Category: Uncategorized

Teaching and Learning Days (May 12-14)

Registration closes on Thursday, May 7th for Teaching and Learning Days. Each day’s events can be found on the Teaching and Learning Days webpage. Coffee, tea, water, and snacks will be available on May 12th and May 13th in the Dome Room.

Secure your spot for all events, including the Writers’ Retreat and Five Minutes of Fame, by completing the single registration form. The webpage will be updated if any sessions reach capacity.

Summer 2026 Small Teaching Grant Recipients

CfT is pleased to support the following faculty with full Summer 2026 Small Teaching Grants:

• Karen Anewalt (Computer Science)
• Maria Laura Bocaz (Modern Languages and Literatures)
• Amrita Dhar (Economics)
• Debra Hydorn (Mathematics)
• Marcus Leppanen (Psychological Sciences)
• Mary Beth Mathews (Cultural & Philosophical Inquiry)
• Maya Mathur (English & Linguistics)
• Keith Nabb (Mathematics)
• Marcel Rotter (Modern Languages and Literatures)
• Holly Schiffrin (Psychological Sciences)
• Michael Stebar (Biological Sciences)

In addition, we are pleased to support the following faculty with partial Summer 2026 Small Teaching Grants to cover classroom material purchases:

• Janet Asper (Chemistry & Physics)
• Gino Binkert (Education)

Reimagining the Liberal Arts in the Age of AI Conference

Registration continues for the Reimagining the Liberal Arts in the Age of AI Conference, happening July 21-23 at UMW. With a trio of nationally-recognized keynote speakers and a full presentation schedule, the conference promises to generate great discussions about the promises and challenges of AI in the liberal arts. The conference website has all the details, including registration links.

UMW faculty and staff receive a SUPER DUPER DISCOUNTED registration rate! Contact Victoria Russell for the registration code.

Summer Support

CfT is a 12-month support office, so do not hesitate to reach out during the summer with questions, ideas, or a friendly hello! In-person and virtual consultations remain available pending staff leave.

We hope you have a wonderful summer! We will be back with First Friday posts on August 7th!

May 2026 Teaching and Learning Days

Teaching and Learning Days will run May 12-14th in Seacobeck Hall and the HCC. The schedule is available at the CfT website and registration will run through Thursday, May 7th at 5:00 pm. Join us to pick up new ideas for summer and fall classes as well as a bit of socializing with colleagues. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be available throughout the day in the Seacobeck Dome Room on May 12th and May 13th.

🎲 Call for Submissions: The Pedagogy Playground 

Before we disappear into summer and as the semester winds down, you’re invited to share and reflect on the joyful side of your classroom at this year’s Pedagogy Playground during May Teaching & Learning Day (May 13^th). This year’s Pedagogy Playground is focused on playful moments. We are looking for faculty to share the games, simulations, and tactile activities that make their classrooms and learning FUN. 

If you missed last year’s playground, this session is not a traditional “presentation.”  

• The Setup: 5-6 tables, each hosted by a faculty member. 

• The Rotation: Attendees will visit your table for 10–12 minute bursts. 

• The Plan: You share your activity and engage in quick, relaxed dialogue. Then, the timer dings, and a new group arrives. Bring any props with you that you use in class (LEGO, dice, a deck of cards, play-dough, a handout, etc.) and have fun!  

If you’re interested in sharing an activity, game, simulation, a playful strategy, or something else, OR if you want to chat about an idea, please email Elizabeth at ejohnso6@umw.edu

CfT Summer Small Teaching Grants: Applications Closing!

Applications for the CfT Summer Small Teaching Grants close today, April 3rd, at 5:00 pm. Ten $1000 grants will be awarded to faculty for either a stipend or materials. Information about the grant can be found at the Summer Small Teaching Grant page on the CfT website.

Preference for funding is given to faculty who have not received CfT Summer Small Teaching Grant funding for the past two summers—if you have not applied before or have been on the fence, get in your application!

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

“Designing Interactive Simulations with Chatbots” with Melissa Wells (Education)

Tuesday, April 7th from 12:30 – 1:30 pm in CRUC 314 (note non-Seacobeck location!)
Registration has closed to reserve a lunch, but all faculty and staff are welcome to attend!

Come learn about successes and challenges of programming an AI chatbot to give students practice with applying course content. This presentation will include results from Dr. Wells’ Summer 2025 Small Teaching Grant.

Scheduling change

Samira Fallah’s presentation, “The Impact of Students’ Mindset on Job Search Behaviors,” originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 15th will be rescheduled for Fall 2026. Watch future First Friday posts for the new day and time.

No Time to Read: More than Words (Chapters 7-9)

No Time to Read moves into chapters 7-9 of John Warner’s More Than Words for April. Join us for either the online or in-person meetups–and all are welcome, whether you have the book or not!

• Online: Thursday, April 16th at 3:30 pm via Zoom 
• In-Person: Friday, April 17th at 9:00 am in Seacobeck 128

CfT March Group Meetings

• Book Authors Group: Every Friday at 3:30 pm via Zoom (contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen for the link)

A special congratulations to Book Author group member Marissa Miller (Director, Center for Education and Prevention) who successfully defended her dissertation on March 20th! Congratulations to Dr. Miller!!!

• New Faculty Monthly Meetup: Wednesday, April 8th at 4:00 pm in Seacobeck 128. This month is the first part of the two-part advising training offered through Academic Services. Reach out to Elizabeth if you have a conflict!

Center for Teaching Updates and Reminders

• We’ve moved! The CfT office has moved again. We are still in Seacobeck Hall, but now in Room 104. If you enter Seacobeck Hall from College Avenue, we are tucked into a suite before the elevator on your right.
• Consultations: CfT is a 12-month office and provides support to faculty throughout the year. Don’t forget that you can book in-person and online consultations about any teaching project or class using our online scheduler.

Reimagining the Liberal Arts in the Age of AI Conference: July 21-23, 2026

Early bird registration for the Reimagining the Liberal Arts in the Age of AI Conference is now open! Three keynote speakers will anchor lively discussions and workshops about how liberal arts classrooms can respond to the growing social and economic influence of AI. More information can be found at the conference website.

UMW faculty and staff may register at a discounted rate. Contact Victoria Russell at vrussel3@umw.edu for the registration code. The code cannot be applied retroactively to registrations.

The Reimagining the Liberal Arts in the Age of AI Conference is organized by faculty and staff at the University of Mary Washington.

• Krystyn Moon, Professor-History & American Studies (Planning Committee Co-Chair)
• Victoria Russell, Director-Center for Teaching & Associate Professor-Education (Planning Committee Co-Chair)
• Brenta Blevins, Associate Professor-English and Linguistics
• Amy Filiatreau, University Librarian-Simpson Library
• Maya Mathur, Professor-English and Linguistics
• Suzanne Nguyen, Senior Lecturer-Chemistry & Physics
• Anand Rao, Director-Center for AI in the Liberal Arts & Professor-Communication and Digital Studies
• Jerry Slezak, Director-Digital Learning Support

Campus Partner Updates and News

Approaching Digital Accessibility Deadline

As a reminder, the Title II digital accessibility compliance deadline is April 24, 2026. All instructional materials used with students should meet accessibility requirements by this date.

Over the next few weeks, Digital Accessibility Weekly post will focus on practical tips for teaching accessibly during the summer. You can find all past posts on the Digital Accessibility Updates & Tips page.

For more information, visit the Digital Accessibility Resources for Faculty page to access guides and book an accessibility consultation. Questions about Title II compliance can be directed to the Title II Team at t2access@umw.edu. 

