Session A:

Title: Student Panel - A panel of Rider University students respond to Professor Sealey-Ruiz

Facilitator: Anne Law (Psychology); Student Panel: TBD

Description: Does culture matter in good teaching? Dr. Sealey-Ruiz will share her expertise and experience in our keynote address, and a panel of Rider students will respond to her remarks with reflections on their experiences as students. What have been their experiences with culture in the classroom? What do they wish faculty knew or understood about culture, race, ethnicity and gender and how those aspects of identity might impact learning? How can we prepare better by listening to student voices?

Session B:

Title: Engaging Freshmen Across the Disciplines: Applying the Rider University Shared Read in the Classroom

Presenters: Megan Titus (English) and Tami Musumeci-Szabo (Psychology)
Description: Each year, the Rider University Shared Read aims to engage first-year students across the university in academic conversation around one chosen text. Research shows that this kind of a first-year experience can improve first-year students’ sense of belonging. This session will provide a preview of the 2017- 2018 Rider University Shared Read to faculty. It will also offer specific passages from the text that faculty across disciplines can use to engage freshmen in the Shared Read. It will also offer suggestions for sample assignments, and programming that faculty can encourage students to attend.