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Friday, 17 January 2025 | 8:00ish am - 3:00 pm
Kauffman Conference Center

CAFE invites you to join us for the 2025 Winter Conference, where we will explore the transformative role of mentoring at UMKC and across higher education. This event will feature 12 engaging breakout sessions, 4 hands-on workshops, and an inspiring keynote address—all presented by 27  faculty members, administrators, and community partners. Come learn, grow and network with us as we deepen our understanding of mentoring.

Please register by 20 December. CAFE needs to have the catering order in before break. I can estimate, however my estimation cannot account for allergies, dietary, and accessibility needs. A great conference offers a space of meaningful inclusion. We have 47 registered which is only 39% of our goal. I am aiming for 85% of our goal; please register as soon as you can!

CAFE's conference is open to all faculty, emeritus faculty, administration, and staff partners who work closely with faculty. It is also open to community partners who mentor UMKC students.    

Dear Colleagues,

I’m excited to share an opportunity to become a Certified Peer Observer at this year’s CAFE Winter Conference. Attendance at this session is required for all who wish to serve as Peer Observers, including those previously trained. The Peer Observation program at UMKC is a voluntary, formative initiative aimed at enhancing teaching through collaborative partnerships between faculty members. Benefits of becoming a Certified Peer Observer include improving student learning, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and adding this certification to your Annual Evaluations and Promotion and Tenure materials. Applications are open until 6 January 2025 at 5:00 PM. We look forward to welcoming Observers from all disciplines.

Karyn Turla
CAFE Faculty Fellow - Peer Observation Director

To apply contact McLain Hymer, mhymer@umkc.edu.

Faculty are invited to apply for the new Faculty Fellow position with UMKC’s Nationally Competitive Awards Program, which supports student engagement with prestigious scholarships and fellowships. The Fellow will dedicate approximately 8-10 hours per week to promoting fellowship opportunities, fostering faculty participation, and expanding the program's reach. $1,000 monthly stipend & flexible terms.

Register for the next Academic Technology Bootcamp, Monday, Jan. 6 – Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Join one or more of Missouri Online's 23 classes via Zoom to get started with Canvas, learn about AI, engage your students with communication tools and more. 

If you’re short on time and need a firmer grasp of classroom technology before Spring 2025, our Canvas Super Sessions offer a chance to receive a Canvas overview that also includes essential information about Canvas assignments, quizzes and grading. Join us on Zoom from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14 or 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

The Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation (IAMI) Trailblazer Award provides grant funding for clinical and translational science across a broad range of scientific disciplines. The objective of this pilot program is to support new and innovative ideas that will lead to externally funded awards. The overall intent is to acquire research results that are disseminated in impactful publications, support successful extramural funding applications, and yield products to be entered into our product development pipeline. Applications Due: 3 March 2025, at 11:59 PM CT

Origami is rooted in mathematical principles that make this ancient art form a valuable tool. In nature, origami patterns enable insects to fold and unfold their wings and allow plants to open and close their leaves and flowers into precise shapes. Likewise, the ability to transform 2D sheets into structurally sound, compact, 3D shapes using origami techniques has influenced the design of takeout containers and airbags. Read the newsletter article.

Accessibility 101 is mandatory training for Microsoft employees - and offered on YouTube free of cost. This is part of Microsoft's efforts to build inclusively and accessibly to empower their employees and their customers. The mastermind behind the training is Erica Zelmanowicz, who works with experts across the industry to build great accessibility content, rich with valuable tips, and that is fun and empowering! 10 videos available.

As the largest communal art project in the world, the AIDS Memorial Quilt honors the lives of all Americans who have died of AIDS since 1981.The newly digitized archive of the AIDS Memorial Quilt provides a glimpse into the personal narratives memorialized in the 55-ton quilt and its panels. This extensive collection, encompassing over 125,000 items, features letters, diaries, photographs, and other artifacts that document the lives commemorated in the Quilt. For the first time, these deeply personal records have been reunited online with the Quilt itself, blending the power of communal folk art with individual stories. Read the newsletter article.

Orientation Registration Open- Encourage students to register

Registration for New Student Orientation opened 1 December. Students access it through their Application Status Page. Orientation is a one-day program that introduces incoming students to their academic unit, presents  campus resources, and is the first step to building community at UMKC. All first-time college students and transfer students with less than 24 transferable credit hours are required to attend. Attendance for transfer students with more than 24 transferable credits is strongly encouraged. Orientation sessions primarily take place in June and July.

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