Iowa Communication Association
Judith Vogel
President of ICA
Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines, IA
Dear ICA Friends and Colleagues:
I hope you are planning on attending the 47th Annual Iowa Communication Association Conference. This
year’s Conference will be held again at the Des Moines Area Community College Conference Center in Building
7 on the Ankeny Campus on September 23 and 24, 2011. The theme chosen for this year is “We All Need
Somebody…Relationships Matter.” I am so excited about the nature and quality of the sessions that will be
offered. ICA members cannot be surpassed for their originality and significance of thought! It is exciting to see a
number of graduate and undergraduate students who will be participating on the panels. These young people are
the future of ICA. In addition, this year members of the executive board of the International Listening
Association will be attending and participating in the ICA Conference. This is a wonderful opportunity to reach
beyond our own organization and make connections to another.
For Friday lunch, you may eat on your own before coming to the Conference, or you may choose to eat at the
Bistro in Building 7 at DMACC. RESERVATIONS ARE NEEDED: attendees should call 515-964-6369 or
email cabarton@dmacc.edu. Mention that you are with ICA. Parking is available in the lot just outside Building
7. Take Exit 90 off I-35. Go west on Oral Labor one mile to Ankeny Blvd and go north .6 mile to DMACC Blvd.
Use the East entrance to campus off Ankeny Blvd. Take the first left turn, go left around the island divider, and
follow Lake View Drive to parking lot E.
Bryan Burkhardt, Director of the Electronic Crime Institute will be our key-note speaker. He currently
teaches courses in digital investigation and applied computer forensics in the Criminal Justice program at
DMACC and speaks regularly on the topics of information security, digital forensics, and online safety. In
addition to many other achievements in the field, Mr. Burkhardt has worked as a part-time, private consultant in
the information technology field for more than 18 years. With his background, he will be able to provide us with
information that will allow us to use technology safely in both our personal and professional relationships. Other
theme-related sessions include topics on Trans-racial and Trans-ethnic Adoption, Solving the Mystery of the
Missing Student, Understanding Who We Are Through Family Narratives, Building Relationships With People
Living in Poverty, Connecting the Speaking and Listening Components of the Iowa Core With the College
Classroom, and many more. A special GIFTS session, Connections, will be held on Friday afternoon. Attendees
are invited to bring copies of their favorite activities, papers, assignments for teaching interpersonal
communication. The full program for the conference will be on our website by July 20. iowacomm.org
Our banquet on Friday will be catered by Ranallo’s on Third. Pete Ranallo is a graduate of DMACC’s
Culinary Arts Department and has an excellent reputation. The buffet menu will consist of two meat entrées and
a vegetarian entrée Reservations should be given to Susan Cantine (scantine@cloud.edu) by September 17.
Attendees are also encouraged to pre-register with Susan for the Conference. Registration materials for the
conference and for the banquet will be posted on the website by July 20. *Remember that first-time attendees
do not pay registration fees, so be sure to invite colleagues both at your own institutions and at other institutions.
Following the banquet, everyone is invited to attend the President’s Reception in the Conference Center Lobby.
We have made arrangements with AmericInn in Ankeny to give a reduced hotel rate to our attendees. Please
call the hotel (515-964-2004) to make your reservations by September 14 to assure the discount price of $60.90
for a single or double room. Tell them that you are with the ICA Conference at DMACC. AmericInn provides a
complimentary continental breakfast for Saturday morning. To get to AmericInn, take Exit 90 off I-35. Go east
on Oralabor about .3 mile. You will see the hotel to the north side. Of course, you may choose to make other
arrangements for lodging or breakfast, if you wish.
After you have breakfast on Saturday and check out of the hotel, plan on attending the ICA Business Meeting.
Everyone is welcome to attend, and ICA members may vote on matters related to our association. This year we
will be electing two at-large board members and an executive secretary. We will also vote on changes to our
Constitution. Since members will not be returning to the hotel, Saturday will be a casual dress or “School Spirit”
day. Dress comfortably in clothing that proudly represents your school. Once the Conference is over, you will be
ready for the drive home.
Following the sessions on Saturday, we will have some prizes to give away, but you must be present to win!
We hope that all of you will want to stay for the final sessions of the Conference.
Keep in touch with information regarding the Conference at the ICA website: iowacomm.org. If you have
any concerns about special needs or accommodations for the Conference, please contact me.
Maybe you have thought about attending ICA but just haven’t come. Maybe you have thought about inviting
someone to attend ICA in the past and just didn’t do it. Make this year different! Decide to attend ICA yourself,
and then think of one or two names of people whom you can call and give a personal invitation to attend. Make
this the year!!
I’m looking forward to seeing you at the ICA Conference in September!
Judy Vogel
Judy Vogel, Speech Communication Professor, DMACC
ICA President and 2011 Program Planner
javogel@dmacc.edu
515-964-6331