The 2021 award recipients are Angela Storey, assistant professor in anthropology; Kathy Gosser, assistant professor and director of franchise management in management and entrepreneurship; Rachel Hopp, assistant professor in biology; and Brian Robinson, James Lewis, Nicholas Hawkins, and Gary Eisenmenger in engineering fundamentals.

“We are celebrating faculty who are exploring ideas that help students learn. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, UofL faculty have found new ways to deliver quality instruction while connecting with students online,” said Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning Executive Director and Vice Provost Gale Rhodes. “We were blown away by the applications we received for the first year of this award.”

The TILL received 22 applications for the award, which grants winners $1,000 and an invitation to share their work at the annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference.

Applicants said that innovation is critical to meet the changing needs of students.

“It is important to be a responsive teacher and to situate our work within the specificity of our students, this time, and the context of our world. Specifically, finding ways to put power into the hands of our students is important for me in making decisions about how to teach,” Storey said.

Gosser found that giving her students flexible ways to engage with course content, such as the podcast she launched in her course, increased student participation.

“They tell me that they can exercise while listening, make dinner with their roommates and all listen, and even drive,” she said. “One student told me it doesn’t even feel like school. Their reactions have been my motivation to keep improving my delivery and my guests.”

“We were acutely aware that students were already fatigued by the remote nature of their education, and it was heartwarming to hear that our course was helping students feel interested in their work again,” Robinson said.

During the pandemic, the team from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering used classroom response systems to build a collaborative online environment similar to the makerspace used for face-to-face courses.

Hopp also explored ways to bring active learning methods to her online course.

“I decided I was not going to slip back into the old passive ways of instruction just because those were the simplest ways to deliver the material online,” she said. “Instead, I created an online environment that closely mimicked our Belknap Academic Building-classrooms where students stay in small, table-like groups for discussion throughout class while still being connected to the larger class audience and the instructor.”

Rhodes hopes that faculty across campus continue to build on these new ideas in their own courses.

“A common thread for these winning innovations is that they can be used as models in nearly any content area,” she said. “I hope in the year ahead that we will see faculty across campus test, refine and scale these practices in addition to exploring their own ideas.”

Meade’s academic adviser suggested she consider UofL’s elective Personal and Academic Inquiry seminar, designed to help undecided second-year students identify their strengths and academic goals. Hopeful that it might point her in the direction of a potential career path, Meade decided to take the course during the fall semester of her sophomore year.

“I was consumed about which direction I needed to go in,” she said. “I was looking forward to getting time out of my week to sit down with people who could help me figure out what would be best for me. I went in hoping to move closer toward that goal.”

The seminar, first offered in spring 2018, is the central component of UofL’s Find Your Fit (FYF) program, an initiative launched in 2017 to address the specific needs of those undergraduates deemed “exploratory” (undecided on a major, or not yet admitted to the school or college of their choice), or those who are seeking to transition out of a major and struggling to find a good fit. FYF is the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), an experimental five-year initiative focused on improving student success that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires all higher education institutions to develop as part of their reaccreditation process.

Students who participate in the FYF Personal and Academic Inquiry course meet for an hour and 15 minutes twice a week to make progress on academic inquiry projects that spring from the academic theme of each section. Alongside these projects, students work with closely with the designated advisor to engage with, and interpret, personal assessments, such as the StrengthsFinder inventory, and participate in an array of self-exploration exercises and activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the relevance of the Find Your Fit seminar. Some students are feeling uncertain about their major or career plans in this new landscape of the pandemic. Despite the changing environment, the team of campus instructors in the FYF program continues to support students in both virtual and face-to-face environments.

The seminar is led by a three-instructor team comprised of a UofL faculty member, an exploratory and transition advisor, and a librarian. Students use the library and other university resources to research areas of interest with ongoing support from the instructional team.

Each instructional team provides a good mix of perspectives, according to Kimcherie Lloyd, professor and School of Music director of orchestral studies, opera theater and undergraduate studies. Lloyd uses music in class to initiate discussions and pique students’ interest in learning more about various topics.

“Music has nothing to do with what their career choices should or might be; it’s just something to start a conversation about their interests,” she shared. “It’s immediately easier to have a discussion because everybody has likes and dislikes and opinions. The class uses music as a vehicle to help them develop questions and start on research.”

