2026 ICPA Conference & Awards Lunch
Saturday, April 18 • Indiana Memorial Union • Indiana University-Bloomington
Join students and advisers from across the state for the annual ICPA conference. We’ll have speakers and sessions for students working on their college websites, newspapers, literary magazines, news magazines and yearbooks in the morning. The awards lunch follows in the afternoon. We’ll announce more than 300 awards at the lunch. A complete list of awards will be posted at icpaconnect.org after the lunch.
Lunch is a taco bar with vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Thank you to the Pulliam Journalism Center of Taylor University for providing Starbucks gift cards for our drawing and to the IU Media School for providing morning coffee and pastries.
FAQs
When? Saturday, April 18, 2026. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Sessions begin at 10:45 a.m.
What? There will be sessions for websites, newspapers, yearbook, magazine and literary journal staffs from 10:45-11:40 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.-12:40 p.m. After the sessions, we’ll gather at 1 p.m. for the annual awards lunch.
Where? Sessions are in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Biddle Conference Center, Indiana University, 900 E. Seventh St. Bloomington, Indiana. All talks are on the first and second floors of the IMU. Lunch is in the Tudor Room on the first floor. Here is a map of the IU campus and a building map of the IMU.
Where should I park? There are a variety of parking lots adjacent to the IU campus. Two lots are next to the IMU. See the link to the map linked above. Discounted parking passes are included with registration. The residential neighborhood north east of the IMU has free parking on the weekends.
What should I bring? Bring a stack of your publications to share on the publication exchange table. If you didn’t prepay your registration fees, bring a check payable to ICPA.
Questions? Contact Ruth Witmer, ICPA interim director, 812-855-5898, rwitmer@iu.edu.
SCHEDULE
Localizing national, international stories for your college audience. There’s so much happening across the country and world right now. Join a multimedia reporter for Indiana Public Media for tips on how to cover big stories for your community while incorporating audio and visuals. — Aubrey Wright, Indiana Public Media/Report for America
Meeting the moment: What to do when things go wrong.
Feeling pressure from administrators or others in positions of power? Struggling with getting the information you need to do your jobs? Join three student editors-in-chief who have seen it all. Bring your questions. — Olivia Mapes, Purdue Exponent; Andrew Miller, Indiana Daily Student; Mia Hilkowitz, Indiana Daily Student
The Use of AI in the field of creative writing. Dr. Saul Lemerond will share his research investigating how students use AI to address issues writers face, including brainstorming, workshopping, and writer’s block; additionally, he will also endeavor to answer questions regarding whether any of this can be done ethically. — Saul Lemerond, Hanover College
Rethinking how news is shared through social media. Join a social media expert for tips on using storytelling and the power of narrative to connect people to your content and build trust and community. — Ibby Ahmed, Mirror Indy.
What to know to get the job/internship. In a competitive job market, the best job candidates are impossible to ignore. Some tips and insights about what many employers are seeking out, and how you can best prepare yourself for a career in media. — Lisa Renze, Free Press Indiana
Supplementing your literary magazine. Join us for a roundtable discussion about various methods for bolstering your journal including podcasting, events and your online presence. — Saul Lemerond, Hanover College
Annual Awards Lunch