BROOKINGS — The Speech Communication Association of South Dakota will hold its annual conference on South Dakota State University’s campus July 24-25.

The Speech Communication Association of South Dakota is dedicated to fostering civic engagement and enhancing the public sphere throughout the state. The conference will bring together educators in speech, communication and theater in high schools and universities from across the state.

The theme of the conference is “reinvigoration,” something that points to the hope-filled future of the speech fields and the professionals within them.

“As we navigate changing educational and academic landscapes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we face numerous challenges as educators, teachers, coaches and scholars,” said Josh Westwick, director of SDSU’s School of Communication and Journalism and president of the Speech Communication Association of South Dakota. “These challenges have impacted educators and their students and require an opportunity to approach our work in and out of the classroom from new perspectives.”

Several conference speakers are SDSU faculty, students and alumni.

Anne Karabon, the Wendell and Marlys Thompson Director of the School of Education, Counseling and Human Development, will present the conference keynote address, “The Power of Improvisation and Hope in Teaching.” Jason McEntee, director of the School of English and Interdisciplinary Studies, will present strategies for teaching film. Andrea Carlile, director of forensics and assistant professor of communication studies, will speak on reinvigorating speech and debate team culture.

Other SDSU presenters include faculty members Jamie Folsom, assistant professor of American Indian and Indigenous studies; Amber Jensen, senior lecturer in the School of English and Interdisciplinary Studies; Karla Hunter, professor of communication studies; Marina Hendricks, assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism; Jim Wood, professor and artistic director of theatre and dance; and Melissa Hauschild-Mork, associate professor of dance.

“I am always seeking a way to showcase our beautiful campus and extend our land-grant mission through engagement,” Westwick said. “In an era where national discourse challenges the distinctions between fact, truth, persuasion and perception, it is crucial to educate and inspire young adults to communicate clearly and persuasively.”

Registration closes July 10. Visit the Speech Communication Association of South Dakota website for more conference information.