Summer Institute 2025
Pursuing Undergraduate Student Success Through Transformational Teaching
Thank You for Making the 2025 Summer Institute a Success!
Be on the lookout this fall for details about the 2026 edition!
May 21, 22, and 23
335 Attendees
Instructors, Administrators, Staff, and Graduate Students
60
Sessions Offered
Keynote Speaker
Norell serves as Associate Director of Instructional Support in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Mississippi and has more than 20 years teaching in higher education, including composition, journalism, new media, and political science. More information and her book are available at liznorell.com.
Watch a recording of Dr. Norell’s keynote address.
What attendees said about the event:
"This conference helped to recharge me from a harder-than-average semester. It gave me ideas to try and inspired me to want to make changes in how I teach. I now feel ready to dive in and prepare for the fall."
"Dr. Norell was phenomenal! Great selection on bringing her here. Thank you!"
"This was an outstanding conference. I'm so glad I was finally free in May and hope to attend consistently for the rest of my career."
Feedback from the post-event survey:
This year’s participants ranked "I learned things that I can apply to my work” as 4.81/5, “I plan to attend the institute next year” as 4.73/5, and “I would recommend the institute to a colleague” as 4.74/5.
Schedule
| Time & Location | Information |
|---|---|
| 2:00–2:30 p.m. Fife Theatre, Moss Arts Center |
Doors Open |
| 2:30-2:45 p.m. Fife Theatre, Moss Arts Center |
Welcome by Rachel Holloway, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairsement |
| 2:45-3:45 p.m. Fife Theatre, Moss Arts Center |
Keynote by Liz Norell, author of The Present Professor: Authenticity and Transformational Teaching |
| 3:45-4:15 p.m. Fife Theatre, Moss Arts Center |
Incoming Students Overview with Juan Espinoza, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management |
| Time & Location | Information |
|---|---|
| 8:00–9:00 a.m. New Classroom Building |
Registration |
| 9:00–9:10 a.m. New Classroom Building |
Welcome, Stephen Biscotte, Assistant Vice Provost, Undergraduate Education |
| 9:10–10:00 a.m. New Classroom Building |
Drawing Lines in the Sand: Hokie Wellness Zen Garden |
| 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. New Classroom Building |
Series of 1hr Concurrent Sessions |
| 12:00–1:30 p.m. New Classroom Building |
Lunch |
| 1:30–4:20 p.m. New Classroom Building |
Series of 1hr Concurrent Sessions |
| 4:30–6:00 p.m. Off-Campus Site: Maroon Door |
Informal Community Gathering, Sponsored by CETL |
| Time & Location | Information |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. New Classroom Building |
Cohort Groups and Workshops |
| 12:00-1:30 p.m. New Classroom Building |
Lunch |
| 1:30-3:30 p.m. New Classroom Building |
Cohort Groups and Workshops |
Sponsors
Career and Professional Development, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Office for Inclusive Strategy and Excellence, Office of Undergraduate Education, Student Success Initiatives, Technology-Enhanced Learning and Online Strategies, and Hokie Wellness