Returning for its fourth year, Elevating Cougs brings together hundreds of WSU employees for two days of meaningful learning, authentic connection, and community‑powered insight made for Cougs, by Cougs.
2026 Conference Theme: “Everyday Coug Ingenuity”
The 2026 conference theme, “Everyday Coug Ingenuity,” centers practical learning, problem solving, and accessible solutions tailored to the WSU employee experience. Attendees will learn from the first-hand experiences of their colleagues and take away lessons they can put into action immediately in their day-to-day work.
New Conference Tracks
The 2026 conference will introduce four brand-new learning tracks, replacing the previous years’ “Developing as a Coug,” “Leading as a Coug,” and “Workday Success Stories” tracks. Attendees are encouraged to mix and match sessions from across these tracks to address their own needs and learning goals. The four new tracks are:
- Everyday Skills
- This track offers deeper dives into the knowledge and skill development that will help WSU employees more effectively use the tools, resources, and practices already available to them, including Workday and Microsoft Office tools.
- Recharge and Reimagine
- Sessions in the Recharge and Reimagine track focus on soft skills to help promote employee wellbeing or support them in their next step in their professional development journey.
- Mini-Mastery
- These quick, bite-sized sessions offer practical quick tips and tricks employees can apply immediately to improve and enhance their workday.
- Compliance Quick Wins
- This track offers live versions of select compliance trainings required for all WSU employees. Want to fulfill your compliance training requirements in a live, interactive environment? This track is for you!
Present at Elevating Cougs!
Do you have a piece of Everyday Coug Ingenuity you’d like to share with your colleagues? Interested staff and faculty are encouraged to submit a session proposal for the 2026 conference.
Learn more about submitting a proposal on this page.
The conference team will continue to share updates and resources in the monthly Elevating Cougs Newsletter, and on the conference webpage.
Questions? Reach out to the conference team at hrs.training@wsu.edu.