PCA relies on volunteers to help the organization progress and grow. Not all committees are active year-round however, we are always looking to collect new names of potential volunteers and future leaders. Below are some of the volunteer opportunities PCA has available.

Elections Committee - Each year an Elections Committee of no fewer than three people will be approved by the full Governing Board to ascertain the eligibility of candidates for open positions, determine the specific dates of the election, and recommend any changes to the operation of elections for Board approval. This Elections Committee shall ascertain which positions are vacant and solicit nominations for the various offices from among the Members. No member of the Elections Committee may run for office and serve on the committee. All nominations will be approved by a simple majority of the Governing Board.

The Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) - The GSAC will be chaired by a Board Trustee who is able to make motions and vote on matters relevant to graduate students, thereby giving them a more influence on issues before the board. Robin Reid will serve as the Chair. All graduate students in PCA are invited to join the GSAC. The only qualification is to be a member who is a graduate student working toward a degree.

Area Chairs - The duties of the Area Chairs include: 1) Soliciting and encouraging presentations and performances at the Annual National Conference that are numerous, diverse, and of high quality; 2) Encouraging different forms of expression and presentation; 3) Supervising and supporting the panels and presentations at the Annual National Conference; and 4) Performing other duties as assigned by the President and Vice President of Programming and Area Chairs. The applicant for Area Chair should be a professional in the field. This may be interpreted broadly and may include all kinds of faculty and various kinds of professional activity beyond graduate work. The Area Chair is selected by the Vice President for Programming and Area Chairs, in consultation with the President and Governing Board. The appointment is made by the Vice President for Programming and Area Chairs and appropriate area members.

Travel Grant - The Popular Culture Association (PCA) is seeking members to serve as readers and jury members for our annual travel grants. We have 6 categories of grants, and we will attempt to match you with the grant category that closely mirrors your own (i.e., two-year faculty, international, graduate student, etc.). You may be asked to take part in brief jury discussions. The typical commitment ranges from a few hours to about 10-15 hours total over 4 weeks. You will be supplied with a rubric for scoring and instructions. Judging lasts for 4 weeks, beginning 15 December. Your final scores are due on 15 January. Contact doctorginn@gmail.com for more information.

Help Select Award Winners - The Popular Culture Association is seeking members to serve as readers and jury members for our annual awards. Depending on the category, you may be asked to review books, articles, media, or creative works and take part in brief jury discussions. The typical time commitment ranges from a few hours to about 10 hours total over several weeks, depending on the award.

This is a meaningful way to engage with new scholarship, build networks within the PCA community, and add valuable service experience to your CV or promotion materials. Graduate students, early-career scholars, established faculty, independent researchers, and practitioners are all encouraged to participate.

If you’re interested in helping recognize excellence in popular culture studies, please email the VP of Awards or complete the interest form.

Help us celebrate the work shaping our field—get involved with PCA awards today!

Are you interested in any of the above or do you think you could help PCA in another way? Fill out the below form and someone will get back to you shortly.

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