The ASHA Convention is the largest in-person gathering and most comprehensive education event in the world for speech, language, and hearing professionals. Learn about the latest research, expand your clinical skills and techniques, find new products and resources, and network with colleagues—all in only three days. Attendees will experience a full year's worth of benefits in the form of new and greater knowledge that can be directly applied to their work while earning valuable  continuing education credit. Use the tips and letter of support below to make your case to attend.

We have drafted a brief sample letter of support [PDF] to assist you with gaining support from your employer, which you can customize however you'd like. Organize your thoughts to make a clear and strong business case to demonstrate why your attendance is not only an investment in your professional development but also an asset to your organization. The following are some points to consider when drafting your letter:

• What are the most important issues or plans facing my organization right now?
• What role do I play in dealing with these issues or reaching the plan goals?
• What sessions can I attend and what networking opportunities can I be part of that support my role and contribution to our organization?

More Tips for Getting Employer Support

• Discuss the knowledge you will gain from attending and how it will benefit your work, organization, colleagues, and clients.
• Offer to prepare and deliver a short presentation and Q&A session to your colleagues to share what you learn, so others in your work setting can benefit from your attendance.
• Be ready with a plan that shows who will cover for you while you are attending the Convention.
• If your employer will be assisting with your expenses, provide an outline of cost estimates for registration, airfare, hotel, meals, and transportation. (Offer to share a room to reduce hotel expenses.)
• Register for the Convention and book your transportation as early as possible to secure the best rates.     
• Use the online Program Planner or ASHA Convention mobile app to create an itinerary of all the sessions you plan to attend, including backups, and share it with your employer.
• Make a list of exhibitors you plan to visit whose products and services would be an asset to your work and organization. Share any informational material or samples from exhibitors you receive with your colleagues.