FCA Midyear Conference

Nov. 4-5
Tri Delta Executive Office
Dallas, Texas

Midyear: Magazine & Storytelling Summit

Every magazine issue and every story is an opportunity to advance your priorities, deepen member connection, evoke pride and tell stories that matter.

Join award-winning magazine strategists Erin Peterson, founder of Capstone Communications and one of the nation's leading experts on alumni and membership magazines, and Amanda May, award-winning art director and design expert, for a hands-on summit designed focused on creating publications that connect with our members.

You'll leave with more than inspiration. They’ll help you develop a personal magazine action plan and roadmap to elevate your magazine and ensure it’s a publication that “earns the coffee table.” You’ll learn the steps you can take to create a magazine your members will read, engage with and value.

By the end of the summit, you’ll know exactly what to do to improve your next issue … and within a short time, you can have a fundamentally better magazine.

Together, you'll evaluate what makes a magazine indispensable: story concepting and selection, editorial strategy and writing, art direction, design and reader engagement.

Through interactive workshops, editorial critiques, and collaborative discussions, you'll gain practical ideas you can implement immediately.

Schedule

Wednesday, Nov. 4

  • Registration will be Wednesday, Nov. 4 from Noon to 1 p.m. CT.

  • The program will take place from 1 to 5:30 p.m. with a reception to follow.

  • Dinner will be on your own.

    • Opt-in flash consultation times will be available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT.

Thursday, Nov. 5

  • On Thursday, Nov. 4, the program will begin at 9 a.m. and wrap up at 3 p.m. CT for evening departures!

    • If needed, opt-in flash consultations will be available at 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. CT.

  • Sessions will include general sessions, workshops, roundtables, TED-like talks and a panel.

Registration

Each attendee should register at the link below. We expect this program to fill to capacity, so register early to claim your spot!

Register for Midyear

$250 early-bird registration includes this dynamic program, as well as the Wednesday night reception and Thursday lunch. (Other meals are on-your-own.) Registration increases by $50 on Oct. 15.

FCA Associate Partners

We invite all Associate Partners to join us at Midyear! As part of your membership, each AP organization receives one complimentary conference registration. Director of Networking Christopher Brenton will provide your registration coupon code. If additional representatives from your organization plan to attend, they are welcome to register at the standard conference rate. Please note that each attendee should complete their own individual registration.

Contact Christopher at christopher.brenton@sigmanu.org with Associate Partner questions.

Opt-In to these Opportunities to Take Your Magazine Further

Flash Consultation, $100

  • Sit down for a one-on-one consultation with Erin and Amanda to gain specific insight and feedback on your magazine publication. These will be available prior to Wednesday and Thursday’s start times.

    • Once you register and choose this option, you’ll have the ability to select your time! First come, first served.

    • To take advantage of this opportunity, only one person from each organization needs to “opt-in” on their registration form.

Access to Capstone’s virtual courses, $100

  • As a special opportunity for those FCA members who opt-in, Capstone Communications is offering access to their virtual courses on Headline Bootcamp, Breakthrough Profiles and Crafting Your Cover.

  • After Midyear, you’ll receive access information. This is a nearly $600 value, offered because Capstone wants you to get the most out of this experience!

This is an opportunity offered at an individual (per-person) rate. Access is not sharable between org colleagues.

Who Should Attend

This is a magazine-focused experience and should draw editors and team members who contribute to the publication, but the focus on storytelling is surely applicable to many roles.

  • Editors

  • Writers

  • Designers

  • Art directors

  • Staff members focused on storytelling

Whether your magazine is in print or digital (or hybrid!), and whether it’s sent to all members or a targeted group, this summit will provide you with the inspiration, ideas and best practices —and will help you develop your own tailored action plan to elevate your publication.

You’ll also be able to connect dots to how you tell your organization’s story and advance strategic priorities through communications more broadly, as well as learn best practices that will be helpful across different types of publications.

Meet Our Speakers

Erin Peterson is the owner of Capstone Communications, which provides strategy and storytelling for print alumni magazines and other major print publications. Capstone has worked with more than 125 alumni magazine clients across the country. Before founding Capstone, Erin was an editor at alumni magazines for Grinnell College, Carleton College, and Macalester College.

Erin and Capstone have earned significant recognition for alumni magazine work. This includes the Sibley Magazine of the Year, the field’s highest honor. Other awards include CASE Gold for feature writing as well as gold awards for feature and profile writing from BrilliantED and the Minnesota Magazine Publishing Association.

Erin’s thought leadership and ideas have been included in public radio’s Marketplace, Inside Higher Ed, CASE Currents, Nonprofit Communications Report, and The Higher Ed Marketer podcast. She earned CASE Stellar Speaker recognition in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Amanda May is communications manager at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, where she has edited the college's alumni magazines since 2019.

Under her direction, Tippie's publications — Tippie Magazine, Iowa Ledger, and Exchange — have earned numerous CASE awards. Tippie Magazine was a Robert Sibley Magazine of the Year finalist in 2025 and 2026, the profession's highest honor. Iowa Ledger, the college's accounting magazine, received Folio's prestigious Eddie Award for full-issue excellence. Her publications have also been recognized for achievements ranging from storytelling packages to magazines produced on a shoestring. She was recognized as a CASE Stellar Speaker in 2026.

Outside of magazine publishing, Amanda's photography has appeared in National Geographic Traveler and the Associated Press. She has also worked as a documentary photojournalist, Spanish translator, and illustrator.

 
 

LOCATION & TRAVEL DETAILS

Thank you to Tri Delta for hosting us! Midyear will take place at Tri Delta Executive Office in Dallas (14951 Dallas Pkway #500; Dallas, Texas 75254).

For those flying, utilize either DFW or DAL airports, as both are within a 30 min. drive from Tri Delta Executive Office. Use rideshare to get there.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Since we are utilizing the Tri Delta Executive Office for our conference, attendees are welcome to select and stay at the hotel of their choice. The surrounding area offer several options with different rates. FCA recommends the following hotels as suitable options for your stay in Dallas and are about a 5 minute Uber ride to the Tri Delta Executive Office: