ICLE’s 2023 National Conference

Attendee Information

JULY 17-20, 2023

We are grateful you are joining us for our 11th Annual ICLE National Conference. Among the most mission-driven superintendents, principals, and teachers in Catholic education today, our attendees are seeking to renew their dioceses and schools by stepping away from the secular model of education and reclaiming the Church’s proven tradition in the liberal arts and sciences, preK-12.

If you have any questions related to the conference, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Megan Fassero, ICLE’s Program Manager at mfassero@catholicliberaleducation.org

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Our largest annual event inspires and equips a growing community of Catholic educators to reclaim the Church’s full vision of education and to bring it to life in their classrooms. The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education’s 11th annual National Conference is hosted by the Department of Catholic Studies and the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University.

We anticipate a total of 400 people at the conference, including participants, vendors, speakers, and ICLE staff.

CONFERENCE LOCATION

The 2023 National Conference, Cause of Our Joy, is being held at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.

The nearest airport is Pittsburgh International Airport (Airport Code: PIT). Duquesne University is located at 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (GPS Location: 1015 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282), about 30 minutes from the airport by car. View airport transportation options HERE.

All of the conference events will take place on campus, except for Holy Mass, which will take place at the nearby Epiphany Church (184 Washington Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15219).

Registration, plenary sessions, and the vendor area are located on the 5th floor of the Power Center, in the Dougherty Ballroom and the Shepperson Suite. Please see the Duquesne Campus Map for details. The Power Center is #39 on the map. The 5th floor is accessible using elevators in the Power Center or via the Sklar Skywalk (#49 on the map) from the Forbes Avenue Parking Garage (#41 on the map).

Please view a Google Map of Duquesne University and the surrounding area HERE.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Click HERE to view the full National Conference program. The conference schedule begins on Monday, July 17 on the 5th floor of the Power Center with Registration and Check-In in the Shepperson Suite from 1-4:30 p.m. Visit vendors from 1-3:30 p.m. and attend an optional pre-conference introductory session, “Catholic Liberal Education: Freedom in Christ” at 3:30 p.m.

The conference concludes on Thursday, July 20 with lunch and vendor time from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

All of your meals are included, beginning with dinner on Monday and ending with lunch on Thursday, except for Wednesday evening dinner, which is intentionally left free for you to explore Pittsburgh.

LODGING OPTIONS

Please be sure to make your own housing arrangements. Note that housing is NOT included in your conference registration. We recommend the following lodging options:

• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown: Rooms are still available at the hotel, but the reservation cutoff date for our hotel block was June 16. Click HERE to make your reservation. Please be sure to check the link’s default dates and change the dates of your stay if needed.
• On-Campus Housing at Duquesne University: Single occupancy ($60 / person / night) and double occupancy ($50 / person / night) rooms are available in St. Ann Living and Learning Center or Des Places Living and Learning Center. Please note that St. Ann Hall features community-style bathrooms in each hallway. Des Places Living and Learning Center features semi-private bathrooms. The following are provided by Duquesne for each guest staying in the hall: two (2) sheets, one (1) pillow case, two (2) bath towels, (2) wash cloths, (1) pillow, and blanket. Please bring your own shower gel / soap, as this is not provided by Duquesne. Take a virtual tour of St. Ann Living and Learning Center HERE. Reservations for on-campus housing at Duquesne are now closed. See important check in and check out information for St. Ann Living and Learning Center HERE. See important check in and check out information for Des Places Living and Learning Center HERE.

Please note:

• The Housing and Parking Reservation Form must be completed once for each person. There is not an option to complete the form for more than one person.
• The Reservation Form does not collect payment. After reserving your housing and parking, please be sure to take the next step and provide payment via this form.
• Anyone needing priest, religious, or married housing is asked to reach out to Department of Catholic Studies Program Manager Gerriet Suiter at Duquesne University (via email at suiterg@duq.edu) to make separate arrangements.

If you have any questions at all related to Duquesne University housing, please contact Department of Catholic Studies Program Manager Gerriet Suiter at suiterg@duq.edu.

LITURGICAL AND SACRAMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES

Holy Mass will be celebrated each day of the conference, all at nearby Church of the Epiphany (184 Washington Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-4438).

• Monday, July 17 at 5 p.m., Opening Mass with main celebrant Bishop David Zubik of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
• Tuesday, July 18 at 3 p.m., Holy Mass followed by Holy Hour and Benediction
• Wednesday, July 19 at 3 p.m., Holy Mass followed by Holy Hour and Benediction
• Thursday, July 20 at 8:30 a.m., Holy Mass

Confession is offered daily for our conference participants, all on campus at Duquesne’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit:

• Monday, July 17: 2-3 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 18: 7:45-8:15 a.m.
• Wednesday, July 19: 7:45-8:15 a.m.
• Thursday, July 20: 7:45-8:15 a.m.

We are grateful to the Spiritan Fathers for offering Confession for our group.

Please join us for Morning Prayer each morning of the conference.

CONFERENCE VENDORS

In this time of great educational renewal, we are edified and blessed to know and partner with many organizations and apostolates who are each playing a unique role in expanding the return to truth, goodness, and beauty.

Our vendors, located in the Shepperson Suite and the Dougherty Ballroom, represent a variety of apostolates working together to serve the vast landscape of school and communities seeking to capture the fullness of the Church’s rich offerings.

We are thankful for their presence here at our National Conference, and we encourage you to get to know them by visiting their tables. Please take advantage of specific vendor time on the schedule, as well as other opportunities to interact with our vendors throughout the conference.

See the full list of vendors below.

