This year’s Elevating Cougs conference — Washington State University’s largest in-house employee professional development event — is taking place Oct. 22–23.
Elevating Cougs debuted in 2023, with more than 800 university employees participating in last year’s event. The event features online presentations from employees located across the university system, offering insights and expertise that can help Cougs advance and thrive in their careers. The virtual nature of the conference also eliminates a significant barrier to participation, allowing the university system to come together for one unified event.
Elevating Cougs brings together subject matter experts to present on professional and leadership development, as well as technical and Workday skills. The theme of the 2025 event is “Thriving Through Change,” with sessions focused on helping employees navigate a shifting university landscape, evolving roles, and new technologies.
This year’s Elevating Cougs conference includes three learning tracks for participants to follow:
- Developing as a Coug
- Leading as a Coug
- Workday Success Stories
These tracks offer more than 40 sessions covering topics like how to foster safe and supportive campus communities, using the latest functionality and best practices in Workday, and maximizing tools like Excel and Microsoft Copilot.
Attendees are encouraged to mix and match offerings, with more information available on the Elevating Cougs website. Employees curious about attending but unsure where to start can explore this year’s new Tailored Schedules, which provide suggested itineraries based on a variety of learning goals.
Registration for the two-day virtual event is now available online, with conference organizers available to answer questions via email.
