Welcome Back 2025

Hot Breakfast Buffet

• Location: S/L Breezeway (SLM)
• Enjoy a hot breakfast buffet as faculty and staff kick off the new school year together.

"State of the College" Address with President Georgia Lorenz

• Location: C-108 (SLM)

• Join faculty and staff along with Dr. Lorenz for our annual State of the College Address.

Non-Academic Affairs Staff Released 

• All employees return to work locations, except for Academic Affairs.
  • (By 11 am, non-Academic Affairs employees resume normal workday activities.)

• Join our Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Ovueraye, for an introduction to the New Strategic Plan 2030 and updates on the programs, goals, and mission of Seminole State.
• Location: C-108 (SLM)

• Pick up your boxed lunch. Find a nice place to eat and catch up with colleagues.
• Be sure to pick up your swag bag plus t-shirt(s)!
• Location: Multipurpose Room C-110A/B (SLM)

• Session A—See schedule below.
• Location: 1^st or 3^rd floor L-building (SLM)

• Session B—See schedule below.
• Location: 1^st or 3^rd floor L-building (SLM)

Coffee Cart & Cookie Reception

• Cookies provided by AFC 
• Order a custom coffee creation and some afternoon treats as we wrap up our day!
• Location: Multipurpose Room C-110A/B (SLM)

OPTIONAL: Faculty Senate followed by UFF Update

• Location: C-108 (SLM) 

Last year, the Emil Buehler Planetarium restarted an event called the Spooky Star Party. This is a free, community-wide event that draws local families and SSC students to experience various Halloween-themed science experiments, animal encounters, and telescope viewings. We are hoping to expand the experience this year and hope for your help! So, if you're interested, sign up and learn more about our vision of expansion this year!

Presenters: Sean Greeney and Derek Demeter

Discover how High Impact Practices (HIPs) are shaping teaching and learning at Seminole State! This session offers a snapshot of our first year of HIPs implementation, highlights early successes, and introduces our three newest categories: Intensive Writing and Information Literacy, Capstone Courses, and Study Abroad. Learn how courses are designated, what support is available, and how you can get involved. Whether you're already participating or just curious, join us to explore the future of HIPs on campus.

Presenters: Modupe Soremi, Debbie Socci, Holly Rodwick and Ross Martin

Interested in leading a study abroad program but unsure where to start? This in-depth workshop will walk faculty through every stage of developing a successful study abroad trip—from proposal and budgeting to risk management, recruitment, and on-site logistics. We’ll explore ways to rebuild Seminole State’s international offerings and provide practical resources and Q&A. Whether you're a seasoned trip leader or a curious first-timer, this session is your passport to making it happen!

Presenter: Hailee Handel

Come learn about the best ideas from the NISOD conference! Discover how active learning strategies and a strong sense of belonging can transform student engagement. This dynamic workshop explores innovative teaching methods that get your students up and moving, travel opportunities for faculty, and an exciting student essay contest. Join us to spark curiosity, foster connection, and create meaningful experiences—in and beyond the classroom.

Presenters: Terina Nusinov, Julie Edstrom, Mary Dolnack and Marisol de Jesus Berrios

Join us for an introduction to The ACE Leadership Network of Seminole State College of Florida, formerly known as Women Moving Forward. This workshop invites both new and returning participants to reflect on last year’s highlights and explore exciting plans for 2025–2026. Engage in a dynamic, skill-building activity led by Simone Nelson, designed to help you chart your personal and professional growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, reflect, and lead forward!  All are welcome.

Presenters: Michele Cuomo, Sandy Keeter, Tiffany Kirkpatrick, Jan Lloyd-Leslie, Simone Nelson and Maggie Thomas

This spring, the leadership academy hosted a wellness day. One of the activities we hosted included mindful doodling for stress relief. It was very popular, so I thought we could offer another session. Please bring blank paper or a sketch book and pens, pencils, markers, or crayons - whatever moves you. We will discuss the practice of doodling for mindfulness - it is about the process, not the product, so don't worry if you aren't "an artist." Anyone can use these techniques to calm the mind.

Presenter: Susan Aten

Students that self-describe as "hands-on" learners sometimes have difficulty understanding topics that are not traditionally taught using a tactile approach. This presentation will demonstrate some approaches the EMS department has taken using sweet treats to teach some math, chemistry, and pharmacological concepts to first-semester paramedic students. (This will include some hands-on activities, and you can eat the treats afterward if you like.)

Presenter: James Rucks

Interested in earning High Quality designation for your online course? Join us for an introduction to the Quality Online Course Design rubric and training—both newly updated with faculty input! You’ll also learn about the course review process and hear directly from faculty whose courses have earned High Quality. Our panelists will share their insights, lessons learned, and the impact on student success. Discover what’s possible for you and your online students through Quality Online Course Design.

Presenters: Elizabeth Savory, Marwan Shaban, Janell Robinson and Hannah Miller

How do you know when a loved one has a gait or balance problem? This program will outline a few observations that might indicate someone is in need of Physical Therapy, as well as some keys to preventing falls at home. This workshop will include some physical balance tests for those who would like to participate.

Presenters: Jamie Brickley and Jeffrey Miller

Join us for a hands-on workshop to prepare for the upcoming Grade Passback feature, which will pre-populate total grades from Canvas to PeopleSoft. In this session we’ll walk through best practices for setting up your Canvas Gradebook to ensure accurate real-time grade calculations, so you can save time and streamline your grade submissions! With dedicated open lab time, participants can begin configuring their fall course Canvas Gradebooks during the session.

