2026 ICA Conference Program:

The 2026 ICA Conference is Sept. 25-26 at Divine Word College. Click here to register for this year’s conference!

Click here for a PDF of our conference program. Printed copies will be available at the conference.

Friday, Sept. 25:

  • 8-8:30 a.m.: Registration, Coffee, and Pastries in Lobby

  • 9-10:15 a.m.: Session Block A:

    • By the Power of CUDL: An Introduction to Critical Universal Design for Learning — Part 1. Presenters: Allison D. Brenneise, Independent Scholar; Joshua E. Young, Divine Word College

    • Taking Student Work to the Next Level: Undergraduate Student Paper Session. Presenters: Ava Hoffschneider, Wayne State College; Hannah Widstrom, Wayne State College; Corbin Kinney, Wayne State College. Chair: Teresa Morales, Wayne State College. Respondent: Gayle Pohl, University of Northern Iowa

    • Prepping Post-Graduation: Getting Students Prepared for Careers After College. Presenters: Kyle Miller, Northwest Missouri State; Joy Daggs, Northwest Missouri State.

  • 10:30-11:45 a.m.: Session Block B:

    • By the Power of CUDL: An Introduction to Critical Universal Design for Learning — Part 2. Presenters: Allison D. Brenneise, Independent Scholar; Joshua E. Young, Divine Word College

    • Hoarding Power & Harming Others: Speaking and Silence in the "Dark Side" of Interpersonal Communication. Presenters: Jenn Supple, University of Dubuque; Robbie Hall, Wayne State College

    • Who Gets to Speak? Power, Participation, and Silence in the College Classroom. Presenters: Jennifer Hough, University of South Dakota; Jacki Brucher Moore, Kirkwood Community College

  • Noon-1:30 p.m.: Business Meeting, Awards Luncheon, and Keynote

    • Keynote: Dr. Todd Jenks, Iowa State, presents Faculty Mental Health Amidst Academia’s Pressures. Hear the findings of recent research studies on mental health among university faculty, engage in honest discussion on the stressors and pressures in academia, hear research-recommended coping strategies, and receive support and encouragement in the important work that you do.    

  • 1:45-3 p.m.: Keynote Workshop - Dr. Todd Jenks, Iowa State

  • 3:15-4:30 p.m.: Session Block C:

    • Conference Paper Session. Presenters: 

      • Bruce Kuiper, Dordt University: Weaponized Professionalism: The Emotional and Relational Costs of Forensic/Speech Team Culture 

      • Bryan Kampbell, Buena Vista University: Owning the Right to Speak: Property as Guardian of Expressive Freedom 

      • Tom Duncanson, Green Citizen Diplomacy Project: Timid Leadership and Bullying Participants: Three Brief Cases From the UN Climate Change Meetings 

      • Teresa Morales, Wayne State College: The Egg-Producer of the Species 

      • Gayle Pohl, University of Northern Iowa: Who Listens to the Professors? Organizational Listening, Faculty Mental Health, and Student Expectations in Higher Education

      • Moderator: Kyle Miller, Northwest Missouri State

    • Beyond the Brawl: A Student-Led Blueprint for Non-Partisan Media Literacy. Presenters: Kendra Hall, Morningside University; Steven Warnstadt, Western Iowa Tech Community College; Asha Loutsch, Western Iowa Tech Community College Alumni

Saturday, Sept. 26:

  • 8:30-9 a.m.: Registration and Coffee in the Lobby

  • 9-10:15 a.m.: Session Block D:

    • Teaching Students to Speak When Speaking Is Risky. Presenters: Jennifer Hough, University of South Dakota; Joshua E. Young, Divine Word College; Allison D. Brenneise, Independent Scholar 

    • Graduate Student Paper Session. Presenters: Jonathan Krings, Wayne State College; Kaitlynn Kumm, University of South Dakota; Kelly Kronaizl, University of South Dakota

      • The Opposite Rings True: An Analysis of the Narrative Paradigm in C.S. Lewis

      • Affective Publics and Desensitization from TikTok

      • Gender in Podcasts

      • Respondent: Jeffrey Brand, University of Northern Iowa

    • Being Present and Better College Teaching: Lessons from This Year’s Book Club Readings. Presenters: NiCole Dennler, Upper Iowa University; Bryan Kampbell, Buena Vista University; Joy Daggs, Northwest Missouri State University; Aimee Langager, Des Moines Area Community College; Mindy Matter, North Central Missouri College 

  • 10:30-11:45 a.m.: Session Block E:

    • Using Games to Teach the Communication Skills That Get Silenced. Presenters: Mindy Matter, North Central Missouri College; Tammie Wiebers, North Central Missouri College; Aimee Langager, Des Moines Area Community College

    • Breaking Student Silence—Strategies to Get Students to Participate in Class. Presenters: Joy Daggs, Northwest Missouri State University; Kyle Miller, Northwest Missouri State University 

    • Westphal Student Paper Session

      • Westphal Winners: Macy Beermann, Central; Keilah Brewer, Central; Cassandra Elliott, Central; Angelina Hemphill, Central: “The Role of Social Media on Digital and Verbal Communication.”

      • Westphal Runner-Up: Paul Oche Agada, North Carolina State, “Analysis of USA and Nigeria X Users’ Perceptions of Crowdsourced Fact-checking as an Effective Tool for Combating Misinformation.”

      • Moderator: Rachel Murdock, DMACC

  • 11:45 a.m.-noon: Conference closing remarks and send-off.