Academic Professional Development

The world offers opportunities and challenges today that were unimaginable even 10 years ago. The nature of work is changing and creating the need for people with vision, creativity, empathy, critical thinking, and the ability to work collaboratively across disciplinary lines and traditional skill sets. Consequently, contemporary graduate student professionalization must adapt to meet these changes. CGU’s Academic Professional Development collaboration provides the complementary curriculum you need to excel in your career. In addition to our individual program opportunities, our innovative collaborations complement and extend your academic program to integrate professional development into the core of your graduate education. We prepare you to be an agile and resilient graduate: better able to imagine and create a future of your own design.

The Academic Professional Development events and projects are provided by the Career Development Office (CDO), the Center for Writing and Rhetoric (CWR), the Preparing Future Faculty program (PFF), and the Transdisciplinary Studies program (TNDY).

Academic Professional Development (APD) Events

2021 Events

February

PFF – Faculty Websites: Getting Started with Content

Tuesday, February 2, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

In this session you will learn the why and what of faculty websites and view some example sites. If you are just looking to learn more, ready to set up your first site, or looking to expand your existing site, there will be useful takeaway resources for you in this webinar.

CDO – Wal-Mart Information Session

Friday, February 5, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Attend live via Zoom.

Learn about several internships and full-time employment opportunities at Wal-Mart.

CWR – Qualifying Exams Preparation Weekend

Saturday – Sunday, February 6 & 7, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) Register here.

For most doctoral degrees, qualifying exams are the first major milestone that must be completed after coursework. The challenge of demonstrating breadth of knowledge in a field as well as preparedness for a culminating project is complicated by the shift in structure of the post-coursework phase. One proven method of maintaining productivity and motivation during this transition is to participate in community events that are designed to reduce distraction, facilitate peer engagement, and provide a source of accountability. Designed for students doing timed exams, written assignments, dissertation chapter drafts, and portfolios, the event will provide the options of either dedicated work time with peers or a combination of work time and facilitated sessions on exam preparation topics.

PFF – Providing Quality Feedback

Tuesday, February 9, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
Co-host: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
View video.

In this session you will learn some strategies for providing feedback to your students that will be useful for developing their assignments, interests and professional identities. Additionally, we will explore different modes for providing feedback that will help with student engagement, instructor efficiency, and foster class relationships. .

CDO – How to Build Strategic Relationships in the New Normal

Wednesday, February 10, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Attend live via Zoom.

In this workshop, we will address strategies for building authentic online relationships that can help you get started, or take your career to the next level.

ISP – Continuing Advanced ESL Workshop Series – Workshops 2 & 3: People & Cultures

Friday, February 12, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT) via Zoom. Register here.
Friday, February 26, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT) via Zoom. Register here.

These two, two-hour sessions with Q&A will allow students exchange of cultural information regarding their own culture and customs, as well as listen to and learn from their their fellow students. In this third workshop we will discuss American culture and customs, and students will have the opportunity to ask questions about the nuances of life in the U.S.

CWR – Dissertation Boot Camp

Saturday – Sunday, February 13 & 14, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.)
Register here.

Current CGU students who are ABD are eligible to attend the weekend boot camps. Space is limited and application review is generally first-come, first-served — but we do consider other factors to ensure that as many students as possible can participate. Proposal and Master’s thesis students will be considered after all ABD students’ applications have been reviewed. We normally notify all applicants of their status via email on the Wednesday prior to the weekend camp. If we are unable to accept you, we can place you on a waiting list and will notify you of any spaces that become available as soon as possible.

PFF – Diversity Statement 101: The Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Wednesday, February 17, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

This session will highlight important considerations in writing your Diversity Statement. We will examine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from a systems lens and identify concrete strategies to teach, model, and practice inclusion for diverse learners. We will discuss ways to communicate your experiences and commitment to embracing diversity and working for inclusivity and equity in education.

CWR – Students of Color Writing Retreat

Sunday, February 21, 8:45 am – 4:00 pm (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.)
Register here

The Center for Writing and Rhetoric has recently started offering Students of Color Writing Retreats. With a Writing Consultant facilitating breaks and debriefs, this retreat will be a collaborative space for students of color to mutually support themselves in all stages of the writing process and gain invaluable feedback for their work.

PFF – Learning Management Systems – Meaningful and Effective Discussion Forums

Tuesday, February 23, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

In this session you will learn how to improve student engagement in online discussions by connecting those discussions to a meaningful purpose, and by utilizing features available in the Canvas environment. By the end of this webinar, you will have several strategies to deploy in your classes.