Presenters: Marisabel Irizarry, Ebony Collier, Lesley Kamphaus, Devin Monnens and Rachel Novella

A11    Emerging AI Tools for Teaching

In this presentation, Katherine Kellen will share results from her Summer 2025 pilot requiring "provenance statements" from roughly 100 online, first-year composition students. She'll share what worked and what didn't as she joined fellow professionals adapting the human history of provenance for our AI age. Examples of pressure-tested, student-facing language for transparent AI LLM usage will be shared as well as honest discussion about the metacognitive labor created for both instructors and learners through this strategy.

Presenter: Katherine Kellen

Need to get your online course up and running fast? Designing a quality online course doesn’t have to take weeks. This session shares time-saving strategies, templates, and tools to help you design a fully functional, organized course with minimal stress. Whether you're preparing for a new term or transitioning a face-to-face course online, walk away with a repeatable setup checklist and practical tips you can use right away.

Presenter: Rick Snyder

This session is designed to provide an overview of the key changes in the newly ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Whether you’re a new or returning faculty member, this workshop will provide valuable insights into how the new contract impacts areas such as evaluation procedures, workload expectations, campus hours, professional development opportunities, and more. 

The session will include:

• A joint presentation of major updates in the CBA
• Opportunities for Q&A from both faculty and management perspectives
• Resources for ongoing support and information

Presenter: Doreen Collins, Paul Carland

This engaging, music-themed session explores how Gen X and Millennial faculty can effectively teach Gen Z and our incoming Gen Alpha students. Using the evolution of music—from mixtapes to downloading music as a metaphor, the presentation highlights generational learning differences, instructional design strategies, and practical tech tools. Participants will leave with fresh, adaptable ideas to enhance student engagement, streamline communication, and maintain their teaching rhythm in a rapidly evolving academic environment, all while enjoying some great songs from yesterday and today along the way. Let's remix your classroom for today's learners.

Presenter: Daniel Martinez

Since every college course, regardless discipline, necessitates reading, think about how your students read. Do they read just to decode and absorb information, or do they read with a level of immersion? This workshop will present engaged reading strategies that immerse students in reading content with a lively, interpersonal connection... again, regardless the course. Faculty will be encouraged to consider adding reading as something that stimulates thinking over reacting, engaging rather than decoding, and application versus summary. I will present the findings of my method from the Spring semester as evidence and for analysis.

Presenter: Jean-Paul Swiatkowski

With a focus on Reading, Education, Activities, and Discovery, the Campus READ program aims to foster a sense of shared learning and connection for students, especially in their first year. Join me to learn about Campus READ and this year's theme of mental well-being. We will talk about ways faculty can incorporate the selected title into your class along with resources you can share with students to get them engaged with discussion and programs.

Presenter: Andrea St. Onge

This interactive workshop helps faculty and staff navigate high stress academic environments with greater calm, clarity, and compassion. Blending empathetic leadership strategies, conflict resolution skills, and clinical mental health tools, participants will learn how to lead with heart, manage pressure, and foster well-being for themselves and others. Led by a licensed mental health counselor and seasoned faculty member, this session offers practical takeaways to recharge your mindset and maintain your 'academic engine' when the road gets rough.

Presenter: Scott Freeman

Join us as we share an innovative partnership between Speech Honors and Astronomy Honors that helps students become stronger science communicators. Together, we created a shared project and scoring guide that emphasized both clear public speaking and accurate science. This collaboration raised expectations, fostered real-world skills, and showed the power of connecting science with speech.

Presenters: Rick Snyder and Laura Dickinson

Explore the quirky world of MEDICAL old wives’ tales and home remedies, are they fact or fiction? This fun, interactive session examines common beliefs like butter on burns and onions for fevers, blending cultural insight with science. I will separate myth from medicine and offer practical takeaways for healthcare professionals and educators.

Presenter: Cricket Moore

This workshop is geared towards faculty who will be applying for continuing contract soon. We will discuss the requirements, the process, and the portfolio. Example portfolios and suggestions on how to organize your portfolio will be presented. This workshop offers faculty an opportunity to ask questions and receive practical tips and insight into the process.

Presenters: Sandy Keeter and Sandra Dillard

Whether you're teaching mathematics or any other subject, you'll find the story of Phi—the world’s most astonishing number—truly fascinating.
No mathematical background is needed to recognize and appreciate the beauty of mathematics in the real world.

Presenter: Olga Parsons

Join us for a hands-on workshop to prepare for the upcoming Grade Passback feature, which will pre-populate total grades from Canvas to PeopleSoft. In this session we’ll walk through best practices for setting up your Canvas Gradebook to ensure accurate real-time grade calculations, so you can save time and streamline your grade submissions! With dedicated open lab time, participants can begin configuring their fall course Canvas Gradebooks during the session.

Presenters: Marisabel Irizarry, Ebony Collier, Lesley Kamphaus, Devin Monnens, Rachel Novella and Elizabeth Savory

Ready to take the next step in integrating High Impact Practices into your course? This session offers a practical walkthrough of Seminole State’s HIPs Course Designation form for Spring 2026. We’ll review the key elements of a strong submission, share examples from our inaugural year, and answer your questions about aligning course components with HIPs criteria. If you’re considering designation—or just want to better understand the process—this is your chance to plan ahead with confidence.

Presenters: Hailee Handel, Kate Kellen, Michele Cuomo, Maya Byfield and Melissa Mesman

B12    AI for Teachers: How to Use, and What You Can Use 

B13    Building Workplace Readiness: What Our Students Are Telling Us