Campus News

Senior Teaching Fellows hold two-day retreat

The Senior Teaching Fellows discussed goals for the year, active learning, innovative grading, assessment strategies and the science of learning at their recent fall retreat. (Photo by Megan Fitzgerald)

The Senior Teaching Fellows held their two-day fall retreat at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The fellows discussed goals for the year, active learning, innovative grading, assessment strategies and the science of learning.

During the retreat, the Fellows each shared a 10-minute “micro-teach” on a specific topic from a course they are currently teaching. The Fellows then discussed the instructional choices modeled, reviewed the content of the lesson, and learned more about one another’s teaching philosophies.

The 2022-2023 Senior Teaching Fellows and their departments are:

  • Jennifer Brown, Communication Sciences and Special Education, Mary Frances Early College of Education
  • Collette Chapman-Hilliard, Counseling and Human Development Services, Mary Frances Early College of Education
  • Keith Dougherty, Political Science, School of Public and International Affairs
  • Rachel Gabara, Romance Languages, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
  • Jo Smith, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Vincent Starai, Microbiology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
  • Amitabh Verma, College of Environment and Design.

The Senior Teaching Fellows program provides faculty with opportunities to share ideas with other dedicated, highly motivated and innovative teachers from other disciplines who may have similar interests and who face similar teaching challenges.

Senior Teaching Fellows program director Meg Mittelstadt, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, describes the program as a “unique opportunity for post-tenure faculty to engage in a multidisciplinary learning community for dedicated teacher-scholars. We truly look forward to meeting each month—to connect with like-minded faculty, learn new instructional techniques, advance one another’s practice and engage in personal and professional renewal.”

About the program

Eight faculty members at the University of Georgia are selected each year during the spring semester to participate in this yearlong program. Participation in this program begins the following fall semester. Any faculty member with the rank of associate or full professor who has been at the University of Georgia for at least five years is eligible for nomination to the program. Selection of the eight CTL Senior Teaching Fellows is by a committee comprised of current and former program participants and Center for Teaching & Learning staff.

Each participant is provided with $2,000 for an instructional project designed to strengthen courses and teaching methods in each participant’s academic department.