The Zoom EDU Summit at the University of Notre Dame, held May 12–13, 2026, at the Morris Inn, was one of those reminders that the best higher ed AV experiences are rarely just about the sessions. They are about the place, the people, the conversations between sessions, and the ideas that start forming before anyone is ready to put them on paper.
Hosted by Zoom on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, the two-day event brought together a wide range of higher education voices. The agenda was built around three tracks: one for faculty, one for those administering Zoom on campus, and a Pro AV track that offered CTS RUs. That structure mattered. It recognized that collaboration technology is not owned by one group anymore. It sits at the intersection of teaching, administration, support, infrastructure, and the physical spaces where all that work comes together.
The tabletop show added another layer to the event, with a dozen or so vendors on site. There were plenty of familiar faces, which is always part of the rhythm of this industry, but there were also a few newer companies with interesting product lines and fresh perspectives. Those moments are easy to overlook, but they are often where the next good idea starts.
And then there was Notre Dame itself. The campus was beautiful. Seeing the Golden Dome, walking near the stadium, and being surrounded by that much history gave the event a sense of place that you cannot manufacture. The networking happy hour took place inside a bar in the stadium, where old stadium seats had been repurposed as benches for the booths. It was simple, clever, and memorable.
It was also great to see so many members of the Northwestern team there, especially knowing how many of them have been HETMA regulars at one point or another. That is the kind of connection that makes these events feel less like a conference stop and more like part of a larger community.
Thank you to the Notre Dame team, who helped make it happen, including Jason Eitelbach, Jon Cheatwood, Tim Chichos, and many others. A special thank you to Tim for the private tour of spaces at the Mendoza School of Business. It is always valuable to see how another campus thinks through learning spaces, support, and the details that make the work real.
Thank you as well to Felipe Henao, Dr. Lance Ford, Johann Zimmern, and the rest of the team from Zoom for putting together such a thoughtful event. There may be more to say someday about how gatherings like this could connect with HETMA in the future. For now, I will just say this felt like the kind of thing worth paying attention to.