CDO – Career Pathways with Tina Lee (‘18)

Tuesday, February 23, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Attend live via Zoom.

Learn how Tina leveraged her CGU experience to propel her career in Organizational Development.

CWR – The Basics of Presenting

February 25, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Matthew Higgins
Register here.

In this webinar, we will go over the basics of effective public speaking and presentations. The webinar is a brief overview of several elements of public speaking, including organization and structure or presentations, nonverbal do’s-and-don’ts’s, and tips for preparation. The material discussed is applicable for both face-to-face and asynchronous presentations.

PFF – Transformational Teaching and Learning:
An Overview of Kristen Olson’s Wounded by School: Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up to Old School Culture

Thursday, February 25, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Catherine Conner, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

Engagement in learning is critical for student success. Unfortunately, school can alienate many individuals, resulting in life-long “school wounds” that extend far beyond the classroom. By examining and understanding the wounds of schooling, how schools wound, and what we can do about it, we can avoid wounding students and work to transform their learning. In this webinar, we will use Kristen Olson’s Wounded by School to help us reconsider our teaching strategies.

CWR – Writing Retreat

Saturday, February 27, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (PDT)

This single day writing session is open to all students. Register here.

March

CDO / PFF / CWR / TNDY / ISP – Re-Orientation: From Coursework to Completion

Monday, March 1 – Saturday, March 6

Re-Orientation is an invitation only event for PhD students who have completed 48 units and are navigating the post coursework process towards earning their PhD. We have a week of programming focused on preparing you for quals/proposal/dissertation, and career planning. Check your CGU email for your invitation and more information. This program is brought to you by Career Development Office, Preparing Future Faculty, Center for Writing and Rhetoric, Transdisciplinary Studies and International Scholars Program.

ISP – Conversation with Professor James Wright, Florida State University: Being Black in the academy: Why graduating is only half the battle.

Tuesday, March 2, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT) via Zoom.
Register here.

Professor James Wright discusses his journey as a person of color to joining the faculty as an Assistant Professor at Florida State University. (For any questions about this session, please contact isp@cgu.edu.).

PFF – Assessing Student Learning: Alternatives to Letter Grading

Tuesday, March 2, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

Our grades should accurately reflect the skills we are trying to build in the classroom. While traditional grading techniques can be effective, there are alternative ways to provide students with grades that may feel less punitive. In this webinar, I will go over several alternative grading strategies such as ungrading and gamification.

CDO – Starting your New Job Like a Pro

Wednesday, March 3, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Attend live via Zoom.

We’ll discuss how to make a great impression on your new boss, win friends and influence people, and prepare to successfully manage your career.

CWR – Slides, Data, and Nonverbal Engagement in Presentations

March 4, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Matthew Higgins
Register in advance here.

The focus of this webinar is on using PowerPoint slides and other presentation aids, effectively presenting data, and how to use nonverbal communication as a tool for engaging presentations. There will be a brief review of the basics of presentations before diving deeper into the essentials of using presentation aids, data, and nonverbal gestures to build and deliver effective presentations and connect with audiences.

ISP – For International Students and Non-native Speakers of English:
Turning a Perceived Disadvantage into an Advantage

Saturday, March 6, 10:30 – 11:20 am (PDT)
Register here.

This interactive presentation promotes the practical application of Harvard Business Professor Laura Huang’s notion charted in her recent book Edge, Turning Adversity into Advantage to the career goals of international students and any other second language learner of English. Huang proposes that perceived disadvantages such as that of a foreign accent can be turned into a competitive edge for candidates seeking internships and career opportunities. Presented by SheriAnn Simpson, Ph.D. Director of the International Scholars Program, Kristen Brownell M.A., M.F.A. Adjunct Instructor, and Ricardo Orozco, an international student himself and an Adjunct Instructor in the International Scholars Program.

ISP – Self-Assessment for Interview Practice via The Big Interview

Saturday, March 6, 11:30 am (PDT)
Register here.

This session will be a continuation of the previous hour but is also open to anyone who would like to see a demo of the free-to-CGU-student tool The Big Interview. Ricardo Orozco-Segura, an international student himself and an Adjunct Instructor in the International Scholars Program, will give a demonstration of The Big Interview. This free student tool utilizes a self-assessment feature based on AI, thus allowing the user to see private results of practice interviews. Instructors will be on hand to discuss uses of this tool to improve your listening and speaking skills for interviews. Other presenters: SheriAnn Simpson, Ph.D. Director of the International Scholars Program and Kristen Brownell M.A., M.F.A. Adjunct Instructor.

