Annual Conference: Boundless Together 2026
Boundless Together: The Power of Us
Friday, October 23, 2026
Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center
Conference Overview
The Boundless Together Annual Conference brings together leaders and learners from the University of Rochester, the Rochester community, and beyond for collective education, dialogue, and reflection.
The conference will be held on Friday, October 23 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. All are welcome to attend this free event, including students, staff, faculty, and alumni of the University of Rochester and members of the Greater Rochester community. Conference registration will open in late August.
The 2026 conference theme, “The Power of Us,” asks a deceptively simple question: what becomes possible when we act together? As we gather in October, we will celebrate the extraordinary ability of our institutional, local, and global communities to create positive change. The conference aims to help attendees strengthen their relationships, navigate divisive conflicts, and harness the boundless power of collaboration to solve problems that none of us can address on our own.
Some questions the conference is interested in exploring:
- How do different fields, disciplines, and ways of knowing strengthen each other? What unlikely partnerships are waiting to be formed?
- How can we navigate disagreement to find—and build upon—our common ground?
- How do digital tools and platforms shape our connections with each other? What do they enable or erode in our collective life?
- What possibilities emerge when we embrace the relationship between individual well-being and the greater health of our community?
Keynote Speaker
Loretta J. Ross, a nationally renowned activist, public intellectual, and professor whose work over the past five decades has transformed how we think about human rights, equity, and social change, will deliver the keynote address. Ross is among the most prominent voices of “Calling In,” a transformative approach that invites empathy, accountability, and grace into difficult conversations. Today, Ross is an associate professor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she teaches about call-out culture and human rights.
Boundless Book Club
In anticipation of Loretta Ross’s keynote address, we are excited to offer another iteration of the Boundless Book Club. This year, we will be reading and discussing Ross’s book Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel.
Register here to participate in the book club.
The Office of University Engagement and Enrichment’s education team will facilitate 3 live, virtual discussion sessions for the University community:
- Wednesday, September 23, 12:00-1:00 pm
- Wednesday, October 7, 12:00-1:00 pm
- Wednesday, October 21, 12:00-1:00 pm
Facilitation guides are also available for those who are interested in running a smaller book club for their own team or department.
We are excited to offer a free copy of Calling In for the first 200 registrants, with pickup opportunities both on River Campus and URMC. We will contact eligible registrants with more information.
Conference Schedule
8:00 – 9:00 – Check-In
9:00 – 9:25 – Welcome Remarks
9:30 – 10:30 – Fireside Chat Panel
10:30 – 10:45 – Transition Time
10:45 – 12:00 – Morning Breakout Sessions
12:00 – 12:45 – Lunch
12:45 – 1:00 – Transition Time
1:00 – 2:15 – Afternoon Breakout Sessions
2:15 – 2:30 – Transition Time
2:30 – 3:30 – Keynote Address: Loretta J. Ross
3:30 – 4:30 – Book Signing and Networking Reception