Robert Detmering, associate professor and information literacy coordinator at the University of Louisville Libraries, currently serves as a member of one of the instructional teams.

“The intent is to help exploratory students who are maybe having trouble finding out where they’re situated in the university, in terms of a major, but also in terms of the community and relationships they have on campus,” Detmering said. “Find Your Fit is designed to help students think through where they’re at in life, what their goals are, and help them go through a research process that’s personally meaningful to them.”

Tracking down answers to questions raised in class can help students grow comfortable with the research process.

“Sometimes people feel uncomfortable asking questions or feel like they should know how library research operates and maybe aren’t sure how to go about getting help,” Detmering said. “In a class like this, we’re able to work closely with students and show them resources that exist and how to use them.”

By the end of the course, instructors have found that a number of students are able to identify a few potential career choices, which UofL advisor Jessica Newton—who has served as an advisor on multiple instructional teams—views as a success.

“Everybody is at a different place,” she said. “Some have found a path and have a better idea where they’re going, while some are still unsure and are working on it. My goal is just for them to come away from the course at least knowing what resources are available. Really, my entire role is to facilitate the decision-making process. That starts with getting to know yourself really well and examining your values and strengths.

For Meade, the experience was transformative. An in-class exercise matching students’ values to corresponding jobs suggested clinical psychology might be a potential option for her; later reading about a storytelling-based method of therapy during a class research project inspired Meade to craft an individualized major involving psychology, creative writing, and women and gender studies.

“I just understood at that point what my strengths were and what that could do—what I wanted to do,” she says. “I really enjoy creative writing. English is something that’s my strong suit, and mental health has been something I’ve been passionate about. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to combine those things [before the class].”

Meade is now on track to graduate a semester early and plans to go to graduate school to become a clinical psychologist, with the ultimate goal of offering writing-based therapeutic services.

The Find Your Fit QEP initiative is an opportunity to foster a campus-wide conversation about student learning and success in the crucial second year of undergraduate studies. The FYF team is always looking for instructional members to join this unique experience and initiative at UofL. More information is .Ìę

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Vaughan’s supervisor worked with her to determine that project management training could help provide Vaughan with tools and knowledge necessary to put more structure in place in their organization.

When searching for project management programs, Vaughan sought a program that included practical application from a reputable organization.

“What attracted me to UofL is that I could come in and do an actual course, meet new people, and have practical application and experience 
 I’ve been through some other courses with UofL and I appreciated the content so I decided that this was the best place for me,” she said.

H. Ray Pait, Jr., a senior director for safety and security at Churchill Downs Racetrack, also decided to seek out additional project management training from UofL. One of the reasons he enrolled in the UofL’s project management program was to learn how to communicate better with construction vendors.

“The program helped me to be able to understand the formalized language I would hear when we’d bring vendors in,” Pait explained. “It made life easier for all of us to be able to talk on the same level. The program gave me a thorough understanding of the core values of what they did, from a project perspective.”

Since earning her certificate from UofL, Vaughan has begun to implement a new system at Insider Louisville that will streamline the way the organization approaches planning work.

“This program gave me the tools to be able to say, ‘This is the project that needs to take priority, this is the date we go live. Are we on schedule with our developers and our vendors?’ Implementing these project management processes has really helped the organization run more smoothly,” Vaughan said.

A universal applicationÌę

Project management isn’t limited to one position or field because anything that requires collaboration and coordination between different resources under the umbrella of a common goal can be considered a project. The principles used in project management can be used in virtually any business, according to Chuck Millhollan, author and lead instructor for the UofL’s project management certificate.

“The project management skillset is truly universal,” Millhollan said. “Anyone who leads a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a unique product, service or result is functioning as a project manager. Project management can open up a whole world of professional opportunities for people; it’s a growing profession that’s used by every industry and almost every professional focus.”

Skilled project managers can be a vital asset to an organization. With the right training, they’re able to provide initiative-based leadership that can boost productivity, efficiency, financial performance, customer and employee satisfaction—and more.

A new world of opportunitiesÌę

After completing UofL’s program, Pait went on to earn his Project Management Professional Certification and was promoted to senior director of Churchill Downs’ Program Management Office.