Research and Creativity Collaborative

Research and Creativity Day Symposium April 24th

We are celebrating the 20th anniversary with a week of activities this year, featuring special events, departmental symposia, and culminating in the oral and poster sessions held in the HCC on the last Friday of classes.

Registration is open and continues through April 15.

• Students may submit their projects for presentation at morning oral panels or the midday poster session directly on our website: umwrcd.net

• Departments: email information about your events for inclusion on the calendar to Betsy Lewis, elewis@umw.edu.

New this year:

• Opening reception April 20th , 4:00pm in the Research and Creativity Collaborative space, Simpson Library, honoring John Morello, Grant Woodwell, and Ana Chichester, who brought the idea of celebrating student research and creativity to campus, and made it what it is today.

• Certificates for participants in the HCC oral and poster presentation session 4/24

Workshops to Prep for Research and Creativity events

Please share with your students:

April 7: Scientific Poster Design workshop. 4:00pm, RCC space, Simpson Library. Space is limited, sign up here: Scientific Poster Design Workshop – Fill out form

April 8: Slides for Oral Presentations Design workshop. 4:00pm, RCC space, Simpson Library. Space is limited, sign up here: Slides for Oral Presentations Design workshop. – Fill out form

April 13: Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Poster Design Workshop. 2:00pm, RCC space, Simpson Library. Space is limited, sign up here: Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Poster Design Workshop – Fill out form

April 23: Poster Printing Palooza. 6-7pm. RCC space, Simpson Library. Sign up here: Poster Printing Palooza – Fill out form

Students can learn about these and other events on the RCC website.

Summer Research Programs

The Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Summer Institute (AHSSSI) May 18-June17.

The Irene Piscopo Rodgers Summer Science Institute (SSI) May 18-July 22.

SAVE THE DATES:

• AHSSSI Symposium: Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

• SSI Symposium: July 22, 2026

See Your Students Featured on the Beyond the Classroom blog

Read posts on student work in economics and earth and environmental science:

• “UMW Econ Students Present on DUI Offense Prevention at NYC Conference”

• “Students present their research on fossils and climate conditions in Scotland”

Submit a brief blurb and some photos of your research students in action today!!

It’s almost here!

We wish you the best as we begin to wrap up not just the spring semester, but also another academic year. Whether you are looking for quick, end-of-the-semester encouragement or ideas for the fall and beyond, reach out any time.

The final First Friday for the 2025-2026 academic year will be posted on Friday, May 1st.

Summer Small Teaching Grants: Application Now Open!

Summer Small Teaching Grants support faculty teaching projects leading to transformative learning experiences using evidence-based teaching practices. These grants support ‘small teaching’ steps towards purposeful, sustainable teaching and learning design. Be creative and think about how you can take learning to a new level! Grants may also support Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects conducted in your classroom.

The Center for Teaching will be awarding ten $1000 grants for Summer 2026. Funds may be used for material/resource purchases (e.g. books, teaching materials, equipment, transcription services, etc.) or a stipend for the faculty member (note: stipends are taxed). If a faculty team submits a grant application and elects to receive stipends, the funds will be split among the team members.

Please note:

• Summer Small Teaching Grant funds may not be used for student salaries or stipends, food/catering purchases, or travel expenses.
• Preference will be given to applicants who have not received a Summer Small Teaching Grant within the past two years (Summer 2024 and Summer 2025 cycles). This includes individual and team applications.

Applications are due on Friday, April 3rd at 5:00 pm. Grant decisions will be emailed the week of April 20th.

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

The final presentations for the 2025-2026 academic year are happening in March and April–join us to hear about great teaching ideas across campus! Remember to RSVP, especially if you wish to reserve a lunch for select presentations.

Come learn about successes and challenges of programming an AI chatbot to give students practice with applying course content! This presentation will include results from Dr. Wells’ Summer 2025 Small Teaching Grant.

Searching for a job is often an effort-intensive and stressful process for students making the transition from school to work. Their limited experience and smaller professional networks add to these challenges. In this presentation, Dr. Fallah will share her research findings on how students’ mindsets, specifically their belief that job search skills can be developed through effort and learning, shape their job search behaviors. She will also discuss practical strategies and classroom interventions that educators can use to foster a growth mindset in students, helping them approach the job search process more effectively.

No Time to Read: More Than Words (Chapters 4-6)

After lively conversations in our February meetings, No Time to Read moves into chapters 4-6 of John Warner’s More Than Words for March. Join us for either the online or in-person meetups–and all are welcome, whether you have the book or not!

• Online: Thursday, March 12th at 3:30 pm via Zoom (Facilitator: Kevin Caffrey)

• In-Person: Friday, March 13th at 9:00 am in Seacobeck 128 (Facilitator: Michael Dunn)

CfT March Group Meetings

• NEST: Friday, March 20th at 2:00 pm in HCC 211
• Book Authors Group: Every Friday at 3:30 pm via Zoom (contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen for the link)
• New Faculty Monthly Meetup: Wednesday, March 25th at 4:00 pm in Seacobeck 128
  • NOTE: This is a change from our originally scheduled meeting date, March 11th, in order to allow faculty to attend the meeting with President Paino. Contact Elizabeth if you have a conflict with the new date.

Public Square Debate: Is Social Media a Threat to Democracy?

Wednesday, March 11th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm in the CRUC Chandler Ballroom (appetizer and dessert reception to follow)

The Public Square Debate Initiative brings together students from local high schools, 2-year (Germanna) and 4-year (UMW) colleges, and members of the broader community for a respectful exchange of ideas on timely civic questions. Using the Braver Angels debate format, these events invite diverse voices into a shared space—where the goal isn’t to win, but to understand. Public Square debates help participants explore what it means to live in a democracy—and what it takes to strengthen one.

Braver Angels debates are non-competitive and allow everyone in the room to participate.  There is no distinction between the speakers and the audience.  The debates are run by a trained chair using a light parliamentary format that allows for everyone to have a chance to speak. The UMW/GCC debate will be chaired by an experienced chair from the College Debates and Discourse Alliance.

Braver Angels debates can be scaled to a classroom setting. If you are looking for new ways to engage students in discussion, come out to see (or join!) the debate on March 11th. The Center for Teaching and campus partners will be happy to help you brainstorm incorporation of the Braver Angels framework into your courses.

The Public Square Debate initiative is a partnership among VA250, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), Braver Angels, and the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), which houses the College Debates & Discourse Alliance.

News from the Research and Creativity Collaborative

We are in full planning mode for some exciting upcoming programs and events.  

Symposia Season

March starts our symposia season, kicked off by the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Symposium on March 25, 2026 from 4-6pm in Lee Hall 411. Proposals for student presentations due March 13 by 5pm to Dr. Kate Haffey. 

Research & Creativity Day Symposium is April 24th. To celebrate our 20^th anniversary, we are planning a week of activities this year, featuring special events, departmental symposia, and culminating in the oral and poster sessions held in the HCC on the last Friday of classes. Registration will open April 1, and continue through April 15.  

Learn about these and other events on the Research and Creativity Collaborative website!

Summer Research Programs

We are excitedly planning for our two summer research programs. The Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Summer Institute runs from May 18 – June 17. The Irene Piscopo Rodgers Summer Science Institute runs from May 18 – July 22.  

Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows

A group of dedicated science faculty developed plans for this comprehensive four-year program that jump starts students in science research from their first semester and continues to support them throughout their four years at UMW. We are recruiting our first cohort of Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows and plan to welcome 15 new first year students this fall. Read about the program on the Piscopo Rodgers Science Fellows website.

