Humble Times at NCTE CCCC
- SJ Williamson
- Mar 8
- 4 min read
One of my favorite things about academia is attending conferences. Conferences provide me with opportunities to be inspired by the work of others in the field, support my friends and colleagues, and meet scholars I look up to. My favorite conference has been NCTE's Conference on College Composition & Communication (CCCC). This is one of the largest national conferences in my field, and it has been welcoming to me as a budding scholar and graduate student. Here, I want to share my appreciation and my experience at my last CCCC as a graduate student.
Forging Friendships
I am especially grateful for all the wonderful friends I've made at CCCC. I met one of my closest friends, Cody, in graduate school at CCCC 2023 in Chicago; now, we often room together and travel together for the conference. We're even doing a panel together at the RSA Conference later this spring. That CCCC in 2023 introduced me to multiple scholars who also game, are queer, or are disabled; I felt a great sense of community with the people I met and the good times we shared. Not all conferences are marked as 'graduate student friendly,' but CCCC has been welcoming and kind from the start for me. Sometimes, scholars in the field even bought me drinks or small meals after finding out I was a graduate student (we're known for being extremely underpaid).
Each year, I get so excited to run into friends and fellow scholars at the conference. Whether it is waiting in line for free books with Doug Eyman, making sparkle ponies with Ashleah Wimberly, or meeting Stephanie Kerschbaum at the Disability Standing Group Meeting, I've enjoyed getting to meet all these scholars and writers I look up to. As my friend circle expands, I've been introduced to other scholars I look up to as well at these conferences, including Margaret Price (and her lovely dog) and Neil Simpkins. It's humbling to meet people you've read so much from.
Sharing Research
Presentations always make me nervous. I can practice and time myself multiple times and still go over time or stumble on my words. Still, I seek to present at these conferences not just for funding but also to share my research with others in my field and get feedback to improve my work for publication. At CCCC, I have always been scheduled to present on the last day. At both CCCC and other conferences, this has often resulted in low turn out at my presentation as most people are traveling home the last day. Even when my paper won a CCCC Disability in Writing Travel Award, only one person showed up for my presentation who wasn't on my committee or a close friend. Presenting for an audience of nobody or just the people I work with kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion. At the very least it defeats my goal of getting feedback from others in my field.
This year, my panel was once again scheduled for the last day. It was the largest attendance for my presentation I've ever witnessed. My audience included close friends, multiple mentees and graduate students from my program, and even strangers I didn't know before. It looked to be around 20 audience members, not including my co-panelists whose work on neoliberalism and accessibility I've read for my dissertation research and forthcoming book chapters. I couldn't believe it. I am so appreciative to every person who came to hear my research and for those who asked questions and conversed with me about my research after the presentation. I was truly humbled that people cared enough to come, even with such late, inconvenient timing.
Making Space for Art & Creativity
Something else I appreciate about CCCC is all the opportunities to engage in creative activity and art. The Feminist Caucus allows people to make quilt squares to be combined into a quilt for display at CCCC the year afterwards. It's a relaxing way to spend downtime in between panels. C's the Day also allows people to engage in art, as they have a table with small wooden horse pins, gems, feathers, and markers to create unique sparkleponies. For those who want an already made sparklepony, C's the Day provides a sort of bingo activity you can fill out objectives on as the conference progresses and once you fill out one section completely, you get a sparklepony and can also collect trading cards with your favorite scholars, methods, and terminology in the field. I've also enjoyed the Stitch and Spin the last couple of years, where we are given materials to make zines, light refreshments, and of course, drinks, and spend the night crafting and laughing together. It's a kind of art therapy that can only be done at large conferences or professional development in higher academia.
I have been so humbled to attend CCCC the last few years, win an award for my work, and have people care enough to show up at my presentation. CCCC has been an annual highlight for me during my PhD program and I hope to attend more once I graduate and move into the workforce. Thanks to NCTE CCCC and all the amazing people who make it possible each year. You create a sense of home amongst scholars that is the highlight of each year for me.
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