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03/03/2026

2026 ECA Community College Interest Group & GIFTS Convention Programming

Greetings Community College Interest Group Members!

We are now less than 6 weeks away from the ECA Convention in Pittsburgh, and it is shaping up to be another wonderful event.

This bulletin contains the information you have been seeking out – CCIG Program & Business Meeting Dates/Times, Registration & Hotel Information, and Reminders for those who are presenting.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in Pittsburgh!

Laura A. O'Connell
Community College Interest Group Planner - Pittsburgh '26

Community College Interest Group Programs - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Thursday, April 9th

  • 10:00 am to 11:15 am- Elwood 2 - Spreading the Love, and the Standards: Supporting our non-Communication Community College Colleagues in Presentation Design and Assessment
  • 11:30 am- 12:45 pm - Fountainview - G.I.F.T.S.: Great Ideas for Teaching Public Speaking and AI
  • 1 pm - 2:15 pm - Stoops Ferry - Renewed Roundtable Series #1: Emerging Ideas in Teaching Interpersonal Communication
  • 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm - Elwood 1 - Emerging Challenges & Evolving Classrooms

Friday, April 10th 

  • 8:30 am - 9:45 am - Fountainview - G.I.F.T.S.: Great Ideas for Applied and Engaged Learning
  • 10 am - 11:15 am - Elwood 1 - Voices in the Machine? Ethical Concerns About Challenging and Engaging Knowledge in an Age of Synthetic Learning
  • 3 pm - 4:15 pm - Stoops Ferry - Renewed Roundtable Series #2: Emerging Ideas in Online Teaching
  • 4:30 pm - 5:45 pm - Pointview - G.I.F.T.S.: Great Ideas for Teaching Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication

Saturday, April 11th

  • 8:30 am - 9:45 am - Stoops Ferry - Probing Public Speaking: Reshaping and Redesigning the Course
  • 10:00 am - 11:15 am - Fountainview - G.I.F.T.S.: Great Ideas for Teaching Media Technology
  • 11:30 am - 12:45 pm - Elwood 2 - Emergence of Technology: Deficits and Challenges for 2-Year and 4-Year Institutions Alike
  • 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm - Haselton 1 - Renewed Roundtable Series #3: Emerging Ideas in Teaching Public Speaking

CCIG Business Meeting 

Whether you've been to the CCIG Business Meeting each year or this is your first, please attend! Much like the ECA Convention itself, the CCIG is a friendly and welcoming group. Join us!

  • Thursday, April 9th - 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm - Location: Woodlawn

Additional Programs to Put in Your Calendar

  • Thursday, April 9th - 6 pm - 7 pm - Reflections Room - Welcome Reception
  • Friday, April 10th - 11:30 am - 1:15 pm - Grand Stations 3, 4, 5 - ECA Keynote Address and Awards Celebration

Note: There are no other programs taking place when the Welcome Reception, Convention-wide Keynote & Awards are occurring. So, please make every effort to attend.

Also, keep an eye out for Pub Trivia and the President's Reception. 

Thank You Reviewers!

We had a robust group of presentations submitted this year. None of them would be programmed without our wonderful reviewers who took their time, energy, and effort to review them and ultimately make the CCIG Programming possible. Thank you to all those who reviewed!

Attention Presenters! Technology & Convention Themed Slides Available!

This year's Convention has full technology! Wi-Fi, screens, and projectors are available. But presenters will need to bring their own laptops to present from.

A great addition this year is convention themed slides. Click this link to start using them: convention themed slides available here. 

Registration & Hotel Information/Deadlines

Fun Add-Ons for Pittsburgh 2026

  • ECA 2026 Shirts & Zip Hoodies are available for pre-order at this link. Orders will be available for pickup at convention registration. All proceeds will support our students! Order deadline is March 9th.
  • This year's program features our first ECA Book Club! The selected book is Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by linguist Amanda Montell. 

The book Club will meet Friday from 4:30-5:45 PM in Elwood I. Be sure to have read the book to participate. 

See you in Pittsburgh!

Laura A. O'Connell
ECA Community College Interest Group Planner, Pittsburgh '26

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