Frequently Asked Questions

Arrival
Students should plan to arrive with enough time to register and familiarize yourself with the convention hotel before sessions begin at 1:30 pm on Sunday, August 19. Please allow time for your lunch before the session starts at 1:30 pm.

Professionals interested in attending the Career Fair should plan to arrive on Sunday, August 19 or on Monday, August 20 with enough time to register and familiarize yourself with the convention hotel before the Career Fair begins at 8 am on Monday, August 20.

Professionals not attending the Career Fair should allow enough time to register and familiarize yourself with the convention hotel before sessions begin at 2:00 pm on Monday, August 20. Please allow time for your lunch before the session kicks off at 2:00 pm.

Departure
Student programming concludes around 6:00 pm on Monday, August 20.
Professional programming (Awards Dinner) concludes at 9:30 pm on Wednesday, August 22.

The convention is conveniently located in downtown San Francisco, accessibly by air and ground transport.

Nearby Airports
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - approx. 14 miles from the hotel
Oakland International Airport (OAK) – approx. 20 miles from the hotel
Norman Y Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) - approx. 45 miles from the hotel

Airline Discount Available
Delta Meeting/Discount Code: NMRFG
Valid 8/15/2018 - 8/26/2018 for travel to San Francisco Area Airports (SFO, SJC, OAK)
Reservations and ticketing is available via Delta or by calling (800) 328-1111. When booking online at Delta, enter your Meeting Code in the box provided.

Parking
Valet Parking is available at the hotel for $77.52 USD daily

Click here to register online for the convention. Online registration will close at 9:00 PM EST on August 18, 2018. On-site registration is available for an additional $100 surcharge. We recommend registering beforehand to avail of the regular rates. Rates can be found on our Register webpage. Click here to register online for the convention.

The confirmation email you receive upon completing registration will contain a link and reference number necessary to modify your registration.
If you would like to change the type of registration, please email ePlanner@ascendleadership.org.

The Ascend block at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis is sold out. Some rooms may be available directly with Marriott at the market rate. There are also many hotels in the area that you may book on your own. Prevailing rates will apply. We have secured two other nearby hotels at comparable rates. Please check our Travel page for the latest information and details.

Professional (Ascend members or non-members) registrations include:

• all educational sessions (excludes private and invite-only sessions)
• all meal functions (excludes private and invite-only functions) and the Awards Dinner

Student Sunday/Monday pass (Ascend members or non-members) registrations include:

• all educational sessions open to students
• access to the career fair, resume coaching sessions and employer showcase sessions

Career Fair Only registrations include:

• access to the career fair
• Monday educational sessions and resume coaching sessions; excludes all meal functions.

The agenda can be found on the Agenda webpage.

The Convene app will be available on August 15, 2018. Free to download for iOS and Android.

The dress code for the convention is smart business casual.

We designed our convention to foster networking, therefore you will find the meal services to be more casual with less structured seating so attendees can mix and mingle. Our convention app also allows for attendees to connect with each other and network on-site. Registered attendees will receive information on how to download and access the app as the convention approaches.

You can learn more about available positions with our partners at the Career Fair. Please bring your resume with you to the Career Fair so you can share them with prospective employers.

Interviews are scheduled on site. Come to the Career Fair ready to impress one of our many sponsors to snag a coveted interview appointment.

Yes, we offer CPE-eligible sessions at the convention. Information on which sessions are CPE eligible will be available closer to the convention.

Click here to learn more about dining options at the hotel and in the area.

Sierra B on the second level will be available as a space for those observing the holiday.

Click here to fill out an interest form about volunteering at the convention.

Consistent with Ascend's policy there will be no refunds offered for cancellations.

If you are unable to find your answer here or by navigating the other pages of this website please reach out to us at ePlanner@ascendleadership.org.