CWR – Preparing and Practicing Presentations

March 11, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Matthew Higgins
Register in advance here.

Emphasizing the work prior to presenting, this webinar explores techniques for building your presentation and preparing for delivery. What is the first step in building your presentation? How do you create effective transitions? What is the best way to practice your presentation? How many times should you practice a presentation before actually delivering it? These are some of the questions that will be answered as we discuss the best practices for presentation preparation.

PFF – Transformational Teaching and Learning: Using Productive Struggle in the Classroom

Thursday, March 11, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Catherine Conner, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

Resilience. Perseverance. Grit. These are qualities often associated with academic rigor and success. However, the paths to helping students develop these qualities are not always clear. In this webinar, we will discuss how using productive struggle in the classroom can help students develop and strengthen these traits, and how the role of teacher as “warm demander” can infuse empathy into an academically rigorous class environment.

CWR – Dissertation Boot Camp

Saturday – Sunday, March 13 & 14, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

CWR – Students of Color Writing Retreat

Sunday, March 21, 8:45 am – 4:00 pm. (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

CDO – Online Onboarding: Effective Strategies & Lived Experiences

Tuesday, March 23, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Attend live via Zoom.

This event invites several employers and CGU alumni to share their online onboarding practices, lived experiences of new hires, and what form of this onboarding strategy will stick around after the COVID era.

CWR – Writing Effective Thesis Statements

March 25, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Katrina Denman
Register in advance here.

This webinar will address the dos and don’ts of creating an effective thesis statement for research papers and other writing projects. It includes introductions to and brief exercises on thesis writing, including brainstorming, refining your approach, elements to include, and pitfalls to avoid. Whether you’re new to graduate school or writing a dissertation, this webinar will offer tips and suggestions for honing your thesis-writing technique.

PFF – How to be an Antiracist Educator

Thursday, March 25, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

As the words antiracist and equity can become dangerously trendy, educators should pause and examine what they truly mean. Ibram X. Kendi, a leading antiracist scholar and New York Times bestselling author, states: “the only way to undo racism is to consistently identify it and describe it—and then dismantle it.” This session will review Dr. Kendi’s book “How To Be An Antiracist” and share key takeaways about how it applies to educators.

CWR – Writing Retreat

Saturday, March 27, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (PDT)

This single day writing session is open to all students. Register here.

PFF – Developing Effective Student Learning Outcomes

Tuesday, March 30, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

Developing effective student learning outcomes is a linchpin to successful course design and assessment. This webinar will provide participants with a step–by–step guide on how to develop student learning outcomes that are quantifiable and driven by backwards design. By doing so, both educators and students will be able to more accurately gauge the extent to which the course fulfilled their expectations and goals.

April

ISP – Continuing Advanced ESL Workshop Series – Workshops 4: Speaking & Listening in Professional and Social Contexts (Part 1)

Friday, April 2, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT) via Zoom. Register here.

The first of two, two-hour sessions with Q&A that will cover speaking and listening in the classroom and in professional environments such as internships, the workplace, interviews, department events, etc.

PFF – Writing Your Teaching Philosophy Statement

Tuesday, April 6, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Catherine Conner, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar

In this webinar, we will discuss ways to craft your teaching philosophy statement to showcase your background, values, and approach to teaching along with your journey to becoming an educator.

CDO – Career Pathways Conversations: Leslie Matamoros

Tuesday, April 6, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Attend Live.

Please join us for an informal conversation with CGU alumna and Curator of Exhibitions at the Ontario Museum of Art, Leslie Matamoros.

CWR – Applying for the Fulbright Research or English Teaching Assistant Awards

Wednesday, April 7, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitated by Marcus Weakley, Director
Register in advance for the Webinar

The Fulbright awards are some of the most prestigious grants available, but what exactly are they and how do you apply? This webinar will cover the basics of the two main Fulbright awards, the Research/Open Study Award and the English Teaching Assistant Award, as well as other important details such as eligibility, application procedures, and deadlines. Finally, we will discuss how the Center for Writing & Rhetoric is available to support the development of your application during spring and summer.

PFF – Growth Mindset for Grad School

Friday, April 9, 12:00 – 1:30 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Shamini Dias, PFF Director
Attend Webinar.

