The 2008 Summer Institute was held at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, CA. Stevenson's facilities are as beautiful as its location, nestled in Monterey pine trees a half mile from the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean. The Rosen Student Center, built in 2003, was the main gathering place both for sessions and for free time.

Summer Institute is an intensive residential professional development program led by a faculty of experienced business officers. Because the program is residential, there are opportunities for learning and networking not only during the sessions, but also during meals, breaks, and free time. The days are structured so that formal presentations are interspersed with informal interactions between the faculty, presenters, and participants.

The week begins on Monday with the New Business Officer Institute, which provides a day and a half of instruction on the basics of independent school business management. This group is joined at mid-day on Tuesday by registrants for Summer Institute, which runs through mid-day on Friday. During these three days, participants choose among breakout sessions, based on their own level of experience and interest in particular topics, and attend general sessions for the entire group.

In addition to sharing their expertise in sessions and during free time, the faculty also leads evening activities designed to promote fun, laughter, and relationship-building. The group has dinner together each night, including dinner off campus one night and a special dinner on campus one night. Some of the most valuable knowledge comes from chatting with colleagues in the evening.