Professional Development Institute
HECA Professional Development Institute
Looking to level up your skills as an IEC?
HECA’s Professional Development Institute (PDI) provides you with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to take your career as an IEC (Independent Educational Consultant) to the next level. Our interactive professional development training provides you with knowledge and resources necessary to ethically and effectively guide students. You’ll learn practical business strategies to help you level up your business.
All consultants are invited to attend but especially those with 0-10 years of experience. Whatever your experience level, PDI will inspire and support you as you provide services for students seeking higher educational opportunities.
Registration for the Institute is open to members, provisional members, and non-members.
| In-Person | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 8-9, 2025 |
| Time | 8 am - 5 pm CT |
| Price | $425 for members and non-members |
| Location | Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk | San Antonio, TX |
| Registration | Opens March 4, 2025 | 1:00 pm ET |
A non-refundable administrative fee of $75 will be applied to cover processing costs associated with cancellations or other fee adjustments.
What will I learn?
At the HECA PDI you will …
- Learn from experienced leaders in the college counseling industry.
- Grow through interactive group experiences.
- Hone your counseling skills through role playing in real world scenarios.
- Explore skills and resources needed for navigating the college admissions process.
- Participate in mock admissions and financial aid appeal committee exercises led by directors of admissions and/or admissions officers.
- Receive training on business building fundamentals, skills, and tools.
- Connect with professionals from across the world.
- Receive training materials you’ll use for years to come.
- Be inspired by special topics and training offered by invited guests.
View the PDI Faculty/Guest Speakers for additional information.
With HECA’s PDI curriculum, you won’t just gain professional development—you’ll gain confidence! You’ll develop a network of other professionals that will last a lifetime. Join the numerous consultants who have benefited from the PDI training in the past 10 years.
Rated as the BEST professional development available,
hear from other professionals about the HECA PDI training:
Jodi LG Glou, HECA PDI 2019
Jodi attended the PDI shortly after joining HECA and is currently the President of HECA.
Caitlin Zygmont, HECA PDI 2024
Caitlin attended the PDI in Atlanta, GA and found great value in being able to connect with colleagues in person.
Cynthia Tognotti, HECA Virtual PDI 2025
Cynthia has been an IEC for 13 years and still found the PDI training to be valuable.
Mike Davila, HECA Virtual PDI 2025
In the industry for 20+ years, Mike gained new knowledge both presenters and other attendees.
Amanda and Michelle Allessandria,
HECA Virtual PDI 2025
Ann Mannering, HECA PDI 2024, HECA Member
Every single IEC I know who has had the great privilege to learn from the PDI faculty positively venerate them! They are towering figures in the field. Their vast knowledge coupled with their incomparable wisdom are unique. The PDI faculty are natural educators who approach their work with curiosity, always receptive to considering newer and better ways of broaching an ever-changing work landscape while maintaining the highest ethical standards. As a result, newbies as well as seasoned veterans can gain enormous value from interacting with them in a didactic context. From a human perspective, their compassion and empathy infuse their interactions on all fronts—whether with students, IECs, School Counselors, or Admission Officers. They nimbly and amicably bridge the roles of all participants in college admissions to enhance transparency and collaboration, so that we can all pull together in the same direction more effectively in the best interest of students. The generosity of the PDI faculty in the IEC space is legendary. Anyone whose professional life is touched by them will go away the richer for it. We are so very lucky to have them guide and lead us!
