by Patrick Stone
Cape Cod Community College
Barnstable, Massachusetts
It occurred to me, somewhere in the middle of a month spent traveling across the country for NCMPR’s district conferences, that I’ve never actually missed a District 1 conference. Fifteen straight years across three New England institutions equals 15 straight District 1 conferences. As I wrapped up my month of conferences in Pittsburgh, that realization helped me understand why this whirlwind stretch felt so special: I truly had no idea what to expect outside New England. I’ve only ever known D1.
This fall, I was fortunate to attend conferences in Indianapolis (D3), Kansas City (D5), Las Vegas (D4 and D6), and, of course, Pittsburgh. I would have loved to visit my friends in D2 and D7 as well, but I had to take a few breathers — and give my poor wife back home in Massachusetts a break from wrangling our three small kids solo.
At each stop, I met countless new people who left me in awe. Not just because of their talent as community college communicators, but because they were creative, fun, fearless people who embody what makes NCMPR special. I learned that every region has its own unique heartbeat when it comes to our work. The conferences may differ, but so do the students we serve — their needs, their goals, and the ways our colleges successfully reach them.
Here’s the reality of our profession right now, backed up by the data you all so helpfully provided through my only modestly irritating mid-conference Slido survey: The demographics of NCMPR are shifting. A majority of district conference attendees have been in their roles for only one to five years. More millennials (or, as one member put it, “let’s just say my Instant Messenger name ended in ‘88’”) are stepping into leadership roles. Our creative colleagues are being elevated not only in their work but also in their positions within their departments.
That shift brings new expectations and new needs from NCMPR — and we hear you clearly. You want more networking and connection. You want professional development in sessions, yes, but also in ways that go beyond a breakout room.
In short: You want to find your people. Based on what I saw this fall, I think it’s safe to say many of you have.
I’m incredibly grateful for the hospitality at every stop and for the many new friends I made along the way. And because so many of you asked why I carried my Man Bag around all day, every day, at every conference stop (IT’S A CAMERA BAG, PEOPLE), here are a few of my favorite shots I captured throughout the month.
Patrick Stone is the director of strategic communications and marketing at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable, Massachusetts, and the 2025-26 president of NCMPR.
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