“My professional life has changed immensely because of this program. After earning my certificate in 2006, I was promoted at Churchill Downs and began to teach project management for UofL.”

Project managers who become certified not only become more marketable, they may also see a financial benefit. According to the Project Management Institute, adding a PMP credential to your resume can result in a 20-percent higher salary than non-certified peers.

Vaughan hopes to work towards her PMP certification in the future. “With this program, I felt like I gained practical knowledge, things I can use, things that can help me get, my certification by taking the PMP test,” she said.

Building skills

Project management isn’t just a career path, it is a skill set. Although some program participants are project managers by title, others are in different positions and feel they could benefit from learning project management skills.

Professionals with strong technical skills may find themselves transitioning into a project leader role, which can be challenging as it often involves a very different skill set, according to Millhollan.

“If you look at a job description for any senior leader or practitioner, you’ll find some component of project management in that role,” Millhollan said. “A lot of folks responsible for leading projects find themselves project managers and never have any formal education or training in project management.”

Seeking training out can ensure that you — and the overall project — perform well.

“We’ve known for years what causes projects to fail,” Millhollan explained. “If you know that, doesn’t it make sense to train and learn to help you overcome those typical causes of project failures? Our curriculum is built to overcome those.”

“The program is laid out so that when you complete your certificate, you will have tools you can use on a daily basis,” shared Pait.

Making connections with practical applicationÌę

In addition to practical tools, students who participate in UofL’s project management program, which includes a Fundamentals of Project Management and Project Management: Practical Application seminar, gain beneficial industry connections through group work conducted during class.

“Our class has continued to talk; we text back and forth,” Vaughan said. “If I have a question, I know there are people I can reach out to. They’re learning at the same time I am but have different experiences, so we’re able to help each other.”

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The Practical Application seminar focuses heavily on real-world project management problems. Participants are put into groups and are tasked with solving problems and implementing real projects. Perhaps the most valuable benefit of the program is that it enables participants to learn from one another’s experiences and to test out solutions.

“To be taught something, try it out, and the next week to come in and say ‘that worked’ or ‘that didn’t work’ and to have real time to discuss and learn about it instead of just getting a certification and figuring it out as you go, was really valuable,” Vaughan explained.

Some project management training programs may offer best practice tips, guides and digital tools to assist with planning — all of which are undoubtedly helpful.

The Project Management Certificate program and facilitated study offerings are two of UofL Professional Development’s most popular, according to Robbie Chitwood, director of professional development at UofL. The certificate program runs three times a year — 16-week sessions in spring and fall, and an eight-week summer intensive.

All courses, Chitwood says, are extremely collaborative, which provides program participants with hands-on experience that they’re able to immediately apply in the workplace.

“I receive a lot of feedback about our instructors and program in general, but most commonly it is about the projects [people] may be working on in the program that they’re able to further because of something they learned either from instructors or from the peer group that’s established in the program,” Chitwood says. “That shared learning experience is just as valuable to participants as what they’re taking away from instructors.”

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UofL News had the chance to learn a little more about Anderson, including what most excites her about UofL’s innovative TILL.Ìę

UofL News: What is your previous higher ed experience?

Jennifer Anderson: For the past six years, I was an assistant professor of political science at Tennessee Tech University. I initially became interested in faculty development when I chaired a teaching and learning award committee there. I have taught a variety of courses using active and collaborative learning approaches, from large introductory classes to upper division seminars and simulation-based courses.

UofL News: What excites you most about TILL?Ìę

Jennifer Anderson: I’m excited to share with faculty the many benefits that come from being an innovator in the classroom. I remember the excitement I felt when I first learned about teaching innovation through participating in a semester-long development institute for new faculty. Learning about effective teaching allowed me not only to be better at my job, but also to enjoy it so much more. I look forward to showcasing the TILL and its resources to empower UofL faculty.

UofL News: Is there a particular area of teaching innovation that you’re interested in exploring this year?Ìę

Jennifer Anderson: Yes! As UofL looks forward to the opening of the new active learning classroom building (BACB) next year, we at the TILL will be exploring the many facets of active learning. What practical strategies can faculty use to engage their students in active learning classrooms? How can technology be a bridge to facilitate active learning? Questions like these will drive our programming at the TILL in 2017-18.

