Dear [insert name)],

[Explain how attending will improve your job performance: list specific workshops, sessions, or keynotes that enable you to be a more valuable employee.]

I would like to attend OLC Accelerate/Innovate, the Online Learning Consortium’s conference for digital and online learning. I can choose from over 500 sessions spanning a wide variety of topics and special interest areas, including EdTech, proctoring, accessibility, gamification, K-12, open educational resources, and many more.  Specifically, I can attend [insert speaker]’s keynote presentation to learn new strategies for teaching today’s students, who present unique challenges for teaching.  I can attend the [your selection] workshop to improve my online teaching  and course development skills. 

[Explain how attending will benefit your institution and provide a competitive edge: list workshops and events that will provide information on current challenges faced by your institution.]

If I make plans to arrive on Tuesday, I can enroll in several pre-conference workshops that provide valuable information and resources about assessing the quality of our programs as well as strategies for improving our web accessibility. I can also get early access to the exhibit hall where I can learn about new products and services we might use to improve our online programs. 

In the exhibit hall, I’ll have the opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs and innovators to discover and evaluate new and exciting educational solutions that may help our organization to significantly improve our processes and services.  In the Technology Test Kitchen, I can learn from and network with other online educators in a hands-on, collaborative, innovative environment. In the Innovation Studio, I can discover new tools, tips, and tricks that I can incorporate into my own course designs to improve my online courses.

[List and describe networking opportunities that will empower your institution to learn and grow through peer support and shared solutions.]

The Technology Test Kitchen/Innovation Studio is just one many networking opportunities to network with online learning peers and leaders whom I might not meet through other channels.  The exhibit hall, various receptions, and the luncheon event are all areas where I can explore possible solutions to issues and challenges we face on our campus by discussing them with colleagues who have successfully addressed these same challenges.

[Describe your plan for collecting and sharing the valuable information and resources you acquire while attending the conference.]

Attending OLC Accelerate/Innovate is an investment in professional development that will enable me and my colleagues to learn, explore, and discuss new theories, research, tools, and technologies that can benefit us as individuals and as an institution. I plan to collect leading-edge information, innovative resources, and new connections that will improve the quality and success of our faculty and our institution.  When I return, I look forward to sharing the knowledge I gained from this conference with colleagues via a presentation with handouts and supporting materials.  

You can learn more about OLC conferences at onlinelearning-c.org/attend-2019.

Thank your for reviewing my request.  I hope you will share my enthusiasm for the opportunities this conference offers. 

Sincerely,

[Insert your name]