Welcome Back 2026

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), overflow in J-100 (SLM)

• Join faculty and staff along with Dr. Lorenz for our annual State of the College Address. This is an in-person event at the Sanford/Lake Mary campus. 

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.)

• 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)

• Pick up your boxed lunch. Find a nice place to eat and catch up with colleagues.
• Be sure to pick up your swag item here!
• Location: 3rd Floor of L-Building (SLM)

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

• Join Dr. Loretta Ovueraye as we welcome a new academic year. She’ll share important updates on the programs, goals, and mission of Seminole State.

  Bring your raffle ticket for the raffle prizes!

• Location: C-108 (SLM)

Coffee Cart & Dessert Reception

• Dessert 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)

Tabling with Seminole State Partners

• Location: C-110A/B (SLM) 
• Visit with participating vendors during coffee and dessert event.

Explore how faculty can move from uncertainty to intentional, responsible use of AI in teaching and learning. This interactive workshop introduces the AIMS Framework: Attitude, Institutional Influence, Meaningful Usefulness, and Simplicity, while modeling practical, low-lift ways to integrate AI into classroom practice. Participants will reflect on concerns, experience a live demo, and apply the framework during breakout discussion to identify one small, defensible step they can take back to their own courses.

Presenters: Tony Robinson and Mubarak Banisakher

This workshop begins with an abbreviated presentation of the summer planetarium program featuring a narrated tour of Independence Hall and key sites related to the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Then faculty will discuss how they collaborated to build this program and how the planetarium can be used to create an immersive learning experience for any discipline.

Presenters: Diana Reigelsperger, Derek Demeter, Nicole Reale

In this workshop, you'll learn the essential components of an online course and how these components, including orientation materials, effective module design, and clear assessment criteria, benefit students. We'll provide examples, templates, and resources for importing an orientation module, embedding your syllabus, and creating effective, balanced modules. We'll also provide time for you to check over your Fall courses and help you workshop them to ensure a great online learning experience for your students.

Presenters: Lesley Kamphaus and Devin Monnens

Join us for a hands-on workshop on converting PDFs into accessible documents! We'll explore how to decide whether to keep and fix a PDF or convert it into a more accessible format like Word. We'll walk through real examples, including how to check for accessibility needs, determine the easiest approach, and apply common fixes to ensure an accessible final document. We'll conclude with built-in "open lab" time to apply these strategies to a PDF in your course and convert it into an accessible document.

Presenters: Sophia Burgos, Dylan Moo Hernandez, and Rachel Novella

The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) is administered every two years. Additionally, the Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE) surveys faculty about their thoughts on their work, their students, and their college. In this session we'll unpack results from both to see where we find alignment and divergence between faculty and students in terms of engagement at SSC.

Presenter: Tom Hoke

Handcrafts like knitting, crochet, and more have been empirically shown to help teach students resilience in the face of struggle and failure. So how do we apply these lessons in the classroom? 

Professors Shelly Deans, Claire A. Miller, and Katie Steinhaus will share how the lessons from their own crafting practice have helped them incorporate teaching resilience in the face of struggle or failure as part of both formal and informal instruction.  

Presenters: Claire Mille, Shelly Deans and Katie Steinhaus

Faculty regularly encounter students navigating academic challenges, personal concerns, transfer questions, technology systems, career uncertainty, and barriers to persistence. This interactive panel discussion will provide faculty with a deeper understanding of how Academic and Career Advising & Counseling can support students behind the scenes and how we can better partner to improve student success outcomes.  Through real-world examples, case scenarios, and open discussion, panelists will explain key processes, available services, referral pathways, and strategies for collaborative student support. Faculty will leave with a clearer understanding of where to direct students, how to utilize available student success technologies, and how Student Affairs and Academic Affairs can work together more effectively to support retention, persistence, and completion.

