Professional Development Day

Welcome

Keynote Address

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Bud Fischer, Provost, and Dr. Ethan Logan, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Experience, as they discuss campus updates and directions for the new year.

Downing Student Union

Auditorium

Refreshments

Downing Student Union

1st Floor  - Outside Auditorium

3rd Floor - Across from Elevators

Edifier: Building Up Your Leadership Baseline

John Gregory

If there was one word or phrase that could define your leadership journey what would it be? Maybe it's something like "World's Best Boss" or "Most Influential Person". But what if your leadership path had one goal in mind - Building Others Up. That's what an "Edifier" does. As a leader, you can be that influential person that pushes people up in their unique journey. In this course, you will learn the building blocks of how you can lead yourself better so you can in turn build the next generation of leaders.

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Embedding Study Strategies in Content Courses

Jeremy Logsdon & Dawn Winters

In this interactive lecture session, participants will learn how to embed evidence-based study strategies in content-driven courses without sacrificing significant time. We will equip faculty with innovative tools to incorporate elements of active learning and effective time management, as well as provide students with actionable steps for academic success. These strategies will enable students to build a deeper comprehension of the material, leading to long-term retention. Participants will be able to employ these strategies in diverse academic settings immediately when preparing for the semester.

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Creating Pathways to Success in the Classroom: Teaching Strategies for First Generation College Students

Cierra Waller, April McCauley, Raymond Poff, Wren Mills, and Sara McCaslin

This presentation will provide an overview of the challenges and needs of first-generation college students, as discussed in Gabriel’s book Creating the Path to Success in the Classroom, as well as our own experiences at WKU. Participants from the CITL First Gen Professional Learning Community will share examples of their high-impact teaching strategies and support for enhancing the success of first-generation students in the classrooms here at WKU.

Specifically, we will discuss the following:

• The unique challenges and needs of first-generation college students

• Strategies for addressing these challenges

• Resources available to first-generation students at WKU

This presentation will be of interest to faculty who teach first generation college students, as well as anyone who works with or supports these students.

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Artificial Intelligence:  Ready or Not, Here it Comes!

Bruce Weisman & Katelyn Durham

You can't hide from Artificial intelligence (AI) any longer. In the very near future, AI will be a part of most people's daily life. The vast adoption and use of AI will present opportunities to improve your department's processes and require mitigation strategies be developed for emerging risks. 

In this session, we will:

• Define what AI is and how it works. We will delve into a brief history of AI and other transformative technologies.

• Explore the risks AI presents, especially within higher education. 

• Learn about the capabilities of AI and how it may be used by your department to streamline or improve operations! We encourage participants to share how their departments are already using AI and how others at WKU may take advantage of lessons learned from others. 

Note: This session will not be technically focused. It is designed as an introduction of AI and the risks and opportunities it presents at WKU. It is meant to be approachable for all levels of faculty and staff. If you've never used AI before, this session is for you!

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Student Employment 101: The Basics on How to Hire Student Aid Employees

Wayne E. Simpson & Lisa Roberts  

If you are ready to post a job or hire a student employee at WKU, there are a few things to keep in mind before a student can start working. We will be offering a general overview of things to consider when hiring a student employee.

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So You Wanna Be a Supervisor?

Michaela Daniel

If you want to be a supervisor, then this is the session for you! Becoming a supervisor is a huge step in your career. This session will cover practical ways to gain supervision experience while in your current position and dive into what being a supervisor entails. Supervisors must be proficient in communication, time management, prioritization, providing feedback, and so much more. This session will review necessary skills for success and practice them through role playing and scenarios.

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Integrating Transferable Skills for the Workplace Into Your Curriculum

Dana Cosby

This professional development workshop will focus on the importance and integration of transferable skills within the undergraduate curriculum. Participants will learn about the key transferable skills for the workplace, how they align with academic outcomes, and how to incorporate these skills into courses and programs. By the end of this workshop, participants should be confident in identifying, teaching, and assessing transferable skills to enhance student employability and real-world readiness.

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How to Effectively Support WKU Students with Mental Health Issues: Best Practices and Research

Jay Gabbard

Current research reveals that undergraduate and graduate students in the United States Post-Covid are struggling with mental health issues at an epidemic level-including depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, suicidal ideation and other mental health concerns. This presentation will go over best practices and research on how to effectively engage with and provide support to students who are experiencing mental health crises. The presenter has led an on campus student mental health support group (co sponsored by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for seven years-some important lessons learned from this group will be shared as well as more general information.