This webinar is part of CGU’s First Year Experience program, but all are welcome. In this webinar, we examine Carol Dweck’s work on Growth Mindset and its importance for learning success. We will explore strategies to foster growth mindset as a capacity to help you flourish in your graduate studies.

CDO – Interview Preparation Day

Tuesday, April 9, 3:00 – 4:15 pm (PDT)
Attend Live.

Join the CDO and employers to learn how to ace your interview. You’ll also have time to network with employers to learn about their organization’s interview process to improve your chances of moving from candidate to employee.

ISP – Continuing Advanced ESL Workshop Series – Workshops 5: Speaking & Listening in Professional and Social Contexts (Part 2)

Friday, April 9, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT) via Zoom. Register here.

The second of two, two-hour sessions with Q&A that covers speaking and listening in the classroom and in professional environments such as internships, the workplace, interviews, department events, etc.

CWR – Dissertation Boot Camp

Saturday – Sunday, April 10 & 11, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

PFF – Assessing Student Learning: Student Self-Assessment

Friday, April 13, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

“Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; teach a man how to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime”. Assessment techniques that focus on student self-assessment rather than teacher assessment can help build life-long self-sufficient learners. This webinar will discuss several ways we can promote student self-assessment in our classrooms and build meta-cognition in our students.

CWR – Big Pitch 2021 Information Webinar

Thursday, April 15, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitated by Marcus Weakley, Director
Register in advance for the Webinar

Learn all about CGU’s 3-Minute Thesis event, the Big Pitch. Even though the event takes place every November, learn what you can do to prepare over the course of the year. Even though we do not know if the event will be virtual or in-person for 2021, this webinar will still cover the rules for participation, the criteria the judges use to assess the pitches, and the structure of the preliminary and final rounds.

CWR – Qualifying Exams Preparation Weekend

Saturday – Sunday, April 17 & 18, 8:45 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) Register here.

CDO – Career Pathways Conversation with Shana Love

Tuesday, April 20, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Attend Live.

Shana joined the Recruiting and Training team at the California State Auditor’s office in March of 2018. Prior to that, she was the National Recruitment Manager for the prestigious Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. In previous roles she developed, evaluated, and managed programs, and conducted strategic planning in the private, government, and non-profit sectors. She also founded a Coaching and Consulting practice and worked with individuals, groups, and small businesses to identify and obtain their goals. You can find out more about Shana on her Linkedin page.

PFF – Receiving Feedback in Grad School

Friday, April 23, 12:00 – 1:30 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Shamini Dias, PFF Director
Attend Webinar.

This webinar is part of CGU’s First Year Experience program, but all are welcome. Receiving feedback is an important part of learning and graduate school. But how do we respond to feedback? What can we do with it? In this webinar, we explore the role and impact of feedback in learning, and how you can build strategies to use feedback as a tool for sharpening your abilities and being successful in your graduate studies.

ISP – Continuing Advanced ESL Workshop Series – Workshop 6: Decoding Regional Cultures and Linuistic Differences Within the United States

Friday, April 23, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT) via Zoom. Register here.

This workshop will help students understand more about American geography as well as the unique culture and linguistic diversity of each region in the U.S. (the South versus the East Coast, for example) plus we will discuss the U.K. and Australia briefly. Additionally, it will allow students to practice more advanced levels of English such as the past tenses and compound past tenses, which are often a challenge for non-native speakers via exchange of information regarding where they have been and experiences they have had from their travels in various countries including the U.S.A.

CWR – Writing Retreat

Saturday, April 24, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (PDT)

This single day writing session is open to all students. Register here.

CWR – Writing the Fulbright Personal Statement

Monday, April 26, 12:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitated by Marcus Weakley, Director
Register in advance for the Webinar

A key element of both main Fulbright awards is the personal statement. This webinar will provide strategies for writing strong Fulbright personal statements, illustrated by successful examples.

PFF – Equity-Centered and System Thinking Leadership in the Classroom

Wednesday, April 28, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

This session focuses on equity-centered teaching leadership that strives to build inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive. We will build a shared understanding of the intersection of race, power, and privilege in our society and school systems. We will also explore ways to develop a system thinking mindset that ensures students have the tools to navigate, question, and undo systemic barriers.

