Call for Papers

 117th Annual ECA Convention

ECA2025


Submission Deadline Date: October 19, 2025, 11:59pm PST

“Emergence”

Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA

April 9 – April 12, 2026


“The Steel City.” “The City of Bridges.” “The City of Champions.” “The Burgh.”  “Dionde:gâ.” These phrases all name the place where the three rivers meet. This vibrant metropolis, now known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has transformed countless times over thousands of years. The collapse of the steel industry in the 70s and 80s devastated the area. Tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs were lost, families left in droves looking for better opportunities, and widespread economic depression took hold. Over recent decades, however, Pittsburgh has emerged anew as a bustling hub for technology, healthcare, and education. Its affordability; robust sports culture; and bustling arts, entertainment, and food scenes have now made it one of the country’s “most livable” cities.  

In recognition of the city’s rich history and evolution, "Emergence" has been chosen as the theme for the 2026 ECA Convention. This theme invites reflection on the emergence of new perspectives, enlightenment, or awakening; the rise of cultural or societal trends, movements, or norms; and the emergence of creative ideas, movements, or transformative works. I encourage submissions that creatively, innovatively, and openly engage with this theme, drawing on your unique experiences. I also encourage exploration of the following: 

  • How can/will/must our discipline emerge in the context of the current political landscape? 
  • What ideas, transformative works, and best practices are emerging in teaching, learning, practicing, researching, and theorizing? How should we respond? 
  • How can we best support our students as they emerge from academics?
  • In what ways is our emergence as communication educators, researchers, and practitioners nurtured, encouraged, or strengthened? How can this be celebrated? Alternatively, in what ways is our emergence as communication educators, researchers, and practitioners impeded, stifled, or silenced? How should we respond? 
  • How can we encourage our own emergence within ourselves? 
  • What is not emerging that should, and what should we do about it? 

The 2026 Convention will also feature CONNECT sessions. These sessions will be embedded in the program and are free and open to all members and attendees looking to build or strengthen connections within our association and membership. CONNECT sessions are sponsored by the Community College Interest Group. I am also excited to share that the 2026 Convention will be at a new venue. The Sheraton Station Square is situated on the Monongahela River in the South Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh and offers impressive river and skyline views. Many restaurants and shops are within steps of the front door along with a parking garage, the Duquesne Incline, and the Station Square “T” stop.  

I am honored to serve as your Primary Convention Planner and look forward to working with Interest Group planners, my Conference Planning team, and ECA leadership to offer a meaningful, beneficial, and invigorating convention. I hope to see you there! 
 
Jessica L. Papajcik 
Stark State College 

ECAemergence2026@gmail.com  


Undergraduate Scholars Conference

Call for Competitive Graduate Posters

Short Courses



2026 Interest Group Planners

American Society for the History of Rhetoric (ASHR) (Affiliate Organization)
David Hoffman
Baruch College - CUNY
david.hoffman@baruch.cuny.edu

Interpersonal Communication
Meredith Harrigan
SUNY Geneseo
harrigan@geneseo.edu
Applied Communication
Erin Craw
Fairfield Universiry
erin.craw@fairfield.edu
Interpretation and Performance
Jennifer Shamrock
Monmouth University
jshamroc@monmouth.edu

Evan Schares
Villanova University
evan.schares@villanova.edu
Argumentation & Forensics
Robert Green
Bloomsburg University
rgreen2@commonwealthu.edu

Kenneth Burke
Cem Zeytinoglu
East Stroudsburg University
czeytinoglu@esu.edu
Communication Administration
Andrew Herman
SUNY Geneseo
hermana@geneseo.edu

Media Communication

Roseann Pluretti
Queens University
plurettir@queens.edu

Tanya Powers
Marist College
tanyamaco@gmail.com

Communication Law & Ethics
Noura Hajjaj
SUNY New Paltz
nourahajjaj80@gmail.com
Media Ecology (Affiliate Organization)
Ryan McCullough
West Liberty University
rmccullough@westliberty.edu
Communication and Technology
Joel Ward
Geneva College
jsward@geneva.edu


Nonverbal Communication
Madison Neurohr
University at Buffalo
mneurohr@buffalo.edu
Communication Traits
Lynda McCroskey
California State University, Long Beach
lynda.mccroskey@csulb.edu
Organizational Communication
Robin Smith Mathis
Kennesaw State University
rmathi18@kennesaw.edu
Community College
Jenny Warren
Collin College
jwarren@collin.edu
Philosophy of Communication
Joel Ward
Geneva College
jsward@geneva.edu
GIFTS

Victoria Nabors
City Colleges of Chicago
vnabors@ccc.edu



Political Communication
Robert Stise
University of Delaware
rstise@udel.edu
Health Communication
Yadong Ji
Western Washington University
jiy@wwu.edu

Rhetoric and Public Address
Tim Barney
University of Richmond
tbarney@richmond.edu

Institute of General Semantics (Affiliate Organization)
Thom Gencarelli
Manhattan College
thom.gencarelli@manhattan.edu

Theory and Methodology
Doran Tucker
George Mason University
dtucker8@gmu.edu
Instructional Communication
Stephen Kromka
The University of Tampa
skromka@ut.edu

Voices of Diversity
Dan Strasser
Rowan University
strasser@rowan.edu
Intercultural Communication
Rukhsana Ahmed
University of Albany
rahmed4@albany.edu
 

ECA 2026 CONVENTION PLANNERS CONTACT INFORMATION

Thank you to the individuals listed here for their service to ECA and to our discipline.

ECA 2026 Planning Team

First Vice President-Elect & Primary Convention Planner

Jessica Papajcik, Stark State College
ECAemergence2026@gmail.com

Second Vice President

Stephen M. Kromka, University of Tampa

skromka@ut.edu

Second Vice President (Local Arrangements)

Zachary Carr, University at Buffalo SUNY

zmcarr@buffalo.edu

Director of Sponsorship

Katherine Thweatt, SUNY Oswego

katherine.thweatt@oswego.edu

Basic Course Director

Caroline Waldbuesser, University of Missouri

carolinewaldbuesser91@gmail.com

Short Course Co-Directors

Candice Thomas-Maddox, Ohio University-Lancaster

thomas@ohio.edu

Nikki Blau, Ohio University-Lancaster

dobransk@ohio.edu

 

Graduate Poster Session

Julia Weiss, University of Virginia’s College at Wise

jkw3tu@uvawise.edu

James C. McCroskey & Virginia P. Richmond Undergraduate Scholars Conference

Sara Pitts, Alice Lloyd College

sarapitts@alc.edu

James Baker, Mission College

james.baker@missioncollege.edu

Past Conference Advisor

Leeanne Bell McManus, Stevenson University

lbell@stevenson.edu

Social Media Director

Colin Kearney
Christopher Newport University
colin.kearney@cnu.edu