Missouri State’s communication department has led the planning efforts for the Central States Communication Association’s 2016 conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on April 13-17.
Front row: Nick Nickols, Shawn Wahl and Shaley Moore
Department head offers students opportunity to plan conference
Dr. Shawn Wahl, communication department head, is the CSCA first vice president. He and his team of graduate student interns worked tirelessly over the last year to plan the 2016 conference, themed “Foundation.”
“We are of proud of the COM graduate student interns who have helped with the conference planning process,” Dr. Wahl said. “The conference planning experience has given our graduate students the experience to network with communication scholars across the nation. Our graduate students have created a national teaching and learning experience that will be attended by more than 1,000 faculty and students.
“The conference planning experience brings a great deal of visibility to Missouri State University. This project has allowed us to make a statement: Our graduate program in communication at Missouri State University continues to thrive on the national stage. I am grateful for their service and dedication to our department and the communication discipline.”
Those students involved in planning the conference include Nick Nickols, Janet Glaser, Blake Miller, Cassie Sherwood, Angela (Yingyuan) Zhang and Shaley Moore.
Moore to be honored with prestigious award
Moore will also be awarded the 2016 recipient of the Cooper Award at the CSCA conference.
The award is named after former CSCA President Pamela J. Cooper. It is highly competitive and is presented to one M.A.-level graduate teaching assistant and one Ph.D. level graduate teaching assistant in recognition of outstanding teaching.
Students reflect on their experiences in planning process
The six graduate students remarked on the relationships and lessons they will carry with them beyond college.
Nick Nickols
“(We) learned how to each apply our strengths in ways that contributed to both our team’s success and ultimately the success of our conference. Also, during this process I have built lasting relationships with various peers and professionals within our field.”
Janet Glaser
“Seeing everyone’s hard work come together to create such an amazing event will be great. I am so thankful for the opportunity and look forward to everyone being a part of and experiencing the Grand Rapids conference.”
Blake Miller
“It has been great to work on such a great conference and to learn how much time and effort goes into each and every CSCA conference. I have learned valuable lessons about creating and maintaining a conference, but even more valuable connections and friends throughout this project.”
Cassie Sherwood
“The programming process provided us, as a team, an opportunity to learn from one another and grow closer. And at the end of the day isn’t that what graduate school is all about? Learning and growing because and with your colleagues.”
Angela (Yingyuan) Zhang
“It was like putting together a giant puzzle, and it’s exciting that I contribute to it by putting a few pieces of it on the right spot. I hope the conference would bring more inspirations to the discipline of communication!”
Shaley Moore
“Being a part of the CSCA planning team has been such a rewarding and eye-opening experience. … As a student it is such a unique opportunity to get an inside perspective on all of the work that goes into planning a conference … and (it is) an experience I will not soon forget.”
Conference details
Dates: April 13-17
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Website: http://www.csca-net.org/