June

PFF – Diversity Statement 101: The Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Friday, June 4, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
Co-Host: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

CWR – Summer Dissertation Boot Camp

Saturday – Wednesday, June 5-9

Along with meeting for five days, Summer Dissertation Boot Camp participants benefit from a number of other features, including guest faculty and peer speakers addressing issues such as the writing process and staying motivated, as well as group discussions, expanded planning work, and 25+ hours of writing time. Submission of a detailed plan and confirmation from your advisor that you have discussed your plan with them is required. Only current CGU students who are ABD or in the proposal phase may apply. Eligible students must submit an application which includes a brief statement on how you hope to benefit from the Boot Camp and a detailed Writing Plan for the week. Your your advisor must e-mail the CWR (write@cgu.edu) with confirmation that they have reviewed your writing plan with you/. An application will not be considered complete until we receive confirmation from an advisor.

PFF – Lessons Learned: Enhancing the Student Experience in Online Courses

Wednesday, June 9, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Co-Host: Coming soon, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

The rapid transition to teaching online has been challenging for both students and faculty alike. Even as we look toward recovery from the pandemic and return to on-ground teaching, online teaching is likely to continue with greater presence in education. This webinar details the most common student complaints about online courses and provides strategies on how to remedy these issues to create a more inclusive and engaging experience for students in online courses.

PFF – Developing Effective Student Learning Outcomes

Thursday, June 17, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Co-Host: Coming soon, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

Developing effective student learning outcomes is a linchpin to successful course design and assessment. This webinar will provide participants with a step–by–step guide on how to develop student learning outcomes that are quantifiable, equitable, and driven by backwards design. By doing so, both educators and students will be able to more accurately gauge the extent to which the course fulfilled their expectations and goals.

CWR – Students of Color Writing Retreat

Sunday, June 20, 8:45 am – 4:00 pm. (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

CWR – Writing Retreat

Saturday, June 26, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (PDT)

This single day writing session is open to all students. Register here. (Registration opens two weeks prior to each session.)

PFF – Well-Being In Teaching and Learning: Fighting Zoom/Virtual Fatigue

Tuesday, June 29, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
Co-Host: Jessi Knippel, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

In this webinar you will gain a better understanding of Zoom fatigue (AKA virtual fatigue), and how to mitigate it in your classes. The webinar format will consist of a mix of research findings, and a discussion of experience-based practice tips from PFF, and others who wish to share. By the end of this webinar, you will have gained a more mindful understanding of Zoom/Virtual fatigue, and some hacks to add to your teacher toolbox. Feel free to come ready with questions or tips related to these struggles, it will only make the experience more richer, but participation is not required or expected.

July

PFF – Inclusive Learning Management Systems: Designing a Student-Centered Front Page

Tuesday, July 6, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
Co-Host: Jessi Knippel, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link.

Learning Management Systems (LMS) in both online and on-ground teaching. LMS help students navigate and engage with their course. But they can be confusing and time consuming for many. An intentional, inclusively designed Front Page in your LMS can make all the difference to effective engagement, focus, and learning. This webinar goes beyond technical “how to” and focuses on student-centered concepts of front-page design to facilitate easy and intuitive course navigation.

PFF – TRANSforming the Classroom: Teaching Strategies that Support Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming Students

Friday, July 9, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Shelby Lamar, PFF Assistant Director
Co-Host: Kay Lamar
Register here for Zoom link.

Have you checked that your classroom environment, syllabi, activities, and teaching practices are inclusive to transgender, nonbinary, agender, and gender nonconforming students? This workshop will discuss best practices in creating a safe, inclusive, and open classroom environment for students of all gender identities. Co-facilitators, Catherine Lamar and Shelby Lamar, will discuss strategies that educators can use when designing course materials, syllabi, first-day-of-class activities, and student resources that support and affirm LGBTQ+ students. Attendees will leave this session with tangible practices to implement in classrooms, including a checklist to design your course with gender-inclusive practices.

CWR – Weekend Dissertation Boot Camp

Saturday – Sunday, July 10-11, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

CWR – Students of Color Writing Retreat

Sunday, July 18, 8:45 am – 4:00 pm. (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

PFF – Experiential Learning for Leadership Development

Friday, July 23, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Host: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
Co-Host: Coming Soon
Register here for Zoom link.

Experiential learning offers opportunities for students to learn through student- rather than instructor-centered experiences by doing, discovering, reflecting and applying. Through these experiences student can develop leadership skills by responding to and solving real world problems and processes. This session will explore how experiential learning has been and can be used to support students in leadership development and growth mindset.