See your students featured on the Beyond the Classroom blog. Read posts on student work in Spanish and biomedical science:

• “Basque Loan Words” 

• “Wanted: Dead and Immunogenic” 

Submit a brief blurb and some photos of your research students in action today!

And as always, browse the Research and Creativity Collaborative website for more news, resources for faculty and students, as well as important announcements, dates and deadlines. Contact Betsy Lewis (elewis@umw.edu) to answer your questions and share your ideas! 

We know it’s a busy month with the return from Spring Break and the start of preregistration advising. Do not hesitate to reach out to the Center for Teaching if you need ideas or strategies to make the classroom part of your life manageable in the weeks ahead. We will be back on Friday, April 3rd with news about May Teaching and Learning Days and opportunities for summer learning!

After what may have been the longest January on record, welcome to February where the sun glistens on the snow-crete all around us! Plenty is happening at the Center for Teaching–check out the events below and plan on joining us and campus partners to hear and talk about great teaching across campus.

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

Three presentations are scheduled for February and early March. All presenters are sharing work supported through Center for Teaching Summer Small Teaching Grants. We kindly ask that you RSVP using the single RSVP form. Please note RSVP deadlines if you wish to request a lunch during selected presentations.

Looking for new ideas to tackle the same challenges? Want to infuse a bit of fun, maybe even joy, into your classes? Do YOU want to have fun teaching? CfT has a series for you–welcome to Playful Pedagogy!

The Playful Pedagogy series has three ‘rules’;

1. We only focus on challenges that we can realistically address within our classrooms.
2. Little or no tech involved–sometimes, you just have to unplug.
3. Instructor play is as important as student play. You gotta play to learn!

Thank you to Brenta Blevins (English and Linguistics) who sent us our first challenge: I’d like to throw out a challenge I run into…I sometimes have challenges with whole class discussion. Group discussions generally go fine but getting whole class discussion can be a bit more challenging. 

Brenta, challenge accepted! If this challenge is one you face, plan on coming to play (and, yes, snacks will be provided!).

CfT Group Meetings: February

New Faculty Monthly Meeting

Wednesday, February 11th at 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 128

Book Authors Group

Every Friday at 3:30 PM via Zoom. Contact Zach Whalen or Brenta Blevins for the link.

News from the Research and Creativity Collaborative

Undergraduate Research Grants

We recently awarded undergraduate research grants to 130 students from 14 departments across the arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Many of these grants in the spring are for travel to conduct field research or to present at regional and national conferences this semester, including:

• 8 theatre students and 3 art history students who will travel to New York City to conduct primary research for their projects in March
• 5 chemistry students who will present at the American Chemical Society in Atlanta in March
• 1 international affairs student who will be a delegate at the Model UN in New York City in March
• 23 psychology students who will participate in the Virginia Association for Psychological Science in Staunton in April
• 14 students from English, biology, computer science, and sociology who were selected to present at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in Richmond in April

Posters in Richmond

On January 29th, UMW students Margaret Alt (historic preservation) and Natalie Lee (history), both of whom also study GIS, presented their research projects “From Restriction to Resilience: Mapping the History of Racial Boundaries in Fredericksburg” at the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia “Posters in Richmond” event. Their faculty mentors were Krystyn Moon (History and American Studies), Christine Henry (Historic Preservation) and Steve Hanna (Geography). They were among 40 students from 15 Virginia universities who presented their research at the Virginia General Assembly Building.

20th Annual Research and Creativity Day

We are preparing already for the annual UMW Research and Creativity Day Symposium, April 24, 2026, celebrating our 20th year of this important recognition of student achievement. Look for more announcements to come of the special ways we will be commemorating this important milestone, and for ways for you and your students to get involved!

See your students featured on the Beyond the Classroom blog

Recent posts include:

• The “history wars”
• A medical humanities poetry podcast
• An AI bot to cool our political climate

Submit a brief blurb and some photos of your research students in action today!

And as always, browse the RCC website for more news, resources for faculty and students, as well as important announcements, dates, and deadlines. Contact Betsy Lewis (elewis@umw.edu) to answer your questions and share your ideas!

Public Square Attendance Prep: Join the CCE Brainstorm on Feb 10th

The Public Square Debate on March 11th offers our students an opportunity to see civil discourse in action by stepping out of the classroom and into the real-world of civic engagement. We all know, though, that a line in a syllabus is rarely enough to get students through the door. To ensure our students don’t just attend, but actually engage, let’s be intentional about how we bridge the gap between curriculum and this event. 

What is the Public Square Debate?  

In coordination with SCHEV and as part of VA250’s commemorations of U.S. independence, Public Square debates bring together students from high schools, 2-year and 4-year colleges, and members of the broader community for a respectful exchange of ideas on timely civic questions. Using the Braver Angels format, these events invite diverse voices into a shared space—where the goal isn’t to win, but to understand. Developed by Braver Angels, a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing political polarization in the United States, Public Square debates are non-competitive and invite participation by all attendees. They use a light parliamentary format, led by a chair, to engage attendees in a respectful exchange of ideas.  

The Office of Community Relations and Compliance (OCRC), in partnership with the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) and Germanna Community College, will host a “Public Square” debate on the UMW campus on March 11. The event will run from approximately 6:00-8:30pm, and participants are invited to register.

Let’s Share Ideas

Tuesday, February 10th at 3:00 PM via Zoom (registration form)

Sarah Dewees and Elizabeth Johnson-Young are hosting a Zoom session to brainstorm practical ways to encourage student attendance connect engagement to our diverse courses. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants before the meeting.

Life After Mary Washington News

Faculty continue to play a critical role in preparing students for Life after Mary Washington, and it has been exciting to see so many instructors intentionally integrating professional development into their courses. In January, the Center for Career and Professional Development hosted the interactive workshop “Integrating Career Tools for Life After Mary Washington into Your Courses,” where faculty explored a suite of high-impact resources designed to support students’ career readiness. The workshop emphasized practical, classroom-ready strategies for embedding these tools into assignments, reflections, and experiential learning activities. If you were unable to attend—or would like to revisit the materials—you can learn more about the tools on the Center for Career and Professional Development’s Tools and Resources page.

Building on this momentum, February programming shifts to individualized faculty support. If you are looking for tailored guidance on integrating Life After Mary Washington competencies into your courses, one-on-one consultations are available. Whether you are revising an assignment, identifying competencies, incorporating tools like Big Interview, designing reflection activities, reinforcing interview preparation with the STAR Method, or planning future course updates, you are encouraged to schedule a one-on-one session with Alex Dunn, the LAMW QEP Faculty Co-Director (adunn4@umw.edu). Consider reaching out this month to secure a time and get your LAMW questions answered before she goes on maternity leave in March!

As you plan the weeks ahead, now is also an ideal time to encourage student participation in the Spring 2026 Career & Internship Fair, taking place Thursday, February 19 (with March 19 reserved as an inclement weather date), from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. in the Chandler Ballroom. This event is a powerful professional development opportunity, and faculty are strongly encouraged to promote attendance and consider building it into their courses. Pairing the fair with a brief reflection or applied assignment can help students translate the experience into meaningful career learning. Additionally, please encourage students to attend Life After Mary Washington Week, a series of events leading up to the fair that includes speed résumé reviews, elevator pitch preparation, and a professional dress pop-up boutique. More information is available at the CCPD’s Events page.

February Digital Accessibility Focus: Audio & Video

This month Digital Learning Support will focus on audio and video digital accessibility. Each week they will share tips, tools, and best practices for creating accessible media. Learn more and explore the weekly posts: Digital Accessibility Updates & Tips.

