Episode #25
Episode 25: Voices from the 2026 CCCC in Cleveland
When we recorded this episode, it was about a month after the conference, but before the events of the summer of 2026. We did not know it would encapsulate possibly one of the last C’s ever. Meeghan was a first time attendee and decided as a bonus (in addition to attending) to record moments and impressions with participants and use it for the podcast. After the conference, Nick and Meeghan spent time in the studio recording the host portion of the episode and shared context, thoughts, and feelings on C’s. We had no idea we would be preserving part of a community now de-chartered . We feel a deep sense of privilege at having captured such a moment, and thank all of the attendees that shared their thoughts and reflections with Meeghan. All of the audio clips that Meeghan recorded are included in this episode. Founded in 1949 as part of the National Council of Teachers of English, the Conference on College Composition and Communication—often called “the Four Cs” or just “C’s”—was the largest professional organization in the world dedicated to the teaching and study of writing, rhetoric, and composition. C’s grew into a central gathering point with attendees representing a wide range of institutions—research universities, community colleges, and writing programs—and included everyone from first-year graduate students to senior scholars shaping the field. Until 2026, CCCC hosted an annual major national convention that typically drew over 3,000 attendees, with membership in the organization numbering in the thousands. The program was built around dozens of concurrent panels running in 75-minute sessions, often with three or more presenters sharing research, pedagogy, or creative work. Additionally the conference included workshops, roundtables, research network forums, poster sessions, and Special Interest Groups and Caucuses. The guests you hear in this episode were captured in a variety of locations throughout the conference and from a wide range of attendees. We are incredibly grateful for their participation as it has turned into such a watershed moment. Our contributing guests are: Sayed Ali Reza Ahmadi, University of Anchorage; Yanni Angelis, University of Pittsburg; Ashley Beardsley, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth; Joel Bergholtz, University of Central Florida; Casie Cobos, Baylor University; Anne Ruggles Gere, University of Michigan; Su Yin Khor, College of the Atlantic; Vee Kennedy, University of Central Florida; Melissa Ianetta, Georgia Institute of Technology; Joyce Inman, University of Southern Mississippi; Benjamin Luczak, University of Central Florida; Khushi Patel, Ohio State University; Bethany Van Scooter, NC State University
