Graduate Student Professional Development Summit

  Check-In and Refreshments

Exploring Campus: Team Scavenger Hunt

Ana Quiring, Learning Innovation Specialist, Center for Teaching and Learning

This session leads students on an interactive tour of campus that allows them to familiarize themselves with important resources, various buildings, and campus landmarks. It also provides an opportunity to network and build community with other students through a lighthearted scavenger hunt.

Groups will be formed promptly at 9:00 AM. The event will be launched from registration and check-in in Benton Hall 103.

International students can check in with UMSL Global in the same place. This is a great event for new students, but everyone is invited to attend!

PLENARY SESSION: Effective and Community-Oriented Teaching

This large-group session covers the most crucial information for teaching assistants and anyone interested in teaching at UMSL or in the future, separated into three sessions.

Building Rapport and Respect in the Classroom (10:00 - 10:50)

Ana Quiring, Learning Innovation Specialist • Ricky Belle, Patience Paisrayi, and Nyle Pitter, CTL Triton Partners

How can you build confidence as an instructor? How can you manage your workload as a student, researcher, and instructor at the same time? How can you cultivate trust, kindness, and rigor by using evidence-based teaching techniques? We’ll answer these questions and more in this core session. We’ll also hear from UMSL undergraduate students about what support they appreciate from graduate TAs.

Break (10:50 - 11:00)

Partners in Learning: Promoting Student Well-Being, Safety, and Success (11:00 - 11:30)

Chris Sullivan, Director of Health, Counseling, and Disability Access Services • Robin Kimberlin, Director of Student Advocacy and Care • Maya Scruggs Hicks, Executive Director of Student Outreach and Support

Building Relationships with Your Academic Mentors (11:30 - 12:00)

Aimee Dunlap, Associate Professor of Biology • Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Biology PhD candidate • Paula Penagos Rodriguez, Supply Chain and Analytics graduate student • Kate Votaw, Associate Professor, Pierre Laclede Honors College

Target audience: All graduate students

CUT Introductory Session

Interested in joining our Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) program? If so, join us after your lunch to chat with experienced CUT participants and other new students to learn more about the CUT experience.

Networking and Chitchat Room

If you’re not currently interested in one of the above information sessions but would like to chat with your peers and make new friends, have lunch in this room, equipped with games and conversation starters. In the common area, you will also have a chance to meet the UMSL mascot, Louie!

Quiet Room

If you need a break during the day, have lunch in this designated quiet room.

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Choose one of three sessions for this time slot.

Running a Lab (panel discussion) 

Megan Burroughs, Assistant Teaching Professor of Chemistry • Theresa Moore, Psychological Sciences PhD candidate • Raj Prasai, Biology PhD candidate • Jessica Thompson, Chemistry PhD candidate • Sarah Willen-Nelson, Biology PhD candidate

Experienced graduate students will discuss working in classroom and research labs at UMSL.

Target audience: Graduate students responsible for supporting or running lab sessions.

Learning Starts Now For You and Your Students

Peggy Cohen, Associate Provost Emerita and Founding Director, Center for Teaching and Learning

Effective teaching depends on knowing (1) how we learn and (2) how to help students know how to learn. This interactive session focuses on what you can do from the start of the semester to support students’ learning and metacognition.

Target audience: Anyone currently leading or TAing a class or interested in learning about teaching.

Using Canvas as a Grading, Engagement, and Connection Tool for Learning

Emily Goldstein, Sr. Director for Online Learning Design

This interactive session will cover behind-the-scenes ways to utilize Canvas to better facilitate your instruction and engage learners. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, alternative methods of assignment feedback (multimedia), applying New Canvas Analytics for targeted communication and check-ins, and effective ways to increase instructor presence.

Target audience: Anyone with teaching, material development, announcement, or grading responsibilities in Canvas.

2:24 PM - 3:25 PM

Choose one of three sessions for this time slot.

Writing in Graduate School

Lauren Obermark, Associate Professor of English • Kate Watt, Associate Teaching Professor of English

This session explores why writing is important but often intimidating, especially as we move to new phases of academic life. Participants will reflect on their own relationship with writing, discuss common challenges, and learn about resources to support their work.

Target audience: Graduate students interested in writing and teaching writing well.

Giving Effective Feedback to Promote Learning

Natalie Bolton, Postdoctoral Fellow, College of Education

The majority of the feedback we give to students does not support learning. Learn about effective feedback strategies that support student learning.

Target audience: Anyone interested in learning about feedback strategies.

Student Engagement and Communication

Emily Marler, Assistant Teaching Professor of Psychology 

Regardless of whether we're grading exams, sending announcements, or leading the class, all graduate students need to learn how to communicate with their students effectively. In this session, participants will discuss strategies for enhancing student engagement and communicating clearly and warmly with students. Even for non-GTAs, these are transferrable skills helpful for building rapport in coursework and the workplace.

Target audience: Graduate students interested in building strong teaching rapport and relationships.