We will back on Friday, March 6th with all kinds of March Madness, including AI conference registration details and applications for Summer Small Teaching Grants.

Welcome back! We hope you had a great winter break and are ready for Spring 2026. It is a short programming month, but there is still a lot going on–get all the details below.

Spring 2026 Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

Mark your calendar for upcoming presentations:

• Tuesday, February 10th at 3:30 PM with Sean McDonald (Education)
• Thursday, February 19th at 12:30 PM with Debra Hydorn (Mathematics)
• Thursday, March 12th at 12:00 PM with Kaitlyn Haynal (Communication & Digital Studies)
• Tuesday, April 7th at 12:30 PM with Melissa Wells (Education)
• Wednesday, April 15th at 3:00 PM with Samira Fallah (Management & Marketing)

No Time to Read Book Club: Rescheduled Session with David Rettinger

Please join the Center for Teaching and the No Time to Read Book Club as we conclude our reading of The Opposite of Cheating with a Q&A session with David Rettinger on Thursday, January 22nd at 3:30 PM over Zoom. All are welcome!

Spring 2026 No Time to Read: More Than Words by John Warner

Spring No Timers–watch your inbox on Monday for a schedule of spring meetings and chapter ‘assignments’. This semester, we will offer an in-person and online meeting monthly. Join the meeting that best fits your schedule! We will start in February to give folks a bit more time to read and settle into the semester.

If you missed securing a book copy from CfT but bought or borrowed one on your own, please join us for the discussions! Meeting dates will be posted on the Event Calendar.

Public Lecture & Workshop with Alexa Alice Joubin

This hands-on workshop addresses two of the challenges in our era: (1) data poverty despite informational abundance due to AI’s inequitable filtration, and (2) disempowerment through exclusion, which is caused by technological opacity. The solution to information inequity is open culture, which transforms us from mere consumers of AI to informed participants in the digital world. The antidote to opacity and exclusion is participatory justice through meta-cognition (the ability to reflect on one’s own thought processes). We do not participate fully as stakeholders when we take a passive role.

Alexa Alice Joubin is Professor of English at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The inaugural recipient of the bell hooks Legacy Award, she held the Fulbright Distinguished Chair at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Warwick in the UK and has been appointed John M. Kirk, Jr. Chair in Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. 

This lecture is organized by Maya Mathur (English & Linguistics) and is sponsored by the Center for Teaching, the Department of English and Linguistics, and the Center for AI in the Liberal Arts.

New Faculty Monthly Meetups

First year faculty are reminded to block off the following dates in their spring calendars for monthly meetup (all meetings start at 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 128):

• January 21st
• February 11th
• March 11th
• April 8th

NEST is a semester-based faculty cohort that meets monthly to brainstorm and share classroom strategies. The heart of the NEST program are classroom observations by your fellow cohort members to see how similar strategies work in different classroom and disciplinary contexts. Join Elizabeth Johnson-Young to learn more and get started for the spring semester!

Book Authors Group

Make a commitment to your writing agenda and join the Book Authors Group every Friday from 3:30 – 5:00 PM over Zoom for focused writing time, support, and accountability. Any and all writing projects are welcome and you can come and go as your schedule permits. Books, manuscripts, articles, grants, dissertations, tenure files–all kinds of writing projects are successfully completed with the Book Authors Group! Contact Zach Whalen or Brenta Blevins for more information and the Zoom link.

This interactive workshop, led by the Center for Career and Professional Development, introduces faculty to a suite of high-impact career tools that can be integrated into After Mary Washington courses or classes where the professional development Life After Mary Washington competency is a focus. Faculty will explore practical applications of tools such as Handshake (internship, job, and event searching), Big Interview (interview preparation and practice with recorded feedback), Forage (short, real-world job simulations designed by employers), Parker Dewey (paid, short-term micro-internships with organizations), and Focus2 (career self-assessment of interests, values, skills, and goals). The CCPD will also review how students can receive professional document support (résumé, cover letter, LinkedIn, and professional communication coaching). 

The workshop is intentionally scheduled during the second week of the semester, giving faculty ample time to thoughtfully integrate these tools into assignments, reflections, and experiential learning activities later in the term. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of each tool’s purpose along with time to brainstorm how the resources can be used in their own classes. Faculty are encouraged to follow up after the workshop by scheduling consultations with the Life After Mary Washington QEP Co-Director, Alex Dunn (adunn4@umw.edu), and/or with the Career Center to further develop and implement their ideas.

January Updates from the Research and Creativity Collaborative

Welcome back to the new semester and new opportunities for student research and creativity. Here are some opportunities and important deadlines for you and your students 

• January 16: Last day to add a URES 197 (URES 197 FAQs)

• January 21: Undergraduate Research Grant Application deadline for spring funding. 

• January 23: UMW Summer Research Institutes faculty proposal deadline. Both summer institutes will begin on May 18, 2026. The Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Summer Institute will conclude with a symposium on June 17. The Summer Science Institute concludes with its symposium on July 22. Faculty interested in participating in AHSSSI should submit a proposal directly to Betsy Lewis. Faculty interested in SSI should talk to their department chair. See the links below for this year’s descriptions and CFP for each program, as well as our website for more information. 

• AHSSSI 2026 Description and Call for Proposals

• 2026 Irene Piscopo Rodgers Summer Science Institute

Lastly, see your students featured on the Beyond the Classroom blog. Submit a brief blurb and some photos of them in action today!!  

And as always, browse our website for more news, resources for faculty and students, as well as important announcements, dates and deadlines and contact Betsy Lewis elewis@umw.edu to answer your questions and share your ideas! 

Wondering where to begin with digital accessibility?

Digital Learning Support has put together a short post that offers a place to start. It highlights a few simple first steps and points you toward helpful resources and support as you begin exploring accessibility in your courses.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the landscape of higher education, challenging traditional pedagogies while offering potential opportunities for innovation. This conference invites scholars, educators, instructional designers, librarians, technologists, and administrators from colleges and universities to explore the intersections of AI, teaching, and the liberal arts. 

We welcome proposals that critically and creatively engage with questions such as: 

• What are the practical uses of AI in a liberal arts classroom? 
• How is AI reshaping teaching and learning in specific liberal arts disciplines? 
• How can AI foster new understandings of interdisciplinarity?  
• What ethical and/or cultural frameworks should guide the integration of AI in the college classroom? 
• How can liberal arts educators prepare students to think critically about AI and its impact on society? 
• How can liberal arts educators prepare students to use AI tools after graduation as part of their careers and/or graduate school?  
• How does AI impact accessibility in the classroom?  

Audience: This conference is designed for scholars, educators, instructional designers, librarians, technologists, and administrators working in liberal arts contexts who are looking to participate in constructive and ethical discussions about AI use at our respective institutions.  

Please complete this short form to submit a presentation proposal.  We encourage you to share the call with colleagues at liberal arts institutions who want to contribute to nuanced and critical conversations about AI in college classrooms.

Questions? Contact the conference organizers, Victoria Russell (vrussel3@umw.edu) and Krystyn Moon (kmoon@umw.edu).

Reminders and Looking Ahead…

• Victoria and Elizabeth are available for consultations to brainstorm and strategize creative classroom solutions. Reach out directly or you can use the CfT online consultation scheduler. Consultations are available in-person or virtually during work hours, Monday-Friday.
• CfT is finalizing a spring workshop series on playful pedagogy based on no- to low-tech strategies you can use the next day to address classroom challenges and promote engagement. It’s a back-to-basics series with a few twists. Let us know if you have a specific classroom challenge or question that would benefit from a playful approach.