PARKING ON DUQUESNE’S CAMPUS

Parking is available in the Forbes Avenue Parking Garage.

• Standard parking is $14 per vehicle per day for over 4 hours of parking, with only one in-and-out privilege. Upon entering the garage, please be sure to take your ticket with you and pay for your parking before going back to your vehicle; you will have a limited time to exit after paying. Pay stations are located on the 1st and 8th floors of the Forbes Garage.
• Discounted parking tickets will be available for $10 per vehicle per day for over 4 hours of parking, with only one in-and-out privilege. All discounted parking tickets must be ordered by June 30 via Duquesne’s Parking Ticket Reservation Form.

Absolutely no overnight parking is available, unless you are staying overnight at St. Ann Hall on the Duquesne campus, in which case you may order your parking permit through the Housing and Parking Registration Form.

Please do not park at Epiphany Church. Parking is limited and must be reserved for the parish.

For general information about parking at Duquesne, click HERE.

DIETARY NEEDS AND RESTRICTIONS

If you would like us to be aware of your dietary needs and restrictions, please take a moment to complete our brief survey. This will assist us greatly with planning food and beverage service for the National Conference.

INFORMATION SHARING

One of the blessings of our National Conference is growing the community of like-minded educators. Before the conference begins, we will share a list of registered conference participants. We are pleased to share the attendee name, email address, school or organization, school city / state, and primary area of interest with all registered conference attendees.

This information is not shared with our conference vendors. The list may not be shared elsewhere or used for any purpose aside from connecting with like-minded educators, and should not be used for commercial purposes.

Opt-out: If you prefer that we do not share your name, email address, school or organization, school city / state, and primary area of interest with your fellow conference attendees, please complete this opt-out form by Friday, June 9. Those who do not opt out by Friday, June 9, will be included.

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) are granted for participation in ICLE workshops, programs, and events. You may request a certificate of attendance for full, in-person attendance at a previous event HERE.

YOUR FREE EVENING IN PITTSBURGH

Wednesday, July 19 is left open for you to explore Pittsburgh.

ICLE has arranged special opening hours on Wednesday, July 19 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the St. Anthony Chapel (1704 Harpster St.), museum, and gift shop. The chapel is the home of the largest single collection of relics outside of the Vatican, and is located about 10-15 minutes by car from the Duquesne University campus.

If you find yourself with a bit of time to explore Pittsburgh, these links on the Visit Pittsburgh website may be helpful to you:

• Order or view a free visitors guide
• Explore Pittsburgh dining options
• Explore transportation options
• Enjoy some Pittsburgh trivia and fun facts
• Learn why people love Pittsburgh

As of June 9, tickets are still available for the Wednesday, July 19 Pittsburgh Pirates home game against the Cleveland Guardians.

HELPFUL NOTES

• Luggage storage will be made available on the first and last days of the conference. Please stop at the ICLE table to be directed to the storage room. Because luggage storage space will be limited, we ask those staying in St. Ann Hall to leave your luggage in your room until the conclusion of our activities on Thursday if possible. Those with vehicles are asked to leave your luggage in the vehicle, if possible. Those checking out of hotels on Thursday may bring their luggage to the ICLE table in the Shepperson Suite so that it can be stowed in the luggage storage room.
• Multiple charging stations will be made available in the conference venues.
• Free wi-fi will be available using conference credentials for access.
• Please view a Google Map of Duquesne and the surrounding area HERE.
• The dress code for the conference is business casual. The Duquesne campus and its surroundings can be hilly. Please plan your footwear accordingly, and leave yourself plenty of time for walking.

SEMINAR READINGS

Every year, our Tuesday evening seminars are a much-loved highlight of the National Conference! Each participant selects a seminar to attend on Tuesday evening, July 18. To choose a seminar, review the reading selections below. Then go to our SignUp Genius to reserve your spot in your chosen seminar. Download your reading selection from this page so that you can prepare. At check-in on Monday, July 17 from 1-3:30 p.m., pick up a hard copy of your reading selection at the ICLE table in the Shepperson Suite on the 5th Floor of the Power Center.

“THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” & “SANTA FILOMENA” | ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON & HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

David Dean, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma

“THE HUNTING OF THE DRAGON” | G.K. CHESTERTON

Andrew Pudewa, Director, Institute for Excellence in Writing

“THE LIBRARY OF BABEL” | JORGE LUIS BORGES

Erick Allen, Faculty, ICLE

THE MAGIC THREAD & AQUINAS ON FORTITUDE | ANONYMOUS & ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

Colleen Richards, Director of School Services, ICLE

CANCELLED: PLATO’S MENO: BEGINNING SOCRATIC CONVERSATION

Dr. Jeffrey S. Lehman, Professor of Philosophy & Theology, Augustine Institute

THE WASTE LAND (TITLE, EPIGRAPH, & FIRST TWO VERSES) | T.S. ELIOT

Dr. Mark Bauerlein, Senior Editor, First Things

ICLE’s Premier Partners

We are grateful to our Premier Partners whose work we admire and recommend.
Please click the logos to visit their websites.

St. Thomas Aquinas Partner

Classic Learning Test

St. ALBERT THE GREAT PARTNER

Arcadia Ed

St. JOHN PAUL II Partner

Harrison Design

St. AUGUSTINE Partner

Augustine Institute

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Partners

Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas

St. John Henry Newman Partners

Memoria Press

Thomas Aquinas College

St. John Bosco Partners

Hillsdale College Graduate School of Classical Education

Mission Driven Catholic

St. Joseph Financial Services

Conference Partners