The sessions listed on this page are specifically for members of the 2024-25 Faculty Mentorship Academy. If you are not a member of the 2024-25 Cohort, please do not register for any events on this page.
Please click on the session title to see a description and to register for the event.
- Nov12Wed
Dialing It In: The Art of the Public Interview – (November 12, 2025 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 34
As scholars and teachers, faculty are often invited to comment upon areas of their expertise and its relation to matters of public policy: linking history, sociology, sciences, economics, and related scholarly disciplines to topics of the day. As academics, we are adept with our knowledge, and with calibrating our presentation of that knowledge to the audiences we are addressing. But either conducting or responding to an interview can provide its own challenges and opportunities: how to ask, and how to answer, and how to tailor our questions and responses in a fashion that maximizes clarity and minimizes potential distortions. In this 50-minute presentation, Christopher Smith, professor of musicology and founding director of the Vernacular Music Center, a veteran of three decades in public radio, co-director of Reciprocal Studios podcasting consultancy, and showrunner of three ongoing podcasts (SOUNDING HISTORY, VOICES FROM THE VERNACULAR MUSIC CENTER, and THE BASSANDA PODCAST), will provide guidelines, visualizations, participatory exercises, best practices, and technical advice that help academics “dial in” their capacity for effective, accessible, engaging, and rewarding interview experiences, on both sides of the microphone. Teams Link Meeting ID: 210 288 269 353 1 Passcode: qh73nh9E
- Nov13Thu
Auto-Grading with AI and Large Language Models – (November 13, 2025 09:30 AM – 10:20 AM)
Location:TLPDC Room 150
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 150
Available Seats: 24
With the rise and widespread adoption of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) in recent years, extensive research has been conducted on their applications across various domains. One such domain is education, where a key area of interest for researchers is investigating the implementation and reliability of LLMs in grading student responses. In this talk, I will discuss how LLMs have been used in grading across six academic sub-fields: educational assessment, essay grading, natural sciences and technology, social sciences and humanities, computer science and engineering, and mathematics. I will also discuss what prompting techniques have been used employed in building those systems and the effectiveness of LLM based grading for both structured and open-ended responses. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely:
Meeting ID: 226 618 674 300 5Passcode: WR3nd6jd - Nov13Thu
Building Bridges, Not Walls: A Fresh Approach to Academic Integrity – (November 13, 2025 03:00 PM – 04:20 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 13
Why do some students see academic integrity as an outdated formality while faculty view it as fundamental to education? This interactive workshop facilitated by Barbie Chambers and Mitzi Ziegner from the TLPDC explores the gaps that shape how we and our students approach academic honesty. You'll discover practical strategies for moving beyond rule enforcement to meaningful conversations about character and professional preparation. Through real scenarios and discussion, we'll explore innovative ways to help students embrace integrity as a cornerstone of their Red Raider identity. Join us to transform how you think about and teach academic honor! This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely:
Meeting ID: 218 322 364 287 6Passcode: Pz3xT3uU - Nov14Fri
Mind Your Mind – Nurturing Mental Wellness – (November 14, 2025 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 15
An introduction to evidence-based strategies for maintaining mental well-being in academia. Learn practical tools for managing stress, promoting resilience, and fostering a healthy work-life balance as you begin your faculty journey. This workshop session is designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format; however, we understand that you might need to attend remotely for a variety of reasons. Please use this link to join the conversation remotely:
Meeting ID: 242 984 966 110 8Passcode: ob2pY6rh - Nov17Mon
Mentorship Series: Maintaining Effective Communication – (November 17, 2025 03:00 PM – 04:00 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 24
Effective communication is foundational to successful mentoring relationships. While many recognize good communication when they experience it, mentors must deliberately cultivate and practice these skills. In this interactive session, participants will identify key characteristics of effective communication and engage in practical exercises to strengthen their mentoring dialogue. TLPDC 153 and TEAMS for remote faculty:
Microsoft Teams Need help?Meeting ID: 243 624 458 640 53Passcode: Wf9DC3Qh
Phone conference ID: 805 730 546# - Nov18Tue
Collaborative Feedback in Academia – (November 18, 2025 12:30 PM – 01:50 PM)
Location:TLPDC Room 153
2802 18th Street
Lubbock, TX 79409Room: TLPDC 153
Available Seats: 16
Facilitator: Dr. Lisa Garner Santa What if giving feedback could be energizing, even enjoyable? In this session, we’ll explore how feedback, when grounded in connection and mutual respect, can become a two-way exchange that strengthens both mentoring relationships and institutional culture. Through the lens of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), we’ll examine how to move from “power over” or “power under” toward “power with,” where everyone’s needs matter. Participants will practice using observations, feelings, needs, and requests to engage in feedback conversations that are clear, kind, and co-created. When mentoring becomes a collaborative process, feedback becomes not only possible but meaningful and rewarding. IFE Path I and II