CWR – Writing Retreat

Friday, July 30, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (PDT)

This single day writing session is open to all students. Register here. (Registration opens two weeks prior to each session.)

August

CWR – Time Management & Creating a Productivity System

Tuesday, August 10, 2021, 12 p.m. | Webinar facilitated by Marcus Weakley, CWR Director. Register here.

The dynamics of the graduate school workload are unique, and it is often a challenge to integrate academic demands into the rest of life. This workshop gives you tools to thrive during graduate school by providing time management techniques to increase efficiency, plan effectively, and achieve work-life balance. Learn how to create and refine a system for productivity that utilizes assessment and reflection toward incremental improvements.

CWR – Weekend Dissertation Boot Camp

Saturday – Sunday, August 14-15, 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

CWR – Introduction to Graduate Research Papers

Wednesday, August 18, 2021, 12 p.m. | Webinar facilitated by Marcus Weakley, CWR Director, & Arline Votruba, Writing Consultant. Register here.

Writing research papers at the graduate level requires both rhetorical and structural shifts from undergraduate writing. This webinar introduces the common forms of research papers in the social sciences and humanities while also covering approaches for writing introductions, methods, discussions, and other types of body sections. We will also spend time considering implications of the shift to the graduate context on audience, genre, and the writer.

CWR – Creating Writing Plans

Friday, August 20, 2021, 12 p.m. | Webinar facilitated by Marcus Weakley, CWR Director, & Anisha Ahuja, Writing Consultant. Register here.

With the added demands of graduate school, such as multiple simultaneous writing assignments in numerous courses, theses, qualifying exams and dissertations, prewriting strategies can make a huge difference in developing sustainable writing practices. In this webinar, learn about how developing a writing plan can help you tackle longer projects one step at a time, allowing you more time and attention for each part. We will discuss how this can be applied during coursework as well as during the more independent post-coursework phases.

CWR – Students of Color Writing Retreat

Wednesday, August 25, 8:45 am – 4:00 pm. (PDT) (Registration opens two weeks prior to event.) Register here.

CWR – Writing Retreat

Friday, August 27, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (PDT)

This single-day writing session is open to all students. Register here. (Registration opens two weeks prior to each session.)

2020 Events

July

CDO – What Employers Want webinar

Tuesday, July 21, 12:00pm – 12:45pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Michael Sacoto, CDO Assistant Director
Zoom Link for the Webinar

It can be difficult to understand what employers are looking for. This workshop will allow you a peek behind the recruiting curtain. Join us as we discuss topics like: Skills that employers desire most, how to interact with employers and more! Visit Handshake for more information and to register for this online event.

PFF – Understanding Issues of Engagement

Thursday, July 9, 1:00-2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Sarah Eckert, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

In this webinar, we examine issues surrounding student engagement. We will explore possible reasons for student disengagement as well as how we might address such situations to promote learning and engagement.

PFF – Academic Integrity in Online Classes

Tuesday, July 14, 4:00-5:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Catherine Conner, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

In this webinar, we will discuss taking a proactive approach to academic integrity and explore the strategies and tools you can use to develop a classroom culture that fosters honesty, integrity, and accountability.

PFF – Promoting Active Learning Online

Thursday, July 16, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

As many classes have moved online, both students and professors have struggled to maintain class engagement. This should come as no surprise as teaching courses online is relatively new for many and requires a different set of skills. Accordingly, this webinar reviews specific strategies to facilitate student engagement online including a flipped classroom, group discussions, and problem-based learning.

PFF – Managing Writing in Online Classes

Tuesday, July 21, 7:00 – 8:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Catherine Conner, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

In this webinar, we will discuss some of the challenges of teaching writing online and how you can help students engage with writing in meaningful ways, synchronously or asynchronously. We will also explore assessment and feedback options.

PFF – Reflexivity in Crisis and Beyond: Strategies for Your Class

Thursday, July 23, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Cristal Almonte, PFF Fellow
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

In this webinar, educators will examine why practicing reflexivity during a time of crisis is important and how they may use reflexivity to inform their teaching to improve their communication with students and their assessments.

PFF – Assignments and Assessments Online

Tuesday, July 28, 4:00 – 5:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Shamini Dias, PFF Director
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

Inclusive assignments and assessments support students in learning and mastery. How do we do this effectively in online spaces? In this webinar, we explore how to design online assignments and assessments that are formative and support students’ learning autonomy and self-efficacy.