UofL News: What do you like best about UofL so far?Ìę

Jennifer Anderson: The word ‘community’ came up so many times in my first month of working at UofL. Building community among faculty is one of our primary goals, but I believe we are successful because of the community that exists within the TILL leadership team and the Delphi Center more broadly. I love being a part of that team. Getting to work with dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate people certainly is the highlight so far.Ìę

Email Jennifer Anderson or call 852-8503 to learn more about getting involved in the TILL. There are also Faculty Learning Communities set to begin in September. Faculty can through Aug. 25.Ìę

When Human Resources Manager Jason Curry joined Monument Chemical, a fast-paced, production-based manufacturer of specialty chemical products, he knew employee training and development would be a priority.Ìę

“Your equipment and buildings devalue over time, but your employees’ value increases over time. Part of that is investing in educational opportunities. It contributes to long-term success for them as individuals and as employees,” he said.

One of the biggest hurdles CurryÌęfaced in offering employee training was time. You’ve probably come in contact with one of Monument Chemical’s 200-plus products, which can be found in everything from memory foam to cough syrups. With such varied and high-profile customers, Monument Chemical can’t afford to miss a step when it comes to production.

Monument Chemical had an existing relationship with the University of Louisville through a successful co-op program, so CurryÌęturned to the university to look for management training opportunities that would fit within the company’s busy production schedule. He worked with the UofL Professional Development team to identify topics based on the needs of their employees. Together, they selected a customized Management Development certificate program.

“One of the benefits of our customized programming is the flexibility. We serve clients near and far, delivering our programs and services beyond local and state borders. In this case, we were able to schedule classes onsite in Brandenburg to make the program accessible to all employees and encourage participation. We also scheduled two sessions of each class so that participants on shift work could attend without sacrificing time on the job,” said Professional Development Director Robbie Chitwood.

Curry added that the program’s flexibility allowed the supervisors to manage their schedules.

“It didn’t seem like training was a burden. It was something that they wanted to go to. I didn’t have to call and remind people.” he said.

Employees appreciated the flexibility as well. “The scheduling worked out well. Because the classes were offered twice, and on location, the people on shift work could come,”Ìęsaid Quality Manager Kelly Farmer.

ThroughoutÌęthe course of eight months, 32 participants completed eight courses to earn their University of Louisville Management Development certificates. Course topics included how to work with difficult people, bridging generational gaps in the workplace, and setting SMART goals.

“The techniques can be applied universally,” Farmer said. “You can use the principles at work, coaching a little league team, or on a church board. You can use those principles anywhere.”

Both stakeholders and participants indicated that one of the best outcomes of the training was bringing together the group of supervisors who don’t often get to work with one another.

“The team building was a big piece. They got to learn about people they don’t work with as much. It becomes a little more than just a working relationship. It helps us work better together, which makes our plan successful long term,” Curry said. “It has changed the way they think.”

Participants also learned to value the perspectives of the many generations represented at Monument Chemical.

“I now understand Millennials better, which has helped me both at work and at home with my two daughters,” Farmer stated. “Understanding what is important to them and their generation has helped me bridge that gap. It helps me work better within the organization, from interns to engineers. That’s why I like the open dialogue of these courses. We were learning from each other. When you see someone else’s priorities it opens your eyes. And the instructors knew how to tap into that so they could tie our experience back into the topic.”

Treating training and development as a capital investment is a strategy that is already paying off for Monument Chemical.

“The program has made me a better change agent through communication and better application of SMART goals. Monument Chemical is in a transition period and growing. All of us are now in a position to help steer and guide that,” Farmer said.

Curry agreed, “We’re growing. These employees will be prepared to fill gaps as we grow.”

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Located on the third floor of Ekstrom Library, the TILL features an active learning classroom similar to what will be available in the new academic classroom building, currently under construction on Belknap Campus and scheduled to open in fall 2018. Faculty can practice using cutting-edge technology in the classroom, as well as observe innovative peers in action.

“The TILL is a welcoming experimental space that encourages and supports exploration in teaching,” said Dr. Marie Kendall Brown, associate director for teaching, learning and innovation. “The flexibility of the room and furniture, the low- and high–tech affordances of the space, and the energizing environment create a unique learning opportunity for faculty and students alike.”

