VACAS Conference

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The VACAS 2019 Conference,  "Redrawing Boundaries" is over, and we extend a heartfelt thanks to all the participants who helped make it a success, and to all the people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to pull it off.

The theme of this year's conference was "Redrawing Boundaries". The conference brought together individuals and groups who presented their research, fostered dialogue, participated in panels and poster presentations that challenged existing social boundaries and explored new borders by connecting research and theory to Communication practice. 

VACAS itself embraced this thrill of exploration, first by experimenting with a return to annual conferencing and second by partnering with Radford University to situate the convention towards the western edge of the Commonwealth. In redefining its own previous boundaries, VACAS inspired a conference program that similarly pointed towards new frontiers. A delegation of professors from the School of Journalism and Communication in the Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, China brought an international perspective to the theme, presenting their research on various aspects of Chinese media and communication practices.

Student Journalists Reported on the Conference

Please follow the links below to gain a students view of the Conference:

Blogging Class Offers New Learning Experience                VACAS Panel Tackles Changing Perspectives             China's Family Planning Policy                

VACAS Panel Discusses Political Scandals in Virginia            A Career Preparation Workshop             

Journalism Panel Sheds Light On The Current State Of The Profession

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Left to right: CHBS Interim Dean Matt Smith, Radford student Starr Woods, Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. and two members of the class that assisted with planning the VACAS conference.

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Left to right: CHBS Interim Dean Matt Smith, Ph.D., Shuo Yao, Ph.D., Zhizhong Zhang, Ph.D., Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., Jianping He, Ph.D., Juan Liu, Ph.D., and Xiaoping Luo, Ph.D.