to the success of EAST Conference. It is crucial that these students attend the entirety of both the Leadership Team Retreat and Conference (from arrival through the Closing Session) and fully participate as Leadership Team members.

By submitting the application, the student acknowledges that attendance and full participation as a Leadership Team member is required for the duration of EAST Conference. Requests to engage as a presenter for the school (i.e., Program Pitches, competition finalist rounds), attend a Signature (breakout) Session, or assist with booth setup may not be possible. If a student is selected for a team and later realizes that they cannot commit to being at the entire event, they are expected to forfeit their position on the team.

Application Requirements

All students interested in being on a team are required to submit the following:

A separate, completed application for EACH desired position

Team Retreat

February 15-16, 2027

Arkansas 4-H Center | The Vines Center | Little Rock, AR

Retreat Info

Leadership Team Positions

The Ambassador Team consists of students who assist EAST staff with the numerous details of a large event, including registration, scanning attendees for Signature Sessions, working the GEAR store, interacting with visitors, and solving problems. Ambassadors are the EAST Conference hosts. They always have smiles on their faces and approach problems with a "can-do" attitude. The Team Leader is responsible for maintaining workflow for all team members at EAST Conference. A select number of students will also serve as speakers for the Opening and Closing Sessions.

Click on the positions below to review the specific requirements, required experience, and submission instructions.

Leader Member Speaker

The Documentation Team consists of three smaller teams - photography, video, and social media - who work together to document and provide coverage for EAST Conference. The Team Leader is responsible for maintaining workflow for all team members at EAST Conference. The video and photography teams capture event highlights that will later be displayed on the EAST Conference website and used as promotional pieces to showcase and celebrate the event. The Social Media Team serves as the voice of EAST throughout EAST Conference on social media networks (i.e., Facebook, Instagram).

Click on the positions below to review the specific requirements, required experience, and submission instructions.

Leader Photographer Videographer Social Media Reporter

The Technical Support Team plays a critical role in ensuring EAST Conference runs smoothly. The Team Leader is responsible for managing the support workflow for all Technical Support Team Members and Production Technicians at EAST Conference. The entire team works closely with the EAST Technical Support Group (TSG) to assist in setup, breakdown, and support of equipment in all signature sessions. They oversee Tech Hub and Tech Booth, and provide support for attendees, as needed. This could include establishing networks, providing software support, or hardware troubleshooting found in an EAST environment. The Production Technician works with the production company to livestream Opening, Closing, and Signature Sessions during Conference. Being a part of the Technical Support Team offers a unique behind-the-scenes experience that helps make Conference a success.

Click on the positions below to review the specific requirements, required experience, and submission instructions.

Leader Member Production Tech

Leadership Team FAQ

If my student applies for more than one (1) position, do I have to submit multiple facilitator nominations?

If the student applies for more than one (1) position within the same team (e.g. Ambassador Team, Documentation Team, Technical Support Team), you do not have to submit multiple facilitator nominations. However, if a student applies for positions on different teams, a unique facilitator nomination for each team is necessary, as the overarching responsibilities for each team are incredibly different.

Can students apply for more than one (1) position and/or more than one (1) team?

Yes! A few position applications ask if the student would like to be considered for another position on the team if they aren’t selected for the position for which they are applying. For example, applicants for the Ambassador Team Leader or Speaker can check a box that also allows them to be considered for an Ambassador Team Member role. The same goes for the Technical Support Team and the Video Team (Video Editor & Videographer). However, there are a few positions for which they have to submit completely separate applications because of the type of documentation (videos, photos, etc.) that is required. If students apply and are selected for more than one (1) position, we will put them on the team and in the position where we need them most.

Is there a max number of students that can apply and/or be accepted from a single program?

No! Applying for a Leadership Team position is a great experience, and we encourage students to apply. Keep in mind that EAST strives for a diverse representation of schools across all three (3) teams (Ambassador, Documentation, and Technical Support). Some positions are skill-based and require the most qualified students (i.e. it’s sometimes harder for us to pick students from different schools for these positions). Many positions are selected through an anonymous review process. Also, this largely depends on how many students apply and from which schools.