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!

Friday, Sept. 25:

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

  • 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

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

    • G. Jon Hall Online GIFT Forum: AI Video as a Platform for Equitable Storytelling. Presenters: Sarina Chen, University of Northern Iowa; Kallenia Downing-Tasby, community educator; Jeffrey Brand, University of Northern Iowa

    • 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 

      • Allyn Lueders, Wayne State College: Why Don’t Students Choose PR Anymore?  

      • 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

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

Saturday, Sept. 26:

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

  • 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

    • 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 

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