Scholarly conferences are one mechanism by which doctoral students can enter into their profession as practitioners and scholars. Unfortunately, research about the effectiveness of this career development strategy is limited. This paper explores learning experiences of doctoral students at a scholarly conference. Theories about learning communities, communities of practice, and knowledge creation frame student experiences. Special attention is given to how legitimate peripheral participation describes interactions of students with the scholarly community of practice during the conference. Recommendations for students, faculty, other scholars, and program planners are given in order to promote improved access to and participation in the scholarly community. Such changes can provide doctoral students with a smoother transition from academic learning to learning in the scholarly community of a professional conference.