¡Juntos al Éxito! - Empowering Excellence Program
The goal of the COS ¡Juntos al Éxito! Program is to provide faculty with the opportunity to sharpen their skills and become even more successful in their careers. The program will offer a series of workshops, panel discussions, and real-life testimonials on how to successfully deal with the demands and challenges of the tenure-seeking process and beyond. The activities will help faculty to align their teaching pedagogies, research, and service activities with the vision of the College of Sciences and the Strategic Plan of UTRGV.
As a faculty development program, participants will receive proof of attendance for each session, and if a minimum 4 of the 6 total sessions are completed, they will receive a certificate of completion.
The program is based on panels with guests from outside UTRGV and from different offices at UTRGV, testimonials of students and COS faculty that have received different recognitions for their achievements.
We encourage faculty attending this or any other faculty development program to integrate a reflection in their annual evaluations (FTP dossiers) of how these programs are actively helping them to improve their pedagogical, research and service skills.
FACTS ABOUT THE SESSIONS:
- Sessions are scheduled on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.
- Meetings are via Zoom.
- Each session will last a maximum of 1 hr.
- There are three panelists per session and one moderator.
- No need to RSVP – just join the zoom meeting!
THE GENERAL AGENDA IS AS FOLLOWS:
- Welcome and introductions – 5 minutes
- Panelist input –15 minutes (each panelist has 5 minutes to share their information)
- Questions and answers from attendees - 15 minutes – potential for breakout sessions if time and audience allow for it.
- Adjourn – reminder for the next session
Additional Information:
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To learn more about the Juntos al Exito program, please contact
Dr. Teresa Patricia Feria
Associate Dean for Faculty Success, Diversity and Inclusion
College of Sciences
teresa.feriaarroyo@utrgv.edu
(956)-665-7322
Current Sessions
In this session, our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Arney, addressed the great efforts of everyone at UTRGV to continue growing as a leading institution in Higher Education.
Meet our speakers View Recording
Past Sessions
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Date |
Title |
Panelists |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session 1 January 26 |
Understanding student success: sense of belonging and culture in an HSI university.
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1. What is an HSI? 2. Culture: Maritza de la Trinidad 3. Student success story: Sense of belonging Moderator: Cristina Trejo Coordinator NSF grant Improving Undergraduate Science Education (IUSE) Program COS |
UTRGV is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Unfortunately, many people do not fully understand this concept. To be an HSI is not only about the % of Hispanic students that we have. It is more than that. In this session we will explore student success, sense of belonging, and cultural aspects that are crucial to help us to succeed together as an HSI institution. |
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Session 2 February 23
|
Empowering Excellence – Community Engagement
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1. Community Engagement 2. Faculty success story - Dr. Liang Zeng 3. Community leader: Moderator: Dr. Alex Racelis |
Community engagement is a core component of the COS and UTRGV. Faculty, students and members of local communities work together with the main goal of creating bridges of trust between them. In this session we will hear about opportunities to engage with the community as well as success stories from faculty and community leaders.
