Refugee Outreach Collective's Annual Conference (ROCAC) 2026

The Refugee Outreach Collective (ROC) is proud to host its first ROC Annual Conference (ROCAC 2026) on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the ROC chapter at CMU, this inaugural statewide conference brings together scholars, students, practitioners, artists, humanitarian actors, and individuals with lived experience to explore critical issues in forced and voluntary migration.

Under the theme “Connecting Research and Action Across Michigan: Exploring Migration & Policy,” ROCAC 2026 creates a collaborative platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and applied research. The conference highlights empirically driven scholarship while recognizing the essential role of advocacy, storytelling, and community engagement in shaping migration policy and practice.

We welcome paper, poster, and panel proposals addressing topics including (but not limited to):

• Conflict-, development-, and climate-induced displacement
• Education access and student experiences
• Governance, policy, and post-resettlement integration
• Human trafficking and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
• Structural and social conditions shaping displacement experiences

To submit a proposal, please follow the instructions on ROC's website here.

Conference Features:

• Keynote/plenary by a leading scholar in migration and governance
• Academic panels and faculty-moderated sessions
• Undergraduate and graduate poster presentations
• Special interdisciplinary panels organized by scholars and practitioners
• ROC roundtables on student leadership, storytelling, ethics, and innovation
• Networking reception

This one-day event (8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) aims to foster cross-campus collaboration among ROC chapters and allied institutions, generate actionable dialogue connecting research to practice, and position CMU as a leader in interdisciplinary, community-engaged scholarship.

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Host or Publisher Refugee Outreach Collective (ROC)