Faculty Spotlight: Ginny Morriss and April Wynn

What does it look like to bring cutting-edge biotechnology into an introductory classroom—and do it in a way that’s affordable, sustainable, and hands-on for every student? This month, our faculty spotlight features Dr. April Wynn and Dr. Ginny Morriss. In this month’s Q&A, they talk about how the project came to life, what students are learning from it, and where they hope to take it next. Along the way, they also reflect on the teachers who shaped them, the joy of “productive failure,” and a few fun questions we couldn’t resist asking.

January 2026 Preweek

Events scheduled for January 2026 Preweek are focused on digital accessibility support and tackling academic integrity and AI in course design. Check out the opportunities below and mark your calendars!

No Time Read Book Club Author Visit with David Rettinger

Tuesday, January 6th at 1:00 PM via Zoom

The Opposite of Cheating co-author, Dave Rettinger, will Zoom into our meeting for discussion on chapters 5-7. Bring the tough questions and be prepared to share ideas that you hope to bring into your spring courses.

Open Lab Assistance with Panorama for Digital Accessibility

Tuesday, 1/6/26: 3:00–5:00 pm
Wednesday, 1/7/26: 9:30–11:30 am
Thursday, 1/8/26: 11:30 am–1:30 pm
Location: HCC 407

During January Pre-Week, Digital Learning Support will host a series of in-person open lab sessions where faculty can receive assistance using our new digital accessibility tool, Panorama in Canvas. These open labs supplement the live Zoom training sessions offered in December (a recording of a session will also be made available). Additional asynchronous online resources will also be available to faculty by December 18th in preparation for the open labs.

There will be no formal presentation during these sessions; instead, faculty are invited to drop in, ask questions, receive individualized help, and work directly on improving accessibility in their own Canvas courses. Just bring your laptop (we will have a limited number available for those who need them) along with any questions or issues that arose during the online training.  Come anytime during the open lab sessions and stay as long as is helpful to you.

Snacks will be provided, along with plenty of support and opportunities to work through accessibility improvements in your Spring Canvas courses using Panorama.

For further information, updates, and resources please see the Digital Accessibility Resources page.

Virginia AI Symposium: Advancing Teaching and Learning in the Age of Generative AI

Friday, January 23rd, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM at University of Virginia

Join educators from across Virginia for a day-long symposium on advancing teaching and learning in the age of generative AI. Through a keynote, interactive sessions, and research presentations, participants will explore emerging research, develop practical strategies for navigating GenAI in their teaching, and consider when and how GenAI can meaningfully support student learning. The symposium emphasizes ethical and responsible use of GenAI, sharing adaptable teaching practices, and building a network of educators committed to thoughtful innovation. Participants will leave with concrete tools, resources, and connections to continue this work beyond the event. This event features both an in-person and a virtual track.

The symposium website offers more details and registration links. The symposium has no cost to participants.

EXTENDED DEADLINE! Reimagining the Liberal Arts in the Age of AI Call for Papers

Location: University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia 

Dates: July 21-23, 2026 

New Submission Deadline: Friday, January 23rd at 5:00 PM (EST). 

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the landscape of higher education, challenging traditional pedagogies while offering potential opportunities for innovation. This conference invites scholars, educators, instructional designers, librarians, technologists, and administrators from colleges and universities to explore the intersections of AI, teaching, and the liberal arts. 

We welcome proposals that critically and creatively engage with questions such as: 

• What are the practical uses of AI in a liberal arts classroom? 
• How is AI reshaping teaching and learning in specific liberal arts disciplines? 
• How can AI foster new understandings of interdisciplinarity?  
• What ethical and/or cultural frameworks should guide the integration of AI in the college classroom? 
• How can liberal arts educators prepare students to think critically about AI and its impact on society? 
• How can liberal arts educators prepare students to use AI tools after graduation as part of their careers and/or graduate school?  
• How does AI impact accessibility in the classroom?  

Audience: This conference is designed for scholars, educators, instructional designers, librarians, technologists, and administrators working in liberal arts contexts who are looking to participate in constructive and ethical discussions about AI use at our respective institutions.  

Please complete this short form to submit a presentation proposal.  We encourage you to share the call with colleagues at liberal arts institutions who want to contribute to nuanced and critical conversations about AI in college classrooms.

Questions? Contact the conference organizers, Victoria Russell (vrussel3@umw.edu) and Krystyn Moon (kmoon@umw.edu).

No Time to Read Spring Book: More Than Words

Our books have arrived! If you requested a copy, please watch your inbox later today for delivery and pick-up options.

Life After Mary Washington (LAMW) – Faculty Update from Alex Dunn

It has been wonderful to see so many faculty thoughtfully and creatively integrating Life After Mary Washington competencies into their courses this year. Your efforts are helping students articulate their strengths, prepare more confidently for interviews, and connect their academic work to internships, jobs, and post-graduation pathways. This work is already making a visible difference in students’ ability to understand who they are becoming and to pursue experiences after Mary Washington that align with their goals.

As you start to prepare for Spring 2026 classes, please remember the tools and resources available to you related to LAMW!

• You can include the official Life After Mary Washington syllabus statement in your Spring 2026 syllabi. The statement and guidance are available on the Provost’s website.
• The Life After Mary Washington Library Guide provides key resources to support course alignment, including overviews, teaching materials, and training information.
• LAMW icons are available on Canvas Commons and can be added to your syllabus, course homepage, modules, and individual assignments. Note: link works directly on the UMW system or you will need your Duo code number. You can also search Canvas Commons for “Life After Mary Washington Core Competency Icons”.
• Faculty may request customized demonstrations or career-readiness training sessions for Spring courses through the Center for Career and Professional Development.
• The Center for Career and Professional Development also offers tools and resources that can be incorporated into AMW courses, including assessments, planning tools, and guides.
• If you would like one-on-one support—such as revising your syllabus statement, identifying competencies for a course, or designing LAMW-aligned assignments—you can schedule a meeting with QEP faculty co-director, Alex Dunn, by emailing adunn4@umw.edu.

LAMW Preview for Spring 2026

• A new Big Interview template will be available to help you evaluate LAMW competencies in your courses and to support students in translating what they are learning into applied settings and interview responses.
• Additional trainings will focus on integrating Center for Career and Professional Development tools into your classes, including: Big Interview, Focus 2, Forage, Parker Dewey, Network Mary Wash and more. 
• Sessions on grading reflections using mastery grading techniques will support faculty who want to reinforce competency development and deeper student reflection.
• We will also offer expanded guidance on incorporating the STAR method (Situation–Task–Action–Result) into assignments and activities to help students effectively articulate their experiences.
• If you have specific ideas for workshops or course-embedded sessions that would support your Spring teaching, please reach out to Alex Dunn at adunn4@umw.edu with suggestions.
• Mark your calendars! The Spring 2026 Career & Internship Fair is scheduled for Thurs., Feb. 19 (or Thurs., March 19 in case of inclement weather), from 10am-2pm in the Chandler Ballroom. Please encourage your students to attend and consider building it in your courses! More details about the February 2026 Life After Mary Wash week will be coming soon.
• If you would like to partner with the Center for Career and Professional Development, or if you have any questions or ideas, please email CCPD Director Michael Dunn at mdunn2@umw.edu.

Research and Creativity Collaborative News

Congratulations on making it to the end of the semester! In the RCC we have been learning to design a poster and use our large format printer. Contact Betsy Lewis if your students need help with a poster for their presentation.