|
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Session 3 March 23 |
Path to R1
|
1. Tips: grants – pre and post award 2. Writing resources at UTRGV and Beyond. 3. Faculty success story Moderator: Dr. Volker Quetschke |
UTRGV is now an Emergent research institution! Let’s walk the path to R1 together! In this session we will hear about tips for successful grant submission and reporting as well as writing resources that you can find at UTRGV and beyond. You will also hear the success stories of our 2019-2020 COS Faculty Excellence in Research Awardees. |
|
Session 4 April 27 |
Empowering our pedagogical skills: Peer teaching observations and students’ evaluations
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1. All about Peer Teaching Observations 2. Reflecting on student’s evaluations 3. Faculty success story: Dr. Tina Thomas Moderator: Bonnie Gunn, |
UTRGV has different resources that can help faculty to empower their pedagogical skills. However, probably the most powerful tools we have to improve them are the Peer Teaching Observations and students’ evaluations-comments. In this session you will hear from the directors of the CTE and Provost’s Fellow for Academic Innovation on the different resources that their office offers for student success as well as the success story of a Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching awardee that has been able to enhance their courses through Peer Observations and students comments. She has also served as a Peer Teaching Reviewer. |
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Session 5 May 25 |
Faculty mentoring/Service at the COS, UTRGV and beyond
|
1. What is expected from a Faculty mentor? – How to be a better mentor? 2. Faculty success story: Dr. Robert Gilkerson 3. Why we should have Faculty Mentors? Moderator: Dr. Cristina Villalobos |
Mentoring is crucial for junior faculty and any other faculty level that wishes to keep learning from their mentors. In this session we will learn about best practices for being a Faculty Mentor and how to foster a culture of mentorships at UTRGV. |
|
Session 6 June 29 |
Global Engagement
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1. Explore USA and the World 2. Faculty success story: Dr. Rupesh Kariyat 3. Student success story: Nora Sustaita Moderator: Maria Leonard
|
Global Engagement is a UTRGV priority! In this session we will hear about study abroad programs, collaborative online international courses, bi-national research grant opportunities, international students, and more! |
|
Session 7 July 27 |
Balancing work and life
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1. Managing conflict 2. Work/life balance Moderator: Dr. Frederick Zaidan |
In this session we will hear about the resources that the university offers to help us balance our work and life as well as tips on how to achieve this balance. |
|
Session 8 August 24 |
Preparing for the next academic year
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1. FPT – dossiers 2. Best practices – tips for dossier submission Moderator: Dr. Tim Huber |
In this session we will provide basic information that will help us be prepared for the coming semester. |
|
Date |
Title |
Panelists |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session 1 February 22 |
Student Success: How to engage students during the pandemic and beyond. The importance of the family and culture at our Hispanic Serving Institution
|
1. Our HIS – Importance of family, culture, and education Dr. Stephany Alvarez Director, Mexican American Studies Center 2. Student and family centered teaching Dr. Tina Thomas Senior Lecturer Chemistry Department 3. Student success story: Samantha Colunga Alumni Moderator: Dr. Josef Sifuentes ROTA Awardee 2022 |
UTRGV is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)! Family, culture and education are all connected. In this session we will explore how to engage our students during the pandemic through student and family centered teaching. |
|
Session 2 March 23 |
Path to R1
|
1. Dr. Bette Loiselle Director, Tropical Conservation and Development Program Center for Latin American Studies & Professor, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida 2. Dr. Carlos Ortiz, USDA National Program Leader Division of Community and Education Institute of Youth, Family, and Community 3. M.A. Kathy Grzech Proposal Development Office Executive Director University of Kentucky Moderator: Dr. Karen Martirosyan |
UTRGV is now an R2 research institution! Let’s walk the path to R1 together! In this session we will hear about tips for successful grant writing and submission from different experts. |
|
Session 3 April 26 |
All about Student Mentoring
|
1. Dr. Tamer Oraby Associate Professor SMSS 2. Dr. Karen Lozano Professor Mechanical Engineering 3. Ramiro Patino PhD Candidate UC San Francisco President SACNAS chapter Moderator: Dr. Megan Keniry Associate Professor Biology Department |
In this session we will learn about best practices for being a student mentor as well as success stories from faculty that have received awards for their excellence in Student Mentoring. We will also hear a testimonial on mentoring success from an UTRGV alumni. |
|
Session 4 May 24 |
Successful Together: Community Engagement vs Service Learning: Mitos y Verdades
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1. Estela de la Garza Engaged Scholarship and Learning Program Manager 2. Faculty success story, Dr. Sylvia Robles 3. Student Success Story Moderator: Dr. Engil Pereira Chair of the COS Women in Science
|
Community engagement and service learning are critical components of the COS and UTRGV. In this session we will hear about opportunities to engage with the community as well as successful stories from faculty and students working on community engagement and service learning. |
|
Session 5 June 28 |
Sustainability |
1. Why sustainability matters? Jeremy San Miguel -Sustainability
3. Student Success Story: Ruth Lilian Galan 4. Student Success Story: Samantha Martin Moderator: Dr. Christopher Gabler - Professor |
Sustainability is a UTRGV priority! In this session we will hear successful stories from faculty and students working on Sustainability at UTRGV. |