PFF – Building Community in Online Courses

Thursday, July 30, 4:00 – 5:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Shelby Lamar, PFF Asst. Director
Register for the Webinar (You will be emailed the Zoom link)

Building a sense of community in our courses increases student achievement, learning, and retention. Yet, it often seems difficult to build and sustain a classroom community in an online environment. This webinar will explore research-backed principles and practices that can help you build community in synchronous and asynchronous online courses.

October

PFF – Using Productive Struggle to Build Learner Persistence

Thursday, October 1, 4:00-5:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Shamini Dias, PFF Director
View the Slides – View the Video

Often, struggling in the classroom can present barriers to learning and can leave students feeling defeated. But can productive struggle be a factor in active learning, self-efficacy, and resiliency? In this webinar, we will explore this concept and think more about ways to balance support with scaffolding to help students sharpen their higher-order skills and content knowledge.

PFF – Facilitating Well-being in Your Classes: Aligning Academic and Health Outcomes

Tuesday, October 6, 1:00-2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
View the Slides – View the Video

The research shows that when well-being improves so does academic performance. This webinar will provide you with guidance on facilitating well-being through your implicit teaching and provide you with some takeaway tools you can start using today.

ISP – Continuing Advanced ESL Workshop Series – Workshops 3 & 5: How to Deliver a Pitch or New Idea in a Class or for a Research Project (pairs with CGU’s Big Pitch contest)

Friday, October 9, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT)
Friday, October 30, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT)
*(Please note that workshop 4 occurs in between these on October 16, 2020)
Facilitators: SheriAnn Simpson, ISP Director & Kristen Brownell
RSVP at ISP@cgu.edu.

Facilitating understanding the concepts of a “pitch”, and to practice the delivery of it. By “pitch”, we are referring to a process in which a student succinctly describes and delivers a new idea in a class or for a research topic. This pairs with The Big Pitch, a 3-minute, campus-wide contest. Even international students who do not plan on entering the contest should attend to practice delivering ideas to advisors, professors, and classmates.

CWR – Effective Reading in Graduate School

Monday, October 12, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Register for Webinar

One of the most challenging parts of grad school is the amount of reading that you have to keep up with. Whether it is several articles a week, or several books, the material that you will be (and are) engaging with is dense and seldom lends itself to a breezy page-by-page readthrough. In this workshop, we will practice the skill of reading for argument rather than for content—that is, reading with an eye towards how different materials fit together in the context of your class (or your program or your field) instead of trying to keep track of every little detail. We will also look at and compare different ways to focus on your readings so that you can begin to develop a more purposeful approach to reading as you make your way through your program.

PFF – Value-Based Teaching: How to Align Your Values to Your Practice

Tuesday, October 13, 10:00 – 11:00 am (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow

It is common to teach both how and what we were taught. By doing this, we can unknowingly perpetuate unjust policies and learning environments that are not aligned with our values. This webinar will discuss the process of identifying your values and the reflexive processes needed to turn those values into actionable policies and assignments to help all your students succeed in a diverse and inclusive learning environment.

PFF – Coping with the Load: Reference Management Software

Tuesday, October 13, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Shelby Lamar, PFF Assistant Director
View the Slides

Reference management software is a scholar’s best friend! This workshop gives you tools to thrive during graduate school by showing how the free reference management software Zotero can save time and prevent citation frustrations. Organizing all your sources, reading notes, and entering citations manually can be overwhelming and cost precious time, especially when working on a long-term project like a thesis or dissertation. When working on a project, you may find that you forget what you have read, don’t remember where your notes are located, or can’t find the source of that amazing quote! The earlier you start using a reference management system, the easier it will be to take notes, write papers, make bibliographies, and organize your research. Come learn how to use Zotero and make grad life easier!

CDO – Career Pathways Conversation with Victor Rose

Tuesday, October 13, 5:00 – 6:00 pm (PDT)
Zoom Link for the Webinar

Strategic Planning Manager, Amazon Web Services: During this session you will learn about Amazon’s job process and networking opportunities during the COVID era. The speaker will also touch on how to properly negotiate your salary, how to build credibility within your organization, strategies to identify transferable skills and more. You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity! Victor Rose is a CGU alumni and would like to continue making connections with current students.

ISP – Continuing Advanced ESL Workshop Series – Workshop 4: Practical, Everyday Writing in English for Graduate School

Friday, October 16, 7:00 – 9:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitators: SheriAnn Simpson, ISP Director & Kristen Brownell
RSVP at ISP@cgu.edu.

