Professional Development

At Xcalibur, we believe professional learning should be practical, engaging, and directly applicable to the work of college access professionals. We offer two complementary opportunities for growth: Skill-Building Workshops and the biannual Xcalibur Conference.

Skill-Building Workshops

Xcalibur’s Skill-Building Workshops are designed to supercharge Microsoft Excel skills and equip college access professionals to make better, data-informed decisions.

  • Hands-on, engaging format — not just “sit and get,” but interactive sessions where participants practice as they learn.

  • Courses built for college access data — our instructors combine technical Excel expertise with deep experience working with college access program data.

  • Lifetime access — each $50 workshop includes a reference sheet with formulas, instructions, and permanent access to the course.

  • Flexible and affordable — asynchronous format lets staff learn at their own pace; group pricing and bundles available.

Topics include: Excel fundamentals, data validation, formulas and functions, lookup functions, pivot tables, data visualization, and interactive dashboards.

“This was not just a sit-and-get workshop! We were engaged in the learning process and using the knowledge as we learned it.”

-Skill-Building Workshop Participant

Xcalibur Conference

Every two years, Xcalibur convenes college access professionals from across the country for a national professional development conference. The conference has been held in 2019, 2022, and 2024, with the next event scheduled for 2026.

The conference provides:

  • National networking with fellow GEAR UP and college access practitioners.

  • In-depth sessions on data use, evaluation, and student support strategies.

  • Hands-on workshops led by college access and evaluation experts.

  • Practical takeaways that participants can immediately apply in their programs.

Whether you are building individual skills through workshops or connecting with peers at the conference, Xcalibur provides high-quality professional learning experiences that strengthen the college access field.

“Working with other grants was awesome, and I really appreciated all the specific ways in which you facilitated those connections. I think it can be easy to get lost in the bubble of your own grant and forget about just how different all the grants can be (which means everyone can learn a lot from each other).”

-Doing What Matters Most Participant (2024)

  • Xcalibur Conference 2019: Data Lights the Way

  • Xcalibur Conference 2019: Data Lights the Way

  • Xcalibur Conference 2022: Mapping the Way with Data

  • Xcalibur Conference 2022: Mapping the Way with Data

  • Xcalibur Conference 2024: Doing What Matters Most

  • Xcalibur Conference 2024: Doing What Matters Most