Hello TCA Members, Participants, and Guests,

You will find a copy of the 2026 Tennessee Communication Association (TCA) conference program.

If you have any questions, please contact the TCA Executive Director, Dr. Shaq Marsh, at somarsh@pstcc.edu. We hope you have a great conference!

Hello TCA Members,

Below, you will find the link to sign up for the 2026 TCA Conference and pay your 2026 TCA Conference fees and 2026-2027 TCA Membership.

2026 TCA Conference Fees and 2026-2027 TCA Membership

If you have any questions, please reach out TCA Executive Director, Dr. Shaq Marsh, at somarsh@pstcc.edu.

Hello TCA Members and Guests,

The 2026 TCA Conference hotel will be Comfort Inn and Suites Gallatin.

The link to book a hotel room is below.

2026 TCA Hotel Reservations

Should you wish to make reservations via phone,  please call 615.989.0440 and request the “Vol State Group Rate”.

If you have any questions, please reach out to TCA President-Elect, Dr. Karen Hill at Karen.Hill@volstate.edu or TCA Executive Director, Dr. Shaq Marsh at somarsh@pstcc.edu.

2026 Tennessee Communication Association Conference

Friday, September 25 – Saturday, September 26, 2026
Volunteer State State Community College
Gallatin, Tennessee

“Progression During Retrogression: When Education Rewinds, Communication Leads”

The theme for the 2026 conference explores the evolving challenges within today’s educational landscape, including shifts in policy, funding, and institutional support. Rather than focusing solely on these constraints, this theme invites participants to consider how communication can serve as a tool for adaptability, innovation, and positive change.

In times of institutional transition, communication plays a vital role not only in sustaining education but in shaping its future. This theme highlights the ways educators and scholars are thoughtfully navigating change, fostering dialogue, and building collaborative pathways forward. It encourages the sharing of strategies that promote resilience, ethical engagement, and meaningful advocacy within our institutions.

By focusing on practical approaches and collective insight, the conference aims to explore how communication can help guide institutions toward more inclusive, responsive, and sustainable directions. In doing so, it emphasizes the power of strategic, ethical, and purposeful communication to support both continuity and progress in higher education

Please submit to a paper, panel, or GIFTS proposal at the link below.
https://forms.gle/bV8qx9nQtyokQBis8
The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, July 31, 2026.
We seek GIFTS proposals that relate to the basic communication course (i.e. Fundamentals of Communication, Public Speaking, Introduction to Communication).

1. All GIFTS ideas must
   • Be original to the presenter
   • Not duplicate any other previously published work, including your own previously published work
   • Have been implemented in the classroom
2. Presenters should bring printed handouts with an explanation of the GIFTS activity to the conference/presentation.
3. The GIFTS idea should be able to be explained in 8 minutes or less.

12th Annual TCA Student Short Film Contest and Showcase

Please enter your students’ films in the Tennessee Communication Association’s Short Film Contest and Showcase. Entries are due by Friday, July 31, 2026. The categories are:
• Commercials and PSAs that are 30 – 60-seconds
• Documentaries that are 10-minutes or less
• Short films that are 10-minutes or less
Submit the YouTube Links and Microsoft Word document with the information below for the 2026 TCA Short Film Contest.

Category
Title of Submission
School
Submitted By
Phone Number
Email
Brief Synopsis
YouTube Link

Submit the information in a Microsoft Word document and email at tennesseecommassociation@gmail.com by Friday, July 31, 2026.

It is free to enter students into Student Film Contest and Showcase.
The top films will be put into a 1.5-hour showcase at the conference on Friday evening.
Judges rate the entries, and the top entries will be in the showcase and the winners will be the top rated per category. All directors of the films chosen to be in the showcase will be given a Selected for Screening certificate.

The director of the winning film in each category will be given a certificate and a cash reward. After the showcase, the audience will vote for their favorite film, and the winner will be given the Audience Favorite certificate and cash award.
If you have questions, please contact Dr. Tracy Nichols by email at nicholst@apsu.edu.

Student Scholarship
TCA prides itself for its support of student scholarship. Please pass this invitation along to your students. Remember there are top student paper awards for undergraduate and graduate students.
Please notate all student submissions as Undergraduate or Graduate student on the cover page.
Please upload student paper(s) here: https://forms.gle/1eUeA8vxJTmAMYYZ6
You will need to sign in with a Google account to upload the student paper(s).

For additional information about the 2026 TCA Conference, please contact:
Dr. Karen Hill, TCA President-Elect, Volunteer State Community College, karen.hill@volstate.edu Dr. Shaq Marsh, TCA Executive Director, Pellissippi State Community College, somarsh@pstcc.edu.

The 2025 TCA conference was a huge success!

Thank you to the 2025 TCA Leadership and Robert Davenport/Motlow State faculty and staff for the behind the scenes work to make this conference possible.

Thank you to all the conference presenters and participation.

This conference could not happen without you!

Congratulations to the following students. Our student work is the highlight of the conference.

2025 TCA Undergraduate Paper Winners:

1st place: Eli York, Middle Tennessee State University/Faculty Mentor Dr. Patrick Richey

2nd place: Haley Conde, Northeast State Community College/Faculty Mentor- Dr. Ruth Livingtson

2025 Top Graduate Paper Winner:

1st place: Traci Lively- University of Tennessee at Knoxville/Faculty Mentor- Dr. Michelle Violanti

2025 Student Film Showcase Winners:

Short Film Winner: Garrett Travis, Tennessee Tech University

Audience Favorite: Garrett Travis, Tennessee Tech University

Documentary: Tyler Payne, Tennessee Tech University

Commercial: Chloe Gessner, Aimee Blackburn and Anna Johnson, Volunteer State Community College

2025 TCA Annual Awards:

Educator of the Year: Dr. Janet McCormick, Middle Tennessee State University

Communicator of the Year: Dr. Karen Hill, Volunteer State Community College

Dortha Norton Spirit of Service: Dr. Natonya Listach, Middle Tennessee State University

Horizon Award: Kayla Huber- Walters State Community College

Congratulations!

Hello TCA Members and Participants,

Below, you will find the 2025 TCA Conference Program at Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee on Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact TCA Executive Director, Dr. Shaq Marsh, at somarsh@pstcc.edu. We look forward to seeing you!

Hello TCA Members and Participants,

The 2025 Tennessee Communication Association (TCA) Conference will be held on the campus of Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee on Friday, September 19 and Saturday, September 20.

Please use the link below to register for the 2025 TCA Conference and pay for your 2025-2026 TCA membership.

We look forward to seeing you in September!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,
Dr. Shaq Marsh, TCA Executive Director