Facilitating international students’ successful completion of basic but crucial writing tasks that they will engage in during their time at CGU and the workplace. Topics include: Writing Emails to Professors and Other Authority Figures, Messages and Exchanges Between Group Members in an Online and In-Person Format, Requests, Petitions, and Self-Advocacy, Asking for Information, Filling Out Documents for Government and Other Agencies, Meaningful Responses & Peer Feedback in the Discussion Area of Online Classes.

CWR – Qualifying Exams Preparation Weekend

Friday – Sunday, October 16-18, 8:15 am – 4:40 pm (PDT)
Register here.

The Center for Writing & Rhetoric is happy to announce that in addition to our dissertation boot camps, writing retreats, and writing groups, we will now also be offering an event just for students at the qualifying exam stage. Designed for students doing timed exams, written assignments, dissertation chapter drafts, and portfolios, the event will provide the options of either dedicated work time with peers or a combination of work time and facilitated sessions on exam preparation topics.

The inaugural event in Fall 2020 will be entirely online on Friday, October 16^th to Sunday, October 18^th from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm each day. The deadline to register is October 11th at midnight!

PFF – Inclusive, Future–Focused Scholarship: Using 3 Tech Tools to Publish Inclusive Scholarly Works

Tuesday, October 20, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Jonathan Aragon, PFF Fellow
Register here for Zoom link

In this webinar I will demonstrate how to harness the potential of modern technology to produce inclusive and engaging scholarly works. By the end of this webinar I will provide templates you can use to get started today.

CDO – Unlocking the Mysteries of the U.S. Workplace

Thursday, October 22, 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PDT)
Zoom Link for the Webinar

It’s easy to understand and follow the written rules of the workplace. However, the challenge is figuring out and following the unwritten rules. This webinar will help you understand some of the unwritten rules common to most US work environments, including tips for navigating office politics. You’ll also have the chance to ask any questions you have to prepare you for success while working in the US.

November

PFF – Developing an Effective Teaching Portfolio

Tuesday, November 3, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
View the Slides – View the Video
Did you watch the video? Please fill out our survey!

A teaching portfolio is a collection of information about your teaching practice. When carefully developed, portfolios can significantly advance your professional growth and demonstrate evidence of exemplary teaching. This webinar will discuss how you can use teaching portfolios effectively to assess your teaching quality and enhance reflexivity.

PFF – What Do the Best Teachers Do?

Tuesday, November 10, 10:00 – 11:00 am (PDT)
Facilitator: Noah Ringler, PFF Fellow
View the Slides – View the Video
Did you watch the video? Please fill out our survey!

Ken Bain conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with the most successful college professors in the country and this webinar will summarize his results and help you implement his discoveries in your courses. The webinar will cover issues like course design, student and self-assessment, and identifying student outcomes. The eBook is free to all CGU students on the Claremont Colleges Library website at https://ccl.on.worldcat.org/oclc/761325075.

CWR – Students of Color Writing Retreat

Sunday, November, 15, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (PDT)
Register to Participate

The Center for Writing and Rhetoric is proud to present the first Students of Color Writing Retreat on Sunday, November 15, 2020. With a Writing Consultant facilitating breaks and debriefs, this retreat with be a collaborative space for students of color to mutually support themselves in all stages of the writing process and gain invaluable feedback for their work.

PFF – Understanding Teaching & Learning as a Complex Process: The Cynefin Framework

Thursday, November 19, 10:00 – 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)
Facilitator: Liz Cardenas, PFF Fellow
View the Slides – View the Video

Teaching and learning are some of the most complex human interactions and understanding complexity can help us be more agile and adaptive. The Cynefin framework from David Snowden is a powerful thinking tool used to make sense of complexity, discover and adapt, and embrace uncertainty and innovation. This webinar will explore how the Cynefin framework can be applied in the education landscape during times of crisis and change.

CWR – The Big Pitch 2020

Friday, November 20, 12:00 – 1:00 pm (PDT)

The format is simple. Participants have 3 minutes and a single PowerPoint slide to argue for the significance of their research, project, or art. This lends itself to business projects and artist statements as well as research work in the Humanities, Sciences, and Mathematics. The Big Pitch, CGU’s 3-Minute Thesis Competition, is open to all CGU students at any stage of their academic progress. For Fall 2020, the Big Pitch will be entirely virtual. Find out more information here!