Allerton 2026: The Hire Big 10+ Annual Conference
Monday, July 27 - Wednesday, July 29, 2026
The Meruelo Family Center for Career Development at the University of Notre Dame is excited to host Allerton 2026, the annual meeting of the Hire Big 10+ career consortium. This page will be your central location for everything you need to attend this annual event.
Agenda
To accommodate travel plans, the conference will begin with a Welcome Dinner and Opening Remarks at 6:00 PM on Monday, July 27, 2026 and continue through lunch on Wednesday, July 29. For those arriving Sunday night or early Monday, we will offer optional activities and provide a quiet workspace in a conference room. For those with flexible departure times on Wednesday, we will offer networking opportunities into the afternoon hours.
Monday, July 27: Arrival & Welcome
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 6:00pm - 8:00pm |
Welcome Dinner & Opening Remarks
|
Foley's O'Neill Hall, 4th Floor, Notre Dame Stadium |
Tuesday, July 28: Strategic Breakouts & Keynote
| Time | Activity | Location |
| 7:30am – 6:00pm |
Conference Check-in |
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 8:00am – 9:15am | Welcome Breakfast | Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 9:30am – 9:45am | Opening Remarks/Committee Updates |
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 9:45am – 10:45am |
Breakout Sessions
|
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 11:00am – 12:00pm |
Breakout Sessions
|
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Lunch / Updates / Networking | Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 1:15pm – 2:15pm |
Keynote Address: Katrina (Kat) Kibben - CEO and Founder Three Ears Media |
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm |
Breakout Sessions
|
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 3:45pm – 4:45pm |
Choose Your Own Adventure / Networking Choose from 1 of 4 activities
|
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 6:00pm – 8:00pm | Awards Reception & Dinner | Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
Wednesday, July 29: Specialized Groups & Closing
| Time | Activity | Location |
| TBD | Morning walk | Notre Dame Campus |
| 7:30am – 12:15am | Conference Check-in |
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 8:00am – 9:45am | Breakfast & Knowledge Communities | Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 9:45am – 10:00am |
Transition to Breakout Sessions |
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 10:00am – 11:00am |
Breakout Sessions
|
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 11:15am – 12:15pm |
Share / Tell / Take Session |
Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
| 12:15pm – 1:00pm | Grab & Go Lunch / Departure | Duncan Student Center, Dahnke Ballroom |
Venue
All events will be held on the University of Notre Dame campus. Most events will be held in Duncan Student Center event spaces. The Center for Career Development is located on the 5th floor of the student center.
Dedicated Work Rooms
For your convenience, each participating institution has been assigned a dedicated work room on the 5th floor of Duncan Student Center for use throughout the conference. Whether you need a space to meet with colleagues, recharge between sessions, or catch up on work, your room is available during your time on campus. Click the button below to view your institution's room assignment.
Room Assignments
Hotels
While you are responsible for securing your own hotel arrangements, these hotels have been found to be conveniently located near campus. Please see link below for the block of rooms reserved at the Fairfield Inn.
Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend
1140 E Angela Blvd., South Bend, IN 46617 (574-400-2600)
Email David Azinger (David.Azinger@hilton.com) to reserve a room or call 574-347-6312.
- Complimentary breakfast and evening reception
- $15 per day parking
- 15 minute walk or 5 minute drive from Duncan Student Center
The Inn at Saint Mary's or Hilton Garden Inn
53993 Indiana S.R. 933, South Bend, IN 46637 (574-232-4000)
- Complimentary shuttle service from the South Bend Airport
- Complimentary parking
- 8 minute drive to Duncan Student Center
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites South Bend at Notre Dame
1220 East Angela Blvd., South Bend, IN 46617 (574-234-5510)
- Complimentary breakfast
- Complimentary parking
- 14 minute walk or 5 minute drive to Duncan Student Center
- Room block for Sunday, July 26 - Thursday, July 30, 2026
Other nearby hotels include:
- Morris Inn (centrally located on campus (5 minute walk), but most expensive - very limited # of rooms) (~ $250 / night)
- Embassy Suites by Hilton South Bend (south of campus - 15 minute walk) (- very limited # of rooms available) (~$225 / night)
- Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites South Bend at Notre Dame (south of campus - 15 minute walk) (~ $160 / night)
- Hilton Garden Inn (1.3 miles from Duncan Student Center / 7 minute drive or 35 minute walk) (~ $220 / night)
- Four Winds Casino South Bend (6.6 miles from campus / 25 minute drive to campus) (~ $150 / night)
Additionally, many other national hotels are available in South Bend and Mishawaka, all within a 15-minute drive to campus.
Travel
Here are a few tips as you consider attending Allerton.
- Notre Dame observes Eastern Time (same as NYC).
- Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana (~ 90 miles east of Chicago).
- South Bend Airport (SBN) offers daily flights from Atlanta (Delta), Chicago (United), Charlotte (American), Dallas-Fort Worth (American), and Detroit (Delta). Allegiant offer occasional flights on other days.
- Some attendees may choose to fly to Chicago (Midway Airport is closer than O'Hare). A rental car will be needed to travel from Chicago airports to campus. If you rent a car, free parking will be provided on campus with a parking access code or special parking permit.
Parking
A parking pass has been emailed to all registrants for use on event days. We recommend printing your parking pass prior to arrival, as it must be displayed on your dashboard. The pass is valid only for the Walsh Visitor Lot or Compton parking lot; however, you may park in any campus lot after 4:00 p.m. without a pass. Additional copies will be available at the check in table.
Extended Visit
If you are interested in making Allerton part of a family or personal trip, we have put together a guide just for you!
Check out these highlights!
- Mishawaka offers shopping, restaurants, and additional hotels.
- While in South Bend, you may be interested in these attractions:
- A number of Lake Michigan beaches are located within an hour drive of Notre Dame. Popular beaches include:
- Indiana Dunes State Park (Chesterton, Indiana)
- New Buffalo Beach and Lakefront Park (New Buffalo, Michigan)
- Silver Beach (St. Joseph, Michigan)
- Warren Dunes State Park (Sawyer, Michigan)
- Washington Park Beach (a.k.a. Michigan City Beach) (Michigan City, Indiana)
- Weko Beach (Bridgman, Michigan)
- Chicago is a 2-hour drive and also accessible via the South Shore Line train.
Nearby Universities
If you have a car and want to visit nearby universities, here are some options:
- Purdue University (112 miles, 2 hours)
- Michigan State University (150 miles, 2 hours 30 minutes)
- University of Michigan (170 miles, 3 hours)
- University of Chicago (90 miles, 90 minutes)
- DePaul University (100 miles, 2 hours)
- Northwestern University (115 miles, 2 hours)
Registration
Registration is now available at the link below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with payment instructions. You are also welcome to pay by credit card or university check. We recognize that many universities have funding restrictions; for your convenience, you can pay when registering, wait until closer to the end of your fiscal year, or pay in July. Registration fees are as follows:
- Early registration at a reduce fee of $200 will be available for those who register by Friday, May 1.
- The regular registration fee of $250 will begin May 2 and continue through Friday, July 3.
Registration will close on Friday, July 3.
Questions
Our conference planning team can be reached at allerton2026@nd.edu.