Greetings, Friends, 

I’m reviewing students’ proposals this week for projects in my course in pedagogical research. As I read, I’m hearing two voices in my head. One is Stephanie Bluth from GMU’s Grad Division in last month’s Keystone Concepts podcast, saying, “Everyone could learn how to be a better teacher.” And one is my mother, long retired after a 40-year university teaching career, sighing at her computer in frustration: “I suppose this is just another [dang] learning experience.”  

It can feel like university teaching constantly calls us to learn how to be better--at a frustratingly faster pace than ever. This week, you may be moderating tricky political conversations, exploring hybrid course modalities, adapting to the spread of AI tools, motivating [post]-pandemic students to engage, or experimenting with new grading structures.  

Whether you’re excited or exhausted about (re)learning to teach, a long-time fan or new participant, Stearns Center wants to invite you into our supportive community.  

We hope you’ll scroll down or check our Event Calendar for the full list of upcoming workshops, opportunities, and events--and if you really want some inspiration (and brownies!), please mark your calendar to join us for our Celebration of Teaching Excellence on April 13, 2026. 

E Shelley Reid, Ph.D. 

Executive Director

We invite George Mason University faculty, graduate instructors and staff to submit proposals for the 18th Annual Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference! This year’s theme is Relevant Teaching, where instructors can address strategies for meeting recent changes in higher education and teaching. The hybrid conference includes online sessions via Zoom on September 24, 2026, and in-person sessions on September 25, 2026. See our ITL webpages for a full description of the conference and our call for proposals.

The Teaching with AI: Level 1 credential offers instructors a practical, research-informed foundation as they navigate the choices around the use of AI in their courses. Click below to learn about the five-workshop credential.

We warmly invite all members of the George Mason community to join us in celebrating our 2026 Teaching Excellence Award honorees. Following the ceremony, please enjoy a delightful reception featuring light hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Monday, April 13, 2026
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Dewberry Hall, Johnson Center

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) is offering faculty an opportunity for early-summer funding! Work on the project would run from May 25 to August 9, 2026. Submit a proposal for a WAC early-summer funding project before Monday, April 20! These funds will take the form of stipends (up to $4000 per team; $1000 per team member) to teams who design, develop, and lead a project that seeks to enhance the intentionality and sustainability of writing instruction across disciplines. We solicit proposals from all departments, programs, colleges, and schools at George Mason University, including full-time and/or part-time faculty.

Are you interested in thinking about how to use Generative AI in STEM specific contexts? Participants in this introductory one-hour CPD Level 1 Design workshop on March 18 will have time to practice using these tools and will leave with actionable strategies to implement AI-enhanced instruction in at least one of their courses. This workshop will specifically focus on STEM application including using AI in a laboratory setting and quantitative applications.

Course ReDesign Academy (CRA) will be hybrid in June -- with Zoom meetings and/or on-campus meetings June 3-4, 2026 -- to support your plans for new or redesigned courses next year. Accepted participants receive a stipend to support significant course development. Find more information on our CRA webpage and find our link to submit your application before April 10 on the Upcoming Course Redesign Academies webpage.

Looking to feel inspired to return to your classroom after Spring Break? Check out our Spring Break Podcast Playlist!

✔️ E4: Using Design Elements and Feedback in Your Course

✔️ E7: Strategies for Teaching Multilingual Students

✔️ E16: How Do We Support Our "Contemporary Students"?

✔️ E19: Teaching Inspiration from Mason Korea

✔️ E24: All About Grading

✔️ E28: Dynamic Faculty Transforming Education

✔️ E30: Everyone Should Learn to Teach

➕ You can earn a credential for listening!

Listen to Episode 31: Supporting Faculty in Today's Higher Education Landscape to find out how our first guests from Northern Virginia Community College are supporting faculty to feel empowered in our current, challenging environment, particularly around artificial intelligence. 

In Episode 32: Academic Advisors as Partners in Student Success you can learn practical perspectives on how faculty and advisors can work together to better serve students in a time of growing enrollment pressures and AI‑driven change.

This month, look forward to March 18 where we are very excited to announce Vice Provost Kim Eby as our guest! Then on March 25 our episode will feature key insights from Career Services. 

✅ Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to stay tuned! 

Mason Online is offering several workshops this Spring for George Mason faculty to level-up their online teaching tools! Contact Mona Davidson-Tisler at jdavid25@gmu.edu for registration assistance and questions.

Are you working to figure out how to convey the impact and effectiveness of your teaching and mentoring for renewal, tenure, and/or promotion? The workshop is appropriate for faculty in any discipline. You will outline your teaching, learning, and mentoring strategies for developing and present it to peer and reviewer audiences. This workshop is on March 18, 11:30 am to 1 pm.

The OSCAR Celebration of Student Scholarship and Impact takes place this year on May 5, 2026 in Dewberry Hall. Any George Mason University undergraduate student who did a research or creative project is invited to register to present their poster. Registration is now open. All members of the George Mason University community are invited to join us to us in celebrating the student's accomplishments.

The Graduate Division supports strong faculty mentoring across George Mason. Each semester, we offer a short, intensive professional development workshop series based on the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) Entering Mentoring curriculum. Led by CIMER‑trained faculty and staff, the program helps faculty from all disciplines strengthen their mentorship skills. Participants earn a MasonLEAPS certificate upon completion. Interested in mentorship professional development? Reach out to Alyssa Bivins, PhD, the Senior Professional Development Coordinator in the Graduate Division (abivins2@gmu.edu) to schedule a training session that works for your faculty in Summer or Fall 2026.