Presenters: Debbie Lynch, Max Arb, Amanda Taylor, Catherine Leimer, Carlee Walkover, Ashley Maddox, Dalia Fox, Margo Weaver

Helping students discern high-quality information amid AI-slop takes teamwork. Join our collegewide initiative promoting student media literacy. No one can fix this problem alone, but together we can share vocabulary, reinforce logic, and promote media literacy strategies with our students. Besides faculty, our collaboration already represents the library, eLearning, Marketing, and the SGA.  Ross Martin and Kate Kellen will share how you can participate by enriching things you already do in the classroom.

Presenters: Katherine Kellen and Ross Martin

This workshop will review the new Workforce Advisory Committee procedure recently adopted by the College. We will also discuss how to select potential members and what is expected of them during their service with the program.

Presenter: Molly Kostenbauder

Engaging with topics beyond the classroom is essential for student growth, helping them become active contributors with intellectual curiosity while exposing career paths they may not have previously considered. In this session, we will present lessons from running departmental book clubs and colloquia, sharing practices that grew participation, as well as those not as successful. Participants will have the opportunity to share and collaborate to create plans to build their own learning communities.

Presenters: David Taylor, Marisol de Jesus Berrios and Amee Mehta

A11 Exploring How Cross Departmental Collaboration Can Translate to Innovation in Teaching and Learning

This presentation aims to share practical insights and experiences in developing a study abroad program in Spain through direct collaboration with host institutions. The goal is to demonstrate how universities can reduce costs for students by eliminating third-party providers and building customized, institution-to-institution partnerships.

Presenters: Sandra L. Alzate and Julian A. Vasquez

Luciano Floridi wrote, The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Principles, Challenges, and Opportunities within which he includes a conversation about the potential and the challenges of building and using AI for social good (AI4SG). In this presentation, I relate and apply Floridi's ideas about the ethical uses of AI and how it is harnessed for social good. Attend this session to learn more about the trends, conversations, and good intentions behind the development of AI systems. 

Presenter: Stacy Tanner

This 45-minute workshop will guide faculty through the recently added syllabus requirements, with a specific focus on the new Schedule/Calendar, Evaluation, and Class Assignments modules. Participants will learn what information is required, why these updates are being required, and how to ensure compliance. The session will include clear examples and practical tips for efficient updates.

Presenters: Ann Pohira-Vieth, Alyssa Adamson and Pam Ocasek

"We didn't call the police right away." The first line of this year's Campus READ title pulls readers into an engaging literary mystery that combines suspenseful plotting with deep human and philosophical exploration.
Join Librarian Andrea St. Onge and Adjunct Faculty Karen Hussey as they introduce connections with the book for curriculum and engagement in any discipline. Plus, get a sneak peek into extracurricular plans and hear about opportunities to get involved.

Presenters: Andrea St. Onge and Karen Blanchette-Hussey

Join the Student Retention and Completion team for a collaborative 25-minute roundtable focused on how faculty can play a direct role in improving student persistence, early registration, and timely advising. This discussion will highlight successful initiatives such as Don't Cancel Your Class as well as in-class registration labs designed to help students enroll for the next term before the current semester ends.
Faculty participants will have the opportunity to share ideas, discuss barriers students face in registering early, and brainstorm new partnership strategies that can increase enrollment momentum, strengthen student engagement, and support completion goals. This session is designed to be interactive, solution-focused, and centered on practical ways faculty and student support teams can work together to improve student success.

Presenters: Carlee Walkover, Amanda Peart, David Escabi, Jadiel Perez Rivera

Effective mentoring involves more than providing answers. It requires intentional listening, thoughtful questioning, goal setting, and building supportive relationships. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore practical mentoring strategies learned through a mentoring micro-credential experience and faculty mentoring practice. Attendees will learn skills and competencies that support student belonging, engagement, self-awareness, and independence while identifying actionable approaches that can be applied in advising, teaching, and student support settings.

Presenters: Amee Mehta and Dr. Stephen Summers

This workshop is geared towards faculty who will be applying for continuing contract soon. We will discuss the requirements, the process, and using Watermark to submit the portfolio. This workshop offers faculty an opportunity to ask questions and receive practical tips and insight into the process.

