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SWCA CONFERENCE


2026 Conference Info

Theme: Leading from the Center (download the CFP)
Dates
Location: University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Hosts:
University of North Alabama and Athens State University

Conference questions or concerns?
Email the conference co-hosts:

Kat Richards: karichards@una.edu 

Kem Roper: kem.roper@athens.edu

Announcements:

  • The conference will be in Florence, AL in 2026. More details forthcoming.


2026 Conference Details

Check out the Call for Proposals or submit a proposal through our Proposal Form.

This year, SWCA is not setting aside a block of rooms at a specific hotel. Instead, we are curating a list of local hotels with reasonable prices that you can use to book. The conference hosts plan to arrange shuttle service between the conference site and these hotels:

Air Travel

Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Conveniently located by US Hwy 20 (alternate Hwy 72), the airport offers quick and easy access to surrounding communities, and provides daily, non-stop service to Nashville and Atlanta. The airport is serviced by Contour Airlines. The airport is a 10-to-15-minute drive to the conference hotel (Hampton Inn Florence – Midtown) in Florence, Alabama.

Huntsville International Airport (HSV) is the largest commercial airport in North Alabama that serves five airlines: American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, Silver Airways, and Breeze Airways. HSV has nonstop service to 13 destinations, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami (seasonal), Orlando, Tampa and two airports in Washington D.C. The airport is a 1 hour 12-minute drive to the conference hotel in Florence.

Rental Cars

Huntsville International Airport (HSV) and the North Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals (MSL) have rental car companies on the properties.

HSV Airport has the following rental companies:

  • Avis
  • Budget
  • National/Alamo
  • Dollar/Thrifty
  • Enterprise
  • Hertz

MSL Regional Airport has the following rental companies:

  • McCurry Van & Car Rental (on site)
    • Business Hours Phone: 256-978-5906
    • After Hours Phone: 256-278-9147
  • Enterprise (rentals available online; not located at airport)

Other transportation options at MSL:

  • Taxi/Limo services: Quad Cities Taxi - 256-767-0220
  • Uber & Lyft

Getting around Florence

Car travel around Florence is necessary, unless staying in one of the downtown hotels (The Stricklin or Gunrunner).

Shuttle Service

There will be a shuttle service available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for transportation to and from the hotels to the conference site (the University of North Alabama). This service will be available from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and again from 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The shuttle service will run to both the conference hotel and the alternate hotels listed on this site.

Shuttle service is not available for airport transportation.

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