Join the MCC Center for Teaching & Learning and Foundations for Student Success Monday, May 15 • Wednesday, May 17 • Thursday, May 18
Creating a dialogue among faculty and staff about practices and strategies that blur the boundaries between Academic departments and Student Affairs in order to create a comprehensive, supportive path for students.
mesa Schedule at a Glance: DAY 1
8:00AM9:30AM Pre Conference FMS Updates
9:45AM11:55AM Concurrent Sessions
12:00PM12:40PM Lunch
12:50PM3:00PM Concurrent Sessions
Mid-Conference • Tuesday, May 16th MCLI Technology Conference • Mesa Community College Separate registration required.
DAY 2
8:00AM9:30AM Registration & Common Session
9:45AM11:55AM Concurrent Sessions
12:00PM12:40PM Lunch
12:50PM3:00PM Concurrent Sessions
DAY 3
8:00AM9:30AM Registration & Common Session
9:45AM11:55AM Concurrent Sessions
12:00PM12:40PM Lunch
12:50PM3:00PM Concurrent Sessions
Common Sessions & Tags Monday, May 15th 8:00am-9:30am CTL AS-175
FMS Updates Separate registration required: Apply FMS updates to work practice.
Session Tags: Faculty Professional Growth (FPG); Teaching and Learning (TL); Student Affairs (SA); Technology (Tech); Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI); Guided Pathways to Success (GPS) Institutional Student Learning Outcomes (ISLOs)
Tuesday, May 16th 8:00am-3:00pm Navajo Room
MCLI Technology Conference Separate registration required: mcli.maricopa.edu/node/47991 Join the MCLI, and the "CTL Near You" for Transformers: Shifting Roles in Higher Education, the theme of this year's Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference. The program will include an innovative and inspiring keynote speaker, hands-on breakout sessions, and more. Keynote: Dr. Andrew Currah, Apple Inc., Education Development Executive
Wednesday, May 17th 8:30-9:30am
Desiderata: Advice for Developmental Educators from a Hippie Poem Presenter: Dr. Robin Ozz, NADE President
In this talk Robin Ozz will discuss the national trends, legislation, and state of student advocacy in the field of Developmental Education, the resulting confusion and turmoil, and how the advice Max Ehrmann gave in his poem Desiderata in 1927 applies to educators today in trying to make sense of it all for the success of our students.
Thursday, May 18th 8:30-9:30am
Changing the World: Connecting all of US in Social Entrepreneurship Presenter: Caron Sada, Psychology Faculty Paradise Valley Community College
This session addresses community engagement and our efforts to serve a diverse population of students. The idea of social entrepreneurship aligns to the mission of community colleges to serve and empower our community as well as demonstrating the movement of infusing entrepreneurial mindset and behaviors across disciplines. The presenter will explain what the entrepreneurial mindset is how it can help the students and the district, and how the college employees can apply this mindset to their work.
Registration & Lunch Monday, May 15th Registration Time: 9:00am-9:30am Location: AS170 Lunch Time: 12:00pm-12:40pm Location: AS170
Registration & Lunch Wednesday, May 17th Registration Time: 8:00am-8:30am Location: Navajo Room, Kirk Center Lunch Time: 12:00pm-12:40pm Location: Navajo Room, Kirk Center
Registration & Lunch Thursday, May 18th Registration Time: 8:00am-8:30am Location: Navajo Room, Kirk Center Lunch Time: 12:00pm-12:40pm Location: Navajo Room, Kirk Center
Monday, May 15th 9:45am-10:45am Mindfulness in Education for SA Location: AS193 Presenter: Dori DiPietro Tags: SA Research clearly shows the practice of mindfulness is transformational; it soothes the body and quiets the mind. Having mind-body programs in the college classroