Complete Story
 

03/11/2026

2026 ECA Convention Rhetoric and Public Address Interest Group Convention Program

Dear RPA Members,

We are just about a month away from ECA 2026. Please consider attending our business meeting that is scheduled for Saturday, April 11 from 10:00 to 11:15 am in the Waterfront Room Our First VP Jessica Papajcik will be attending our business meeting with raffle tickets for prizes.

This year, it would be useful to have a conversation about decreasing participation in our division and ways in which we can increase our membership and conference participation. If you have received any kind of promotions, awards, scholarships or grants during 2024 and 2025, please let me know. As a group, I think it is important to recognize our members’ achievements. If you have a job opening or soon to have a job opening (full or part-time), it would be useful to know any details that you could share with the group.

In particular, I would like to thank those that participated as reviewers. Please know that without your participation our work could not be possible. If you cannot attend our business meeting but would like to be a reviewer, chair and/or respondent for 2027, please let me know in an email.

Important Reminders:

  1. Sessions times and locations for RPA. Please support our RPA panels. https://www.ecasite.org/aws/ECA/asset_manager/get_file/943412?ver=0
  2. Our convention has full technology. I encourage you to use the wifi and the convention themed slides available at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-lQEOGyvXKt1YZkExSVM4xahKCYP4HLO/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113873933109145880700&rtpof=true&sd=true
  3. The early bird registration deadline was 2/28, but you can still register at https://www.ecasite.org/aws/ECA/pt/sp/convention_registration

When registering, I hope you will consider attending the Welcome Reception, Convention-wide Keynote & Awards (nothing else is programmed at this time!), Pub Trivia, the General Business Meeting, and the President’s Reception.  This year, we have 10 short courses (professional to professional) and they are free of charge. If you are interested in a course that is no longer available, contact me directly. But keep in mind that course availability will ultimately be dependent on room capacity.

  1. You can still book an ECA discount room at the Sheraton Station Square—deadline is March 10th. Here is the link  https://app.marriott.com/reslink?id=1767892248207&key=GRP&app=resvlink
  2. ECA 2026 Shirts & Zip Hoodies are available for pre-order at https://www.customink.com/g/brd0-00d0-xway.Orders will be available for pickup at convention registration. All proceeds will support our students!
  3. This year’s program features our first ECA Book Club!. The selected book is Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/cultish-amanda-montell?variant=43146960699426. The Book Club will meet on Friday from 4:30 to 5:45 in Elwood I. Be sure to have read the book to participate.
  4. Let me know if you have any agenda items for our business meeting. Please send your request directly to my email address.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Guillermo G. Caliendo (Gui)
RPA Chair, ECA Pittsburgh 2026
Email: Gcaliend@andrew.cmu.edu

Printer-Friendly Version