As described above, one of C.O.O.L.'s most enduring legacies has been its role as a national convenor for the student service, activism, and civic engagement movement. Our annual conference, which in 2004 became the C.O.O.L. Idealist National Conference, is the only one of its kind - the premier ground for student leaders to share their knowledge, skills, experiences, and passion in building a better world through service and action.
Each year, one or more campuses graciously partners with us to host the annual event. Host campuses since 1985 have included:
Harvard College (1985)
Brown University (1986)
Georgetown College (1987)
Stanford University (1988)
Fordham University (1989)
University of California, Los Angeles (1990)
Coalition of eight campuses in New Orleans including Delgado Community College, Dillard University, Loyola University, Our Lady of Holy Cross College,
Southern University at New Orleans, Tulane University, University of New Orleans, Xavier University (1991)
Coalition of three campuses in Florida including Rollins College, University of Central Florida, and Valencia Community College (1992)
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (1993)
University of Massachusetts, Boston (1994)
Arizona State University (1995)
George Washington University (1996)
Case Western Reserve University (1997)
University of South Carolina (1998)
University of Utah (1999)
Saint Anselm College (2000)
Harvard College (2001)
Morehouse College (2002)
Cleveland State University (2003)
University of Pennsylvania (2004)
University of California, Berkeley (2005)
Each year since the Fordham conference in 1989, more than 1,000 attendees have celebrated and amplified their efforts. In addition, we have had the fortune of being inspired by speakers including Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Julian Bond, Marian Wright Edelman, Elizabeth Hollander, Coretta Scott King, Edward James Olmos, Van Jones, and Wayne Meisel as well as countless other local and national leaders from many sectors. Moreover, students and others from across the nation (and globe) are invited to design and present their own workshops on a comprehensive array of topics related to community engagement.
The 2006 C.O.O.L. Idealist National Conference will be hosted by Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee. Click here to learn more.
