2026 Fall Conference
Friday, Oct. 9, 2026
State Farm Hall of Business
Illinois State University
410 S. University St.
Normal, IL 61761
2026 IJEA Fall Conference Registration Form
(This link will be posted during summer 2026)
We are delighted to announce that our 2026 Fall Conference will once again be held on the campus of Illinois State University. Sessions will take place at the State Farm Hall of Business, a short walk from Fell Hall, home of ISU’s School of Communication and the student-run FM station WZND and TV-10 News.
This will be the fourth year in which ISU has hosted the conference.
Over 250 advisers and students enjoyed a day of learning and competition on the beautiful campus in 2025. The new schedule and keynote speaker will be announced this summer. Students will also have the opportunity to compete in our popular onsite write-off contests. Make sure to check your emails for details.
Last year we were honored to announce Carol Marin, political editor at NBC5 Chicago and the director of DePaul University’s Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence, as the our keynote speaker for the 2025 conference.
State Farm Hall of Business is located at 410 S. University St. in Normal, on the west end of the quad.
PLEASE NOTE: The information below is from last year’s conference. Although the details for this year’s event may change, we are leaving the 2025 information here so you can get a general sense of what to expect in terms of fees, schedule, etc. We will update this page as soon as the details for 2026 are finalized.
2025 Fees, Registration & Parking Info
Adviser Fee: $20 per school (schools with more than one adviser do NOT have to pay extra)
Student Fee: $10 per student
Registration: Please fill out and submit our 2025 IJEA Fall Conference Registration Form no later than Monday, Sept. 29.
Early Bird Deadline: Early bird registration lasts until Friday, Sept. 12. Register early to be eligible for swag drawings the day of the conference!
Parking: Vehicles may park in the South University Street Garage, 450 S. University St., Normal, located just south of the State Farm Hall of Business. Parking on the first level costs $1 per hour.
Payment: Checks are accepted at the registration table during check-in at the conference. Checks should be made out to Illinois Journalism Education Association.
Lunch: Please note that lunch will not be provided this year. Students and advisers are encouraged to eat lunch after the conference concludes.
What You Can Expect
2025 Conference Schedule:
Session I 8:30 – 9:50 a.m.
IJEA Board Meeting – all advisers are encouraged to attend
Write-offs
Tours of ISU Student Media Outlets – all students who are not participating in the write-offs are encouraged to attend
Session II 10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
Session III 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Keynote Speaker, Brown Ballroom 12:00 – 12:50 p.m.
Session IV 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Sessions included tips and advice on:
• Broadcast journalism
• Print and online journalism
• Yearbook design and writing
• Digital reporting
• Journalism preparation for college
More Information
Questions about the conference? Please contact:
Katie Fernandez, Executive Director
Illinois Journalism Education Association
[email protected]