Converge: A Summit for Academics, Practitioners, and Emerging Professionals
Join faculty, students, journal editors, and industry professionals for a two-day summit exploring the convergence of scholarship and practice. Hosted by the Academy of Management’s Community Accelerator Program and the WMU College of Education and Human Development, Converge is built to close the gap between scholar and practitioner by convening people who care deeply about the future of organizations.
Across keynote conversations, panel sessions, publishing discussions, and applied practice intersections, attendees will explore how theory becomes useful, how practice informs better questions, and how emerging professionals can build careers that do not force them to choose one world over the other.
Registration opens soon – stay tuned for more details!
Why attend?
For Faculty and Researchers:
- Learn how to position ideas for broader relevance, public engagement, and publication impact
- Connect with colleagues working across academic and applied settings
- Develop ideas for future publication with Academy of Management journal editors
For Students and Emerging Professionals:
- Hear candid perspectives on navigating higher education, academic careers, and industry pathways
- Discover how a scholar-practitioner mindset can expand career possibilities
- Build relationships with peers, faculty, and professionals across disciplines
For Practitioners:
- Gain access to evidence-based frameworks that can improve leadership, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness
- Join conversations about hiring, consulting, and cross-sector collaboration
- Meet researchers and educators interested in practical relevance, not just theory for theory’s sake
Program highlights
Converge features a full first day of keynote speakers, moderated discussions, student and early-career perspectives, publishing conversations, and applied sessions focused on the real-world intersections between scholarship and practice.
If you’re also interested in a smaller, more focused workshop format, join us on the second day! Participants will join facilitated idea development sessions with journal editors from Academy of Management publications, including Academy of Management Perspectives and Academy of Management Organizations and Their Environments.
Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 — 9 a.m. to noon