What have our colleagues been doing? Check the Accomplishments page!
President's Corner ...
The association’s Executive Committee recently met to plan to the fall conference. Meeting to plan the fall conference isn’t so much a labor as it is a pleasure unlike other early summer tasks such as hauling the lawn furniture out of storage or exchanging the grill’s emptied propane tank for a full one. The meeting is more than just another item to check off of my “to do” list and that is because there’s an excitement that comes when our officers and representatives from across the state assemble at Ohio University’s Pickerington Center and begin to discuss the papers, panels, posters, and—most importantly—the people that will make up our fall program, which will take place at Capital University on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
Our conference planner, Jennifer Walton of Ohio Northern University, has pulled together a terrific cross-section of communication scholarship in Ohio. You will find undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty participation. You will find representation from our state’s community colleges, liberal arts schools, and research institutions. You will see the names of numerous familiar colleagues and many newcomers eager to share their ideas in this forum. In short, you’ll see the kind of conference that OCA has become known for in recent years, one that brings together a wide variety of people who are passionate about Communication Studies.
I have the same perspective on fall’s conference as I do on early summer’s planning meeting: It’s an event in my life as a scholar that I anticipate each fall and not just another professional obligation to be blandly fulfilled. If you are reading this message, my suspicion is that you are somewhat passionate about Communication Studies, too. If that is the case, I invite you to join us in Columbus this fall and see what’s so special about this conference. It certainly beats bagging leaves, cleaning gutters, or any of the other mundane activities that beckon this fall.
-- Matthew J. Smith
From the Executive Director...
You Make Us Look Good!
We are a great state for communication scholarship. Ohio boasts some
of the most productive institutions for communication studies and
several of the world’s leading scholars of communication. More
importantly, we have a thriving state association that promotes
teaching and researching of communication. Our ability to flourish as
a state association is due in large part to our annual “showcase” of
cutting-edge scholarship and teaching ideas: the OCA Conference.
It is hard to believe that we are just over 6 months away from the 2009
OCA conference. My thanks to our new conference coordinator Jennifer
Walton (Ohio Northern University) and our president, Matt Smith
(Wittenberg University) for putting together an inviting and timely
call for papers. My hope is that our “Inspired” theme will inspire you
to submit your best work for the conference in October.
Encourage your colleagues and student to participate. Each year we see
amazing work from our new professors and students. Travel budgets are
getting smaller and the current state of our economy is driving some
institutions to eliminate travel. If you can only travel to one
conference next year, we hope you consider the one in your back yard.
I look forward to seeing you in Columbus in October.
-- Adam C. Earnheardt
2009 OCA CONFERENCE
Inspired!
Most of us have benefitted from the inspiration of a mentor, and many of have served as the inspiration for others to embrace the Communication discipline. The 2009 conference of the Ohio Communication Association will focus on acknowledging the legacy of scholarship, teaching, and service of which we are a continuing part. We welcome all kinds of programs that talk about the inspiration that has previously come to and now flows from our profession. We are particularly interested in those programs that honor those who came before us and others that discuss our roles as inspirational figures to our colleagues and students. Such inspiration may be found in the examples we set in our professional activities but might also include how we conduct ourselves beyond the academy to our civic, religious, and personal lives.
Membership forms in various popular formats are available online
About
OCA
MISSION STATEMENT
The Ohio Communication
Association exists to provide a forum where professionals
and scholars with particular interest in communication
may work together to promote common goals.
Executive Council,
July 2001
The Ohio Communication
Association is a professional organization of
communications teachers, professors, and scholars
in high schools and universities/colleges throughout
the State of Ohio. The organization is affiliated
with the National Communication Association.
OCA offers an annual conference for scholars
and presents awards at this conference for teachers
and students who have achieved excellence in
academics, student organizations, or professional
work. The OCA also publishes an annual journal
in communication research.
