2026 Student-Led Policy Conference

When is the 2026 Student Conference?

The date of the 2026 Conference is July 16th -17th, 2026.

What is the purpose of the Conference?

The Conference invites participants from across the Florida College System to gain leadership experience and network with subject-matter experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students will be paired with fellow college peers on creating and presenting on public policy proposals in relation to the topic of AI.

Is the Conference free to attend?

The Conference is free to attend, however, all participants are responsible for transportation to the venue. Meals are provided during the Conference. Lodging is also provided conference attendees.

How can ISPS support your college throughout the process?

ISPS supports participating colleges in a multitude of ways, including:

• Hosting organizational meetings for participating colleges to ask questions, share information and explore best practices.
• Marketing the event afterwards to highlight the work from participating students and promote next year’s student-led conference.
• Working with your college to provide the best possible experience for students.

What happens during the Conference?

Students will engage in breakout sessions, listen to expert speakers, and collaborate with peers and field experts in meaningful discussions. They will then form teams to develop and present innovative policy solutions.

How will the Conference engage students?

To enhance student engagement and networking, all attendees from participating colleges will be assigned to randomized groups with students from different colleges. This will foster collaboration and connections throughout the event.

Networking During Meals

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be structured to allow assigned groups to eat together at designated tables. This setup will ensure networking opportunities before and after speaker sessions, while energizing participants and fostering teamwork.

Social Media Engagement Contest

Students will be encouraged to create and share engaging social media content using a pre-determined hashtag (#spcisps) for Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Content themes will be assigned, including:

• Most Creative/Engaging Content – $50 for the individual winner
• Best Group Photo – $25 a piece per group member.

Submissions will be uploaded via email or posted on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.) A panel of judges and student volunteers will review entries, and winners will receive gift cards.

Group & College Photos

Students will take group photos with their assigned teams and an additional photo with students from their university. College logos will be added in post-production, and these images will be made available online.

Breakout Speaker Sessions

To optimize learning and engagement, the conference will feature four breakout speaker sessions, allowing students to choose sessions based on their interests. The conference will provide an engaging, interactive, and dynamic experience that fosters meaningful student connections, collaboration, and participation.

Can students under 18 years old attend the Conference?

Any student enrolled in the Florida College System may participate in our conference. Dual enrollment students are encouraged to attend as well. Please note — any student under the age of 18 cannot share a room with students over the age of 18. Also, the designated lead must chaperone and take responsibility for the student during the entirety of the conference. 

Do I have to stay at the hotel after the Conference concludes?

You are not obligated to stay at either of the hotels during or after the conference ends. If college faculty and students prefer to drive back home, they are welcome to do so with no financial penalties. 

Who hosts the Conference?

The Conference is hosted by the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions (ISPS) at St. Petersburg College. ISPS is dedicated to advancing academic excellence, community engagement, economic vitality, and public understanding through high-quality, solutions-directed, non-partisan public policy program. More information can be found on the ISPS website.

Thursday, July 16th

5:30 pm – 6:15 pm: Hotel arrival – luggage drop off.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm: Orientation and Welcome Speech

Welcome Speaker: Daniel Mageras

8:15 pm: Evening Reception

Friday, July 17th

7:45 am – 8:15 am: Faculty Breakfast and Networking —Faculty will reconvene with students at 8:15 am for the morning keynote.

8:15 am – 9:00 am: Breakfast and Morning Keynote Speech

Morning Keynote Speaker: TBD

9:00 am – 10:00 am: Breakout A: Challenges Presented by AI

Session 1: Ethical Questions Raised By Artificial Intelligence

As the use of Artificial Intelligence becomes widespread, ethical questions are raised regarding not just the AI tools themselves but also the infrastructure required to support them. 

Guest Speakers: Christian Moriarity, Kristen Chittenden

Session 2: Legal Frameworks Raised By Artificial Intelligence

As Artificial Intelligence becomes a more prevalent tool utilized by workforce professionals, the amount of physical infrastructure needed to support it has increased. With the recent increase in AI data centers, states have begun to create different legal frameworks to manage how data centers can be created and how they will be managed after creation. 

Guest Speakers: Dr. John Licato, Tarruck Wheeler

10:15 am – 11:15 am: Breakout B: The Future of Artificial Intelligence

Session 3: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Workforce

Modern artificial intelligence infrastructure serves as the foundation for AI tools used in the workforce. New AI technologies intend to increase workforce productivity and create opportunities for both companies and their employees. 

