The Evaluation Center

03/27/2026

Join an expert-led Evaluation Planning Retreat where you'll receive the guidance, time, and support you need to build a meaningful evaluation plan for your initiative or organization. It's ideal for teams ready to work together to turn data into insights and action.

📅 May 11-15, 2026
📍 The Fetzer Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Team-friendly pricing, with additional discounts for Western Michigan University faculty and staff!

03/10/2026

📣 Don't miss out on our next Evaluation Café event!

We will be joined by Aaron Kates, lead evaluation consultant at Effect X LLC, for the presentation, "Trauma-Informed Evaluation: Evidence, Theory, and Practice."

📅 Date: Wednesday, March 18
⏰ Time: Noon EST
📍 Location: Zoom (Virtual) or 4410 Ellsworth Hall (In-person)
👉 Register to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6tNt_YAeRtSh0iKdoJtDPA #/registration

02/25/2026

Save the Date: Evaluation Planning Retreat

Join us in Kalamazoo, MI, for a five-day, hands-on evaluation planning retreat designed to help teams build evaluation tools they can use immediately.

Whether your initiative is brand new or well underway, you’ll leave with:

• A clear evaluation plan to measure your impact
• Ready-to-use tools
• A plan to learn from and communicate your impact

📅 May 11-15
🕘 9 a.m.–5 p.m. EDT
📍 Fetzer Center, Western Michigan University

👉 Registration is now open. Learn more and save your spot:

Build a strong evaluation plan in one week If you’ve been wanting to use data and evaluation to strengthen your program or organization but haven’t had the time, support, or clarity to make it happen, the Evaluation Planning Retreat is for you. Register Now Join us May 11–15, 2026, in Kalamazo...

02/20/2026

You know we love data and evaluation-themed stickers 📊✨

Check out the chart to see how our stickers ranked in popularity with 2025 American Evaluation Association conference attendees.

Ready to join the fun? Our 2026 Evaluation Sticker Contest is officially open, and we’d love to see your designs! Submit yours here: https://wmich.edu/evaluation/stickers

Working on completing your collection—or want to share some with colleagues? You can request up to three stickers by sending us a self-addressed stamped envelope (yes, that delightfully retro method still works 😉). Not sure how? We’ve got you covered: https://www.wikihow.com/Send-an-S.A.S.E.-(Self-Addressed-Stamped-Envelope)

Send your sticker requests and SASE to:
Samantha Ho**er
The Evaluation Center
1903 W. Michigan Ave. MS 5237
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5237

02/17/2026

📣 Don't miss out on our next Evaluation Café event!

We will be joined by Kurt Wilson, president of Effect X LLC, for the presentation, "Human Centered Evaluation: Introduction to an Emerging Evaluation Lens Providing Practical Guidance to Address the Messy Complexity of Humanity."

📅 Date: Wednesday, February 25
⏰ Time: Noon EST
📍 Location: Zoom (Virtual) or 4410 Ellsworth Hall (In-person)
👉 Register to attend virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HMwZS2r4QpqUjj_0WqK08Q #/registratio

02/14/2026

At The Evaluation Center, we take EVALentine’s Day very seriously. 💌

We love taking time to let our colleagues know how much they're appreciated by passing around evaluation-themed Valentine's Day cards.

And we’re sending EVALentines beyond our walls, too. ❤️
To our partners, collaborators, clients, and community members, thank you for trusting us, learning with us, and building a stronger evaluation practice together.

Evaluation may be about data, but at its heart, it’s about people. We appreciate you.

01/13/2026

Goele Scheers will present Making the Invisible Visible: How Outcome Harvesting Deepens Our Understanding of Change on Wednesday, January 21, at noon Eastern.

This event is offered in partnership with the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services at the University of Ottawa and the Claremont Evaluation Center at Claremont Graduate University. We hope you'll join us!

📍 Attend in person and enjoy lunch at 4410 Ellsworth
💻 Or join us virtually via Zoom

👉 Registration is required to attend virtually: https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/register/-IUtmXARRl2GaFnL7-JAUg #/registration

01/08/2026

As we settle into a new year, we’ve been reflecting on all that 2025 held for The Evaluation Center. From connecting with the evaluation community at AEA to celebrating achievements and recognizing the people who make this work possible, it was a year full of learning, collaboration, and growth. We’re grateful for the moments captured here and excited for what’s ahead!

01/05/2026

☕ Join us at Evaluation Café!

Learn, connect, and get inspired as our Café speakers share fresh perspectives, real-world challenges, and their latest work in evaluation. Whether you prefer to join us in person at 4410 Ellsworth or tune in virtually via Zoom, we’d love to have you!

🗓️ All sessions begin at noon Eastern.

👉 Register now: https://wmich.edu/evaluation/cafe

11/13/2025

What a great start to ! 🙌 We kicked off the 2025 American Evaluation Association Conference with inspiring sessions, exciting Meet the Authors and poster events, and the grand opening of the Exhibit Hall. Here’s to an exciting week of learning and connection!

10/06/2025

Today's the day!

Make sure to submit your evaluation-themed sticker by midnight tonight, October 6, for a chance to:
✅ Have your name on the sticker
✅ Be featured on our social channels
✅ Have your sticker handed out at the 2025 AEA Conference
✅ Receive 100 free stickers of your winning design
Ready to get creative? Submit your design now: https://wmich.edu/evaluation/stickers

10/02/2025

⏰Time is running out!

Our annual evaluation-themed sticker contest closes on October 6.

Submit your design by October 6, 11:59 p.m. Eastern for a chance to:
✅ Have your name on the sticker
✅ Be featured on our social channels
✅ Have your sticker handed out at the 2025 AEA Conference
✅ Receive 100 free stickers of your winning design

Ready to get creative? Submit your design now: https://wmich.edu/evaluation/stickers