Our students and faculty have been busy working on their creative and research projects, and presenting their results both off and on campus. This last week of classes there are several end-of-the-semester symposia:

December 4:

• Honors Capstone Symposium. Lee 412 from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm
• Lively Viewing Party, 3:30 – 5 pm, Univ. Communications Suite 300

December 5:

• History, American Studies, and Sociology Symposium. 9am to 12pm, Monroe 111 and 210.
• Jepson Science Symposium, 4pm. Jepson Science Center.
• Columns Fall Symposium. 5pm. Combs 139

Upcoming deadlines:

• December 5: NCUR Richmond (April 13-15, 2026) Submission Deadline.
• January 21, 2026: Undergraduate Research Grant Application deadline for spring funding.
• January 23, 2026: UMW Summer Research Institutes faculty proposal deadline. Both summer institutes will begin on May 18, 2026. The Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Summer Institute will conclude with a symposium on June 17. The Summer Science Institute concludes with its symposium on July 22. To learn more, see our website, or contact Betsy Lewis: elewis@umw.edu

Spring 2026 Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

We are pleased to announce our presentations for the Spring 2026 semester. Save the dates–registration will begin in January.

Maria Laura Bocaz (Modern Languages and Literatures): ArcGIS to Explore and Share Treasures of the Hispanic World

Friday, January 23rd, 12:00 – 1:00 PM in Seacobeck 139

In SPAN 320Q, we immerse ourselves in the wonders of the Hispanic world—from archaeological sites to vibrant cultural celebrations. In the fall semester, I experimented with a new type of final evaluation that moved beyond traditional presentations and essays. ARCGIS proved to be an ideal resource, offering an engaging, hands-on project that helped students strengthen their communicative skills in Spanish while building technological competencies.

Sean McDonald (Education): Leveraging AI to Design and Deliver Multimedia Vocabulary Instruction

Tuesday, February 10th, 3:30 – 4:30 PM in Seacobeck 128

The purpose of this scholarly teaching project is to gain initial insights on the potential benefits of generative AI tools for supporting preservice teachers’ knowledge and implementation of multimedia, evidence-based vocabulary practices. Specifically, in this project, preservice teachers will understand, design, and deliver multimedia vocabulary lessons using multiple AI-based platforms (e.g., Microsoft CoPilot, Adobe Firefly) to assist them in producing rich imagery and text with evidence-based routines for word-learning.

Kaitlyn Haynal (Communication & Digital Studies): Deep Research for Argumentation-Leveraging AI to Transform Speaking and Learning

Friday, March 13th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM in Seacobeck 139

How can AI be harnessed to strengthen core learning objectives in the classroom? In this presentation, Dr. Kaitlyn Haynal shares her redesign of a major assignment in COMM 209: Argumentation, where the integration of AI-powered Deep Research tools enhances student learning and practice with debate. By streamlining the research process, students gain more time to focus on evaluating evidence critically, crafting stronger arguments, and practicing the art of debate. This approach re-centers the course toward its core goals, including critical thinking, persuasion, and civic engagement, while modeling innovative ways to integrate AI into the liberal arts classroom.

Melissa Wells (Education): Designing Interactive Simulations with Chatbots

Tuesday, April 7th, 12:30 – 1:30 PM in CRUC 314

Come learn about successes and challenges of programming an AI chatbot to give students practice with applying course content!

Samira Fallah (Business): The Impact of Students’ Mindsets on Job Search Behaviors

Wednesday, April 15th, 3:00 – 4:00 PM in Seacobeck 151

Searching for a job is often an effort-intensive and stressful process for students making the transition from school to work. Their limited experience and smaller professional networks add to these challenges. In this presentation, I will share my research findings on how students’ mindsets, specifically their belief that job search skills can be developed through effort and learning, shape their job search behaviors. I will also discuss practical strategies and classroom interventions that educators can use to foster a growth mindset in students, helping them approach the job search process more effectively.

We wish you speedy grading and a relaxing winter break! The Center for Teaching is available for consultation through December 17th and will be back in the office on Monday, January 5th. Do not hesitate to reach out if we can help with your spring course preparation. The next First Friday post will be on Friday, January 9th with spring programming announcements–we hope you will be ready to PLAY!

What does it look like to bring cutting-edge biotechnology into an introductory classroom—and do it in a way that’s affordable, sustainable, and hands-on for every student? This month, our faculty spotlight features Dr. April Wynn and Dr. Ginny Morriss, who used a Center for Teaching Small Teaching Grant last summer to design and pilot a gene-editing lab for General Genetics. They shared this work at the fall Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium, and in this Q&A, they talk about how the project came to life, what students are learning from it, and where they hope to take it next. Along the way, they also reflect on the teachers who shaped them, the joy of “productive failure,” and a few fun questions we couldn’t resist asking.

Last summer, you all had a CfT Small Teaching Grant and presented about it during a Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium—can you tell us a little about this project? 

      One of the major draws for students to come to UMW is our emphasis on providing high-impact education and authentic laboratory experiences for our students that will better position them to be competitive in both their job searches and in admissions into graduate school and professional schools. Gene editing is becoming a standard technique in labs across the country. Since gene editing technologies are still relatively new, it is cost-prohibitive for large universities to allow students experience using these tools in their labs and this has previously been no different at UMW. Only students taking one of the two research-intensive courses that involve gene editing or working on independent research projects were able to utilize gene editing tools. We wanted to provide a way in which all students who major in biological sciences can gain experience using these tools, so our project was to design a low-cost, sustainable gene editing lab. This lab is integrated within one of our introductory courses, General Genetics, and taken by all biology students, all biochem students, and all pre-med students. We used the bacteria, E. coli, which is a standard model organism used in genetics labs and some other molecular biology tools to have students target and cut the E. coli DNA. Once cut, they repaired that DNA in a way that would create a non-functional enzyme whose function, or lack thereof, could be assessed using colorful indicators. Using these indicators, the students would be able to tell whether their gene editing was successful because the color of the indicator differs when the functional enzyme is present versus when the non-functional (edited) enzyme is present. We rolled out the gene editing lab during the Spring 2025 semester, with positive comments from students about the exercise. While we were piloting the lab with the students, we were also making small changes to the protocol and optimizing it so that we could make the lab even more resource-efficient than the pilot.

How has the incorporation of this work enhanced your classroom setting? 

      Students can learn complex technologies more effectively when they work with the technologies in a hands-on way. This lab enhances not only the ability to learn this emerging technology, but it also served to reinforce concepts learned in the prior labs, review new concepts learned in lecture, and connected the material to other biotechnologies we covered later in the semester in both lecture and lab. Additionally, this investment in staying on the cutting edge of emerging technologies, gives our curriculum relevance for our students. 

Do you have any further plans to continue? 

      Yes. When we started this project, we purchased the original bacteria and DNAs used and prepared them in a way that we could continue long-term use of these biological materials. This included freezing the bacteria in a way that it could be thawed and grown when more was needed and inserting the DNA into a different strain of bacteria that we could also freeze and grow more when needed, rather than re-purchasing. We also amplified the amount of the DNA for long-term storage and isolated the DNA from the special strain of bacteria we obtained from the project. We will have all of these DNA samples sequenced so we can use the system to edit other DNA targets. We will be first using the obtained sequences to have a URES student create a gene-edited strain of bacteria for use in another genetics laboratory exercise and to modify our current CRISPR lab. We will also use the sequenced plasmid DNA to design projects in BIOL 431 (Research in RNA Technology) that explore the function of other E. coli genes using gene editing.

Is there anything that stands out to you that has prepared you or continues to prepare you most for effective teaching?

AW: Talking to students about their experience before coming here, what they are doing in internships and external research and working with dedicated colleagues that take effective teaching seriously. Additionally, the availability of funding for trying new projects that will make the classroom more engaging allows for the space to try new things within the classroom.