Gaining insight into how new AI technologies are implemented in the workforce is essential for a well-rounded understanding of the impact of AI data centers. 

Guest Speakers: Josh Hill

Session 4: Artificial Intelligence And The Environment

The recent growth of AI infrastructure has raised questions regarding long-term environmental sustainability. In addition to the policies and procedures currently being utilized by AI data centers, new technologies are being developed to reduce the ecological footprint created by artificial intelligence. 

Guest Speakers: Chandler Culotta  

11:30 am – 1:00 pm: Lunch, Afternoon Remarks and Keynote Speech

Afternoon Remarks Speaker: Valerie Lavin

Afternoon Keynote Speaker: Karni Chagal-Feferkorn

1:15 pm – 2:45 pm: Policy Proposal Work Groups & Faculty Networking Session

Policy Proposal Moderator: Matthew Lee

Faculty Facilitator TBA

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Presentations

4:45 pm – 6:15 pm: Evening Remarks and Keynote Speech

Evening Remarks Speaker: TBA

Evening Keynote Speaker: TBA

6:15 pm: End of program and safe travels!

Public Policy Proposal Scenario Background Guide 

Introduction

On May 7^th, 2026, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 484 into law. Section 7 of the law stipulated the following: 

The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) shall contract for an independent, interdisciplinary study of policy considerations related to the construction and operation of large-scale data centers, including, but not limited to, state, regional, or local economic development and tax revenue impacts; use of land, water, and other natural resources; energy use and related cost and rate impacts; and public health and safety related impacts. OPPAGA may contract with one or more nonpartisan academic or nonprofit research organizations with policy and scientific expertise in relevant fields of study. The study must identify any issues unique to the construction and operation of large scale data centers in this state. The study must also include recommendations on facility siting and mitigation measures that should be considered to reduce any potential negative impacts. OPPAGA shall submit the study to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 1, 2027. 

With this law in mind, your team will act as OPPAGA to create and present a presentation that addresses the effects of AI data centers on communities.

Function and Powers

OPPAGA serves as the research arm for the Florida Legislature. The research done by OPPAGA is intended to guide Florida policymakers. The primary function of OPPAGA is to assist the legislature with objective research on requested topics, and its powers lie in the reports that it creates.

Report Format

OPPAGA reports traditionally follow those of a standard research paper. Commonly opening with a summary of the report, followed by the background of the issue, then supporting research, and typically closing with OPPAGA’s recommendations. While OPPAGA lacks the power to create any policy itself, it has the ability to suggest that Florida legislature take whatever action they believe best aligns with their research.

Additional Resources:

OPPAGA’s official website can be found here: https://oppaga.fl.gov/Home

OPPAGA’s presentations can be found here: https://oppaga.fl.gov/Products/Presentations

Full OPPAGA reports can be found here: https://oppaga.fl.gov/Products/ReportList

OPPAGA research does its best to adhere to “The Program Evaluation Standards, 3^rd Edition”, which can be found here:  https://jcsee.org/program/

Public Policy Proposal Directions 

Your group will take on the role of OPPAGA to draft the study. Follow the letter of the law.  

Groups will present the study to a panel of judges. Judges will be grading the study with the attached rubric. The group with the highest score from the judges will be declared the winner. 

Time Frame 

• Groups will have 90 minutes to create the public policy proposal.
• The final product will be a 5–10 minute oral group presentation, accompanied by a PowerPoint.

Notes 

• One laptop will be provided for each group. This laptop will be used for the final presentation (you will use an HDMI cord to share screen).
• AI may be used to assist in research and brainstorming, but the content of your slides and spoken presentation must be created by your group.
• Include citations for the sources that you used for your presentation.
• All members of the group must play a role and speak during the presentation.
• Please include a title slide that includes all your group members’ names, group number and the title of the presentation.

Suggested Protocol 

• First fifteen (or five to six) minutes: Identify the policy issue(s)
• Next fifteen minutes: Identify the stakeholders
• Next fifteen minutes: Brainstorm solutions
• Next fifteen minutes: Assess impact of all solutions on each stakeholder.
• Make recommendations for next steps
• Last five minutes: Practice Public Speaking Presentation