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NCA 97th Annual Convention
Thank You from the NCA President
Well, that was fun!
After nearly a year of intense work by some of the best program planners I could ever envision, the NCA 97th Annual Convention was an unqualified success! I have received emails from convention attendees with comments such as “unprecedented,” “timely,” and, of course, “fun” peppered throughout the accolades. As I’ve mentioned over and over, we cannot have a convention without two major stakeholders—planners and attendees—and I am indebted to the levels of engagement that embodied our days in New Orleans.
Throughout the convention, we heard the “voices” of community mentors, model teachers, methodological experts, conscientious students, communication practitioners, and even television celebrities. This amalgam of people provided for a spirited and important opportunity to communicate about issues, themes, ideas, and values related to our field of study.
A few highlights merit comment:
- Our final attendance was over 5,200 people with all 50 states and over 20 countries represented. I must say that while all indicators point to substantially higher session attendance than in the past, we were “competing” with five glorious days of sunny 70 degree weather. What a great combination!
- The McGraw-Hill Higher Education Day of Service included over 100 convention-goers boarding busses to the Lower Ninth Ward to paint, clean up, build, stuff backpacks for area students in need of weekend nourishment, among other things. As the Director of Habitat for Humanity told me: “Your people have done more in one day for the people of New Orleans than 99% of the country has done in five years!” Further, our book drive benefiting school children in the greater New Orleans area netted nearly 880 books! I remain hopeful that NCA will not lose this sense of other-centeredness as we head to Orlando next year!
- The inauguration of the NCA Convention smart phone mobile website proved to be quite successful for participants as they navigated the convention program and other items of interest.
- Local artisans outside the Exhibit Hall, gathered in the NCA Artists' Gallery, were grateful to those who not only talked to them about their craft, but also to those who made purchases.
- The Carroll C. Arnold Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Brenda Allen, delivered an inspiring presentation on “Voice and Social Change.”
- Dr. Larry Frey, in our Opening Session, reminded NCA members to remain civic-minded and consider pursuing scholarship that “makes a difference” with those who are marginalized or underresourced.
- Over 30 NCA members received teaching, scholarship, and service awards at the NCA Awards Presentation.
- Our major sponsors provided significant funding that, frankly, without their support, would render our convention a pretty bland experience. So, our special thanks go to: Routledge, Taylor & Francis, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, SAGE Publishing, Pearson Higher Education, and Bedford/St. Martin’s.
- A very special thanks to Vice President Linda Moore, Dean Janis Andersen, and my department colleagues at Emerson College for their moral support. In addition, we appreciated Emerson’s gracious sponsorship of the Welcome Reception, which attracted nearly 1,500 people. The media coverage of the convention was managed beautifully by the Emerson Press Project. Finally, a very special thanks, too, to Daniel Tick, my convention assistant who showed tremendous talent and patience throughout the planning process.
Again, my appreciation is extended to each of you who made the NCA 97th Annual Convention a memorable one. I wish each of you a happy, healthy, and productive 2012!
--Rich West, NCA President, Emerson College