CCCC 2017

The 2017 CCCC Annual Convention in Portland, OR was a wonderful conference and an amazing week. I arrived in rainy Portland on Tuesday night and had some lovely Oregon sushi. The main portion of my conference activity was on Wednesday when I attended the Research Network Forum, and I really enjoyed the day and learned a lot.

I had initially proposed to discuss my dissertation work, but by the time the actual RNF came around, I thought that advice about the job market would be more helpful. So, I presented parts of my dissertation in the two roundtable sessions, and I asked about ways that I could present my research on the job market and publish my work. The advice that I received in the roundtables, from presentations and discussions about publishing, as well as from my meeting with a faculty mentor was very helpful. I have a clear direction for my work and ways to prepare to go on the market.

The rest of the conference I spent attending sessions, meeting old and new friends, and soaking up the energy of the conference attendees. The city of Portland was dynamic, engaging, and very fun to explore. I found a lot of good places to eat and great places to meet up with friends from the conference and chat more.

The most refreshing part of the week was at the end when Casie Moreland, Jessica Boykin, and I drove to Neskowin on the coast of OR. We stopped in McMinnville for a night to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and then we settled into a quaint beach condo literally on the coast. After the hustle and bustle and constant idea exchange at the conference, we took a deep breathe and watched the waves and ate some filling food the first day.

The next couple days was spent as a writing retreat. On this retreat, I submitted my first full draft of my dissertation to the college and to Maureen! That felt like a victory for me, especially after the inspiration and ideas I gleaned from the conference. We talked, ate, laughed, and enjoyed our time on the beach, especially in such a beautiful place to stay. We also prepared for next year's conference! We read over the CCCC 2018 proposal, talked about our ideas, and discussed the changes we see and want to see in the conference. I love spending times with these ladies because, even while we don't always agree, our ideas compliment each other's and build on each other's. I came back from OR tired but ready to jump into the completion of this doctoral degree!