Acting President Neville Pinto noted the impact a learning environment can have on students. “It’s about engaging students in the material,” he said. “That requires a different configuration of classroom, a different type of relationship between the teacher and student, and in most cases, requires a different format for the way the material is presented.”

A number of faculty have piloted courses in the TILL classroom during the fall semester. Dr. Jeff Hieb, associate professor in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, taught an Engineering Analysis II course in the TILL.

“My students have enjoyed using their own devices (laptops, tablets, phones) as well as the room’s many white boards to collaborate with one another to solve the problems I give them during class,” Hieb said.Ìę“I find the TILL offers new ways to increase student engagement. Instead of watching me work problems at the front of the room, students use the white boards and technology to collaboratively work out those same problems and learn from each other.”

“This classroom provides the opportunity to do a lot of group collaboration, which I think is extremely important for learning. You can see different viewpoints of problems or concepts from other students’ points of view,” said Jordan Weiner, a UofL student. “You don’t get that in a lot of classrooms.”

for faculty interested in bringing their classes to the TILL. More , while more information about the TILL is included in the video below.

Longerbeam joined UofL as associate professor in Counseling and Human Development this fall. She brought with her a deep commitment to students and an interest in using research around culture to encourage student success.

For the past six years, Longerbeam has been working with Dr. Alicia ChĂĄvez of the University of New Mexico to explore the topic of teaching and learning across cultural strengths. The pair has published two books and numerous articles on the subject, and they will deliver the closing keynote presentation at the annual Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher łÉÈËֱȄ conference in Louisville on November 13.

“In higher education we’ve done a lot of work about students, but we have not often turned the lens back on ourselves. When we do that, what we discover is our own cultural origins influence how we teach and how students experience us,” said Longerbeam.

An interactive workshop exclusively for UofL faculty and staff will be held on November 14 from 2-4 p.m. The workshop, will introduce a model of cultural frameworks in teaching and learning with many applications across disciplines.

Longerbeam and ChĂĄvez will share examples from their work to demonstrate how developing a greater understanding of cultural values, beliefs, assumptions and behaviors can impact student success.

“Our program helps faculty meet students in their own cultural norms,” Longerbeam explained. “It is more rewarding for us as faculty when we can reach students and support them in their success.”

Interested faculty can learn more about the workshop and register at the

The at the University of Louisville helps family businesses in the region navigate the complexities of generational transition, strategy and growth. The center provides its 89 members with access to educational forums, advising services, and roundtables on a variety of topics.

Director Kathleen Hoye saw a need for a more intensive approach when it came to helping the next generation transition into leadership roles, so she partnered with to create a customized certificate program.

“It was a natural fit for us to partner with the Family Business Center,” UofL Professional Development Director Robbie Chitwood stated. “Being a part of one university, we are charged with serving the community. We help organizations solve challenges through learning and development. Our collaboration began with identification of the unique learning needs of family business leaders. From there, we customized our proven leadership development program to address the specific needs of working within family business. As a result, the Leading Within a Family Business certificate program created a peer network and equipped graduates with skills to lead effectively in family-owned organizations.”

Practical Tools for the Family BusinessÌę

Throughout the course of six months, the Leading Within a Family Business certificate program brought together 18 participants from a wide variety of industries. Two of these participants were Keith Burchette and his sister Andrea Kash, co-owners of HI-FLOAT. Started by their parents, HI-FLOAT produces an internationally distributed product that extends the floating life of latex balloons.

“Each class offered something unique that I can apply to both my career and my personal life,” Keith said, “I work with people all over the world, and at times communication and understanding of each other’s core values come into play. Navigating these moments is key to our success and this program offered that key.”

Topics covered in that program included “Understanding Self in the Context of Family,” “Leadership in the Family Business Workplace,” and “Business Acumen and Strategy.” UofL instructors led each session and gave participants practical tools they could put to work immediately.

The program was so successful that the teams are now planning future sessions.

Andrea stated that as a result of the program, she is more focused on understanding the people she works with at HI-FLOAT.Ìę

“I can utilize the tools learned in the program to determine what motivates people, and what is getting in the way of progress,” she said …Ìę“Hearing from other family businesses has helped us become more focused on our future and the proactive steps we can take to protect our family’s legacy.”