GM: I would say that comparing notes with other faculty, whether within department or at professional development sessions, to get new ideas on how to approach certain topics or fun ways to teach any topic helps rethink the way I do things. 

Who was your favorite teacher?

AW: Dr. Pilcher – he taught biology classes and in his last year teaching taught a course on the History of Darwin. It was a great liberal-arts class combining biology, history and sociology. He had taught college for 40 years and cared about promoting learning from the first to the last day he taught. 

GM: There are too many to choose from, but if I could only choose 1, I’d say Dr. Staub, who showed me not only how much fun genetics could be, but also how showing compassion to the students when something seems off can change how they view interactions with faculty and higher education as a whole.

8:00 a.m. class or 4:00 p.m. class? 

AW: 4 pm – no brainer!

GM: I have to disagree with April, 8 am, hands down, is the only way to go when these are the only two options!

What is your dream class to teach? 

AW: A seminar on GMO plants – what worked and what didn’t!

GM: I already get to teach mine – RNA Technology. But, really anything that has to do with genetic engineering sounds like a fun time, even if it is with plants!

What is one piece of advice you’d give a brand-new faculty member? 

AW: Trust yourself! Remember that what you are teaching is new to the students it will be a challenge, and that is where the learning happens. 

GM: You are going to have some ideas that will fall flat with the students. Take the risk and learn the lesson. We become better when we can embrace productive failure.

What podcast, book, or show would you currently recommend?

AW: The Anxious Generation (book)

GM: Braiding Sweetgrass (book)

If you could take any class in the UMW catalog, what would it be? 

AW: Pretty much all the FSEM classes! Or psychopathology.

GM: Historic Preservation courses…so many of them!

What were you like as a student in college? 

AW: Overscheduled and overinvolved – loved every minute of it! That is why I never left the college atmosphere. 

GM: I was also overscheduled and overinvolved. That has not really changed much.

Faculty Spotlight: Caitie Finlayson

What does it take to write your own textbook—and make it freely available for others to use and build on? This month’s Faculty Spotlight features Dr. Caitie Finlayson from the Department of Geography, who used a Center for Teaching Small Teaching Grant to redesign her online Human Geography course around a new open educational resource (OER) textbook she authored. In this Q&A, Dr. Finlayson shares her goals for the project, advice for faculty interested in creating their own OERs, and some reflections on what keeps teaching fresh and fun.

Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

Wednesday, November 19th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Seacobeck 128

“Using Breakout Learning to Re-engage Students with Online Discussions” with Alex Dunn, College of Business-Management & Marketing
Breakout Learning is an AI-powered platform that moderates scenario-based, small-group discussions using dynamic multimedia case studies, creating authentic learning experiences requiring genuine student participation and collaboration. This presentation will feature insights from Dr. Dunn’s experience working with Breakout Learning during Summer 2025 and implementing it in Principles of Management for Fall 2025. She will share how the platform addresses the challenge of students using AI to complete traditional written discussion boards. The platform’s live, interactive discussion format ensures authentic student engagement while naturally developing the Life After Mary Washington competencies of communication through real-time collaborative dialogue, critical thinking through complex scenario analysis, and leadership through guided group decision-making processes.

Please RSVP by Friday, November 7th to reserve a lunch if you are attending.

No Time to Read Book Club

Thursday, November 13th, 3:30 – 4:30 PM over Zoom

The November meeting explores chapters 3-5 from The Opposite of Cheating. The next meeting will be Thursday, January 8th when we will be joined by David Rettinger and Tricia Bertram Gallant!

Book Author Group

Fridays, 3:30 – 5:00 PM over Zoom (contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen for the link)

During the last weeks of the semester, it can be challenging to find time for research and writing projects. Give yourself the gift of time and join the Book Author Group for dedicated writing and support!

Event Calendar

Be sure to check out the Event Calendar for faculty development sessions and workshops happening with CfT and campus partners! Notable November events include:

• AI Workshop: NotebookLM (November 11)
• Digital Accessibility: Syllabus (November 11)
• AI and Copyright Debate (November 18)

Research and Creativity Collaborative Updates

Upcoming undergraduate research conferences and symposia

• 2026 Posters in Richmond, sponsored by the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa), to be held on January 29 from 3-5pm. (Posters in Richmond announcement). Please submit completed proposals to Betsy Lewis (elewis@umw.edu) by Monday, November 24th.  UMW can submit up to 5 proposals, and NURVa will select up to 2. 

• The Richard Macksey National Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium, March 19-21, 2026, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. The deadline for student proposals is December 1, 2025.

• The Council for Undergraduate Research NCUR student conference will be in Richmond April 13-15, 2026. The deadline for student proposals is December 5th.

Workshops

Poster presentation design workshop. November 19, 4:00pm. RCC, Simpson Library. Students can stop by the RCC space for some help designing an effective poster for presenting. Please direct students to sign up using this short registration form.

Keep up-to-date with all RCC events on their Announcements, Events, and Workshop page. Questions? Contact Dr. Betsy Lewis, Director of Undergraduate Research (elewis@umw.edu).

AI Conference at UMW and Call for Papers

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the landscape of higher education, challenging traditional pedagogies while offering potential opportunities for innovation. This conference invites scholars, educators, instructional designers, librarians, technologists, and administrators from colleges and universities to explore the intersections of AI, teaching, and the liberal arts.

We invite the UMW community to review the call for papers and join colleagues from across the country for critical conversations about the intersection of AI and the liberal arts. Proposal submissions are due by Friday, December 5th at 9:00 PM.

Registration information will be released in January 2026.

What does it take to write your own textbook—and make it freely available for others to use and build on? This month’s faculty spotlight features Dr. Caitie Finlayson from the Department of Geography, who used a Center for Teaching Small Teaching Grant to redesign her online Human Geography course around a new open educational resource (OER) textbook she authored. In this Q&A, Dr. Finlayson shares her goals for the project, advice for faculty interested in creating their own OERs, and some reflections on what keeps teaching fresh and fun.

Over the summer, you had a CfT small teaching grant. Can you tell us a little about the goal of that project? 

The small teaching grant was actually for a redesign of my summer online Human Geography course to better align with my new OER textbook. I’d previously written a brief Human Geography textbook but for a sabbatical project, had written a new version that was more comprehensive and was better aligned with AP Human Geography. My goal for the project was to comprehensively redesign my online course so I could use the new textbook, and to share the online course through Canvas Commons so other instructors could use it to build their own courses.

How have or do you anticipate student responses to this text? 

I haven’t used it in my own course yet, since it’s a summer course and I just revised it, but the response from instructors has been positive and the online textbook gets over 800 visitors per month, so momentum seems to be building for it. Since I’m publishing it on my own and don’t have the resources of a major publisher, I find it takes a bit of time for instructors to start switching over to an OER textbook.

Do you have any tips for faculty considering preparing their own OER text for their courses? 

I would just suggest that they go for it! Writing a textbook seems like an overwhelming task, but when you think about how many lecture notes and examples you have for your courses, especially if you’ve been teaching a while, it’s easier than you’d think. It’s also quite fun (I think) to write without a publisher pushing certain expectations or norms on you. So I was able to write all of my OER textbooks in a very conversational, engaging style and just approach it the way I wanted — not in the same, cookie-cutter way that every other textbook approached geography. And especially for my World Regional Geography textbook, it seems like it’s the kind of book other instructors wanted as well.

Is there anything that stands out to you that has prepared you or continues to prepare you most for effective teaching?