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Procurement 101

Pamela Davidson

We will go through the basics of the procurement process touching on contracts, the RFP process, personal services and procurement cards, as well as what's new.

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Best Practices for Advising Student Organizations

Amelia Kolb & Meygan Oliver

You agreed to advise a student organization, now what? This presentation will walk you through tips and best practices for advising registered student organizations at WKU to set your student groups up for success. Amelia Kolb from Student Activities and Meygan Oliver from Downing Student Union will share information on how to advise, provide suggestions managing student organization accounts, share tips to best adhere to university and legal requirements, and review how to reserve and utilize union space.

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Recognize & Celebrate Success

Kirsten Hooks

We will explore the importance of recognizing and appreciating the hard work and dedication of your staff. Employee recognition is a crucial aspect of fostering a positive work environment, boosting morale, and ultimately driving productivity. Our presentation will delve into various strategies and best practices for recognizing employees within your department on various levels. We will discuss the impact of recognition on employee satisfaction, retention, and overall job performance.

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An Overview of WKU Academic Support Programs and Services

Cancelled. Will be rescheduled as a CITL event at a later date. 

The Engaged Classroom: Capturing Student Attention with Innovative Styles

Dawn Winters, Matt VanSchenkhof, and Wren Mills

Three ways to capture students' interest: this session introduces James Lang's suggested methods in his newest book about student focus and DISTRACTION. In this interactive hour, we will demonstrate and practice three simple, customizable ways in which faculty can create a classroom environment of more engaged students. Participants will leave the session with tools and materials to use in their classrooms within days, helping them serve our diverse students, especially those who are underprepared for college-level expectations.

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ABCs & 123s of a Successful Hiring Process

Jo Ann Malott, Mindy Hutchins, and Brittany Wafford

If you are a new employee or looking for a refresher on how to make your department’s hiring process much smoother, this session is for you!  In collaboration, the HR Team will take you from vacant seat to long-term employee in just 60 minutes. They will cover requisitions, job advertisements, compensation philosophy, and methods for selecting the right candidate. This session will discuss the transition from NEW hire to NEW employee and why completing background checks and EPAFs in a timely manner are SO important. The session will conclude with sharing onboarding tips and a suggested first week schedule.

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Using IT to Meet Students Where They Are

Casey Scruggs, Kurt Fattic, and Steve Lancaster

Learn what ITS offers to students, faculty, and staff that contributes to the university’s statement of purpose of ensuring value in a holistic learning experience, a strong faculty, technological innovation, personalized attention, and broad access.

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Leading Successful Change: How to Become a Change Ninja!

Cancelled 

Talking to Your Students About AI

Brooke Gross & Steve Momorella

This presentation will focus on how instructors can best approach conversations about artificial intelligence with their students. Presenters include members of WKU's Generative AI Community of Practice Learning Tools Group, which has put together multiple student resources on using AI tools for academic and professional success, such as workshops and best practices. They will cover student perceptions of and concerns with artificial intelligence in the classroom as well as tools and sample assignments that promote ethical AI use. Time will be allotted for discussion related to AI myths and misconceptions as well as planned classroom implementation.

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Broadening Trauma-Informed to Integrative Brain, Body and Mind Healing: Shifting Vision and Intervention from the Tree to the Forest

Jill Duba Sauerheber & Lacretia Dye

While trauma-informed models are helpful maps, they may not account for the interplay among the brain, body, and mind. Acute and chronic stress such as abuse, oppression, illness, car accidents, falls, environmental toxins impact much more than behavior and mood! Stress can impact the gut, the endocrine system, cell lining, and even DNA expression! Participants will learn how to conceptualize student “problem” behavior and mood from an integrative perspective that entails understanding of the body’s built-in stress-cascade response; as well as the impact of acute and chronic stress on the body, personality and mood expression. Relevant interventions will be shared.

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WKU-Let's Travel

Madona May

Let's travel!  The in's and out's of traveling for WKU.

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Using Your EAP (Employee Assistance Program)

Learn about all of the benefits that your EAP can bring you: from finding childcare, to receiving legal advice and anything in between. We want to make sure you know the ins and outs of using your EAP and how it can help support you in your work and personal lives.

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