GEARED UP Mentor Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the GEARED UP: Mentor Conference, where innovation meets inspiration!

Join us on May 17, 2025, from 9 am to 4 pm at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Kossiakoff Center, for a day filled with knowledge-sharing, networking, and empowerment.

We want to hear from you! What topics are most important and critical for you? What topics can you share with the community? Help us program and plan the 2025 conference to be the most impactful yet.

This conference is proudly presented by Aramco America and aims to equip mentors with the tools and insights needed to effectively guide an increasingly diverse generation of students.

10:00am EDT

GRANTS: Getting Them, Keeping Them, Growing with Them

Saturday May 17, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

From local education foundations to federal STEM initiatives, grant funding can power your team beyond bake sales. In this session, Alex Bryant shares firsthand experience writing, winning, and sustaining grants across multiple levels—from grassroots efforts to major institutional partners.

You’ll walk away with templates, tips, and a better understanding of how to tell your team’s story in a way that funders care about. Bonus: insights into how to collaborate across schools, regions, and programs to unlock larger impact.

Speakers

Alex Bryant

Executive Director, FIRST Chesapeake

Alex Bryant is committed to serving his communities. Bryant graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Music and a minor in Biology. He currently works for FIRST Chesapeake, an arm of the International FIRST Inspires, a global robotics community preparing young people... Read More →

Saturday May 17, 2025 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Fundraising & Planning Room 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

Presentation, Fundraising

Host Organization FIRST Chesapeake

2:00pm EDT

SPONSORS: Finding, Pitching, and Keeping Them

Saturday May 17, 2025 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD, USA

A strong sponsor relationship is about more than logos—it’s about shared mission, mutual value, and smart communication. In this practical session, Alex Bryant shares what actually works when it comes to finding new sponsors, making the ask, and building long-term partnerships.

We’ll talk tiers, storytelling, stewardship, and how to translate your team's success into ROI for businesses and organizations of all sizes. Whether you’re rebooting your fundraising plan or starting from scratch, you’ll leave with a refreshed sponsor strategy.

Speakers