A Welcome from Miles Kimball, President

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In preparing for this year's conference I found myself thinking about what makes CEA unique. There's our disciplinary diversity: CEA provides a place for scholars of many disciplines to meet, including literary criticism, creative writing, film studies, composition and rhetoric, cultural studies, book history, technical communication, and all the other disciplines that work under the big tent of English Studies. Then there's our focus on teaching: CEA values great pedagogical scholarship as much as the many other kinds of research you will hear about. There's also our diverse membership, representing schools from community colleges to tier-one research universities from across the nation and the world.

But what really sets CEA apart? Its warm and welcoming spirit. More than any organization, CEA has been my favorite place to meet new colleagues, share new ideas, and make new friends.

If you've never attended CEA before, you should know our cardinal rule: at CEA, we talk to each other! I think you will find that CEA is one of the most collegial conferences you will ever attend. You can expect several days of compelling scholarship, a wide variety of presentations, and most importantly, some really great conversations.

If you're returning to CEA, enjoy meeting old friends, but also please take the time to welcome new members. The warm spirit of CEA arises directly from your collegiality, and we're depending on you to make sure new participants develop the same dedication to the organization that you have shown.

While you're here, I hope you take time to enjoy the warmth of San Antonio's famous hospitality. Gather together some CEA friends, new and old, and have a cerveza or a margarita on the River Walk. Do a little shopping in El Mercado . Visit the King William Historic District south of downtown. And remember the Alamo!