Presenters: Elena Soltau, Tammy Steffy, Sandy Keefer, Amee Mehta, Ekaterina Goussakova

Discover the many ways the College supports your growth, success, and continued education. This session is designed to help you connect with HR and the learning opportunities available to all faculty and staff. We'll walk through the resources available to you, how to access them, and simple ways to make them work for your goals. Whether you're looking to build new skills, explore career paths, or continue your education, this workshop is for you.

Presenters: Lisette Guillen-Dolby, Danielle Miller and Sarah Miller

Join us for an overview of the ACE Leadership Network of Florida at Seminole State College of Florida.  This session will highlight our plans for the year and share collaborative statewide efforts designed to support leadership growth and career advancement. Learn how you can get involved and attend the many leadership development opportunities ACE offers. The session will feature an interactive activity focused on building your network with intention.

Presenters: Michele Cuomo, Jan Lloyd-Lesley and Shahin Kanani

Curious about High-Impact Practices but unsure where to start? Join the HIPs Team and eLearning for a first look at Seminole State's new Faculty HIPs Canvas Course. Designed for busy faculty, this self-paced resource makes it easy to learn about HIPs, explore examples, and identify opportunities within your own courses-all on your schedule. As an added benefit, course completion counts toward your Faculty Involvement requirement.

Presenters: Hailee Handel, Rachel Novella, & Lesley Kamphaus

Are you interested in engaging students through growing service learning? Pardeep Vedi, Development Chair, SSC Board of Trustees, will share his experiences as the founder and director of Feed Hunger Now, a non-profit organization at the Sanford Rescue Outreach Mission that grows and shares sustainable food. Through volunteering and project development, students (and faculty) can develop skills in social science, STEM, and entrepreneurship while building friendships, networking with other volunteers, and enhancing the local community.

Presenters: Debra Socci and Pardeep Vedi

B12 Beyond the Classroom: Transformative Study Abroad Experiences in Spain  

What if it wasn't our responsibility to police AI? What if, instead, our responsibility was to teach students to think critically and responsibly about the complexities of information in any discipline, regardless of the information's form or format?

Presenters: Ross Martin, Amy Mendoza, Elena Soltau, Claudia Davidson

Boodlebox is an AI platform SSC eLearning is currently exploring as a complement to Copilot. This hands-on workshop covers Boodlebox's use cases for course development and teaching, how to build a custom AI bot in the free tier, and what becomes possible with a faculty license, including building a custom AI tutor for your course. Participants will leave with a clearer sense of whether Boodlebox fits their practice.

Presenter: Rasha Noureddine

In this session we will discuss many aspects of writing and publishing your own book, including book design, typesetting, working with printing companies, copyright, graphics/illustrations, using your book in your courses, CBA and intellectual property, and more. If you ever thought about writing a book to use in your courses, or just for professional development, join us to hear from two college professors who have published their own books.

Presenters: Marwan Shaban and Anthony Robinson

Zentangles are a meditative art form where you draw structured, repetitive patterns (called "tangles") using dots, lines, and simple curves. Created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, the method is designed to help you relax, focus, and boost creativity by letting you focus entirely on one pen stroke at a time. The Core Principles:  Mindfulness over Perfection: Zentangles are completely non-representational and unplanned. There is no "up" or "down" to the artwork, and there are no mistakes-just opportunities for new patterns. Structured Patterns: Unlike free-form doodling, Zentangles rely on specific, repeatable sequences of strokes. No Mistakes: There are no erasers in Zentangle; if a line goes somewhere unexpected, you simply adapt and incorporate it into the pattern. Elemental Strokes: All patterns are built from simple shapes: dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves, and orbs.

Presenter: Susan Aten

Learn practical tips and time-saving features in Microsoft Teams and Outlook to communicate, collaborate, and stay organized more effectively.

Presenters: Matthew Desavlo and Alyson Linder