I attended a Teaching Professor conference with a Teaching Center grant early in my career and that was really inspiring. In particular, there was a session on “blue sky” thinking applied to teaching, and the idea of stripping away everything from your course and considering how you’d approach it if you had a totally blank slate. But I also took a lot of inspiration from Jim Lang’s “small teaching” workshop and the idea that sure, you could make radical changes to your teaching, but you could also make relatively minor tweaks that increases engagement and interaction.

Who was your favorite teacher? 

Dr. Peter Judge, who was my undergraduate advisor, was an outstanding teacher. I was a Philosophy and Religious Studies major and he was a former priest who became a professor (which is quite a cool trajectory). I’m the first in my family to attend college, and he was so encouraging, particularly of me conducting my own research and presenting at conferences, and he absolutely set me up for future academic success. He was also just quite fun and playful and clearly loved teaching, and that made his classes really engaging.

8:00 a.m. class or 4:00 p.m. class? 

Oh, 8:00 a.m. for sure. I’m definitely more of a morning person.

What is your dream class to teach? 

My dream class that I actually teach is Sacred Spaces. It’s cross-listed with Religious Studies and has a great mix of students and viewpoints and every time I teach it, I learn something new. My dream class that I wish I could teach would be on Pop Culture Geographies. I give a special lecture in my World Regional Geography class on Disney movie landscapes, and it would be so fun to teach a whole class where we explore pop culture from a geographic perspective.

What is one piece of advice you’d give a brand-new faculty member? 

It takes time to be a great teacher. And there isn’t a great substitute for time. It takes trying things, finding your voice, seeing what works and what doesn’t. The Center for Teaching is a great resource and there are great books on teaching, but I do think it just takes a lot of practice, just like anything else.

What podcast, book, or show would you currently recommend? 

Good Hang with Amy Poehler.

If you could take any class in the UMW catalog, what would it be? 

I did take classes! I took several Spanish classes and would love to continue with them.

What were you like as a student in college?

 I only went to college because I received a scholarship, so I was a really hard-working student because I felt like I’d been given this gift. I also had to work quite a lot outside of the classroom (I was the student manager of our campus dining hall) so I had to manage my time well. But I think that work ethic, and the undergraduate research experience I got in my major, really carried with me through graduate school.

It’s the first Friday of October and the weather is oh so slowly showing signs that fall is on our doorstep. Join CfT and partners across campus for a variety of programs–check out the offerings below!

No Time to Read Book Club

Tuesday, October 7th, 3:30 – 4:30 PM over Zoom

The October meeting explores chapters 1-2 from The Opposite of Cheating. The next meetings will be Thursday, November 13th and Thursday, January 8th. David Rettinger and Tricia Bertram Gallant will be joining us for the January meeting!

SPRING BOOK ALERT! Our spring 2026 book is John Warner’s More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI. If you are interested in a book copy, please email Victoria Russell by Friday, October 31st–we are not ordering extra books, so be sure to get your copy now!

NEST (Networks Exploring Strategies in Teaching)

Wednesday, October 8th & Wednesday, November 5th, 10:00 – 11:00 AM, CRUC 314 (Capital Room)

Missed the first meeting but interested in learning playful, low-tech teaching strategies? Reach out to Elizabeth Johnson-Young for more details.

Book Author Group

Fridays, 3:30 – 5:00 PM over Zoom (contact Brenta Blevins or Zach Whalen for the link)

Yes, this group of faculty and staff meet every Friday to work on articles, manuscripts, books, grants, dissertations–you name it! Gentle accountability and helpful brainstorming are part of the experience, but at its heart the time is all about WRITING. Give yourself the gift of 90 minutes at the end of the week and make progress on your writing goals.

SAVE THE DATE: Faculty Pedagogy Colloquium

Wednesday, November 19th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, Seacobeck 128

“Using Breakout Learning to Re-engage Students with Online Discussions” with Alex Dunn, College of Business-Management & Marketing
Breakout Learning is an AI-powered platform that moderates scenario-based, small-group discussions using dynamic multimedia case studies, creating authentic learning experiences requiring genuine student participation and collaboration. This presentation will feature insights from Dr. Dunn’s experience working with Breakout Learning during Summer 2025 and implementing it in Principles of Management for Fall 2025. She will share how the platform addresses the challenge of students using AI to complete traditional written discussion boards. The platform’s live, interactive discussion format ensures authentic student engagement while naturally developing the Life After Mary Washington competencies of communication through real-time collaborative dialogue, critical thinking through complex scenario analysis, and leadership through guided group decision-making processes.

Please RSVP by Friday, November 7th to reserve a lunch if you are attending.

What are You Listening To?

We love a good podcast! Here are a few current episodes getting a second listen in the CfT…

The Intentional Teaching’s latest episode, “Managing Hot Moments in 2025 with Rick Moore and Bethany Morrison” is worth a listen and deep dive in the show notes, especially during a time when any topic can become a ‘hot moment’ in the classroom.

A fan of James Lang and all things ‘small teaching’? He has a podcast out of Notre Dame University called Designed for Learning. For October, he and Derek Bruff discuss teaching students when (not) to use AI. AI, Cheating, and Trusting Students to be Human is another good episode (and the guest is Tricia Bertram Gallant, co-author of our No Time to Read fall selection).

Let us know what you are listening to (professional or for fun)–we would love to share in future First Friday posts!

Research and Creativity Collaborative

CfT is pleased to share a corner of the First Friday email with the Research and Creativity Collaborative! Learn more below (care of Betsy Lewis, Director of Undergraduate Research)…

Thanks to all who came to our open house on October 1 to see the new Research and Creativity Collaborative space! What is the UMW Research and Creativity Collaborative (RCC), you may ask?  

• It’s a physical space on the main floor of Simpson Library that supports student research and creativity where students and faculty can meet, participate in events and workshops, learn about opportunities, or just hang out in a comfortable place 

• It’s a virtual space on the UMW website for current and prospective students, and for faculty mentors, with information about student research and creativity, including links to important forms for funding

• It’s a group of student researchers and their faculty mentors who believe in the formative and transformative impact of research and creativity and who come together to support and promote it at UMW 

RCC October Announcements, Events, and Workshops

• October 8: Deadline for application to the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Undergraduate Scholarship (MARCUS) held November 8, 2025, Randolph College.  

• November 1: 6th Annual Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa) Symposium, Hurley Convergence Center, UMW  

For more information and all upcoming events, see the RCC website.

Beyond the Classroom blog: Read our recent posts on student research and creativity.  Have a great student research or creativity project or related news that you want to see featured on the BTC blog? Just fill out this simple form with a brief description of it, and upload a few photos.

Class Material Makeover Series: Digital Accessibility

DLS and CfT continue to offer 30-minute Zoom sessions on the foundational elements of digital accessibility for class materials. This month, we cover descriptive links, color and contrast, tables, and audio/video recordings. Full session descriptions and access links can be found on the Class Material Makeover Series page on UMW Learn.

If you are unable to make a session, recordings are posted (allow up to one week from session completion). You can also find a ‘learn at your own pace’ guide on the UMW Learn Digital Accessibility page.

AI in October

Mark your calendars for two events sponsored by the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts:

• Tuesday, October 28th, 12:00 PM: AI Workshop-Creating GPTs and Gems
• Wednesday, October 29th, 7:00 PM: Reclaiming Human Intelligence in the Age of AI-Plural Futures for Education and Society (Guest Lecture by Dr. Alan Coverstone)

Get more details (and access to past program recordings) on the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts website.

CfT’s next First Friday message will go out on Friday, November 7th. In the meantime, do not hesitate to schedule a consultation, drop by Seacobeck 209, or reach out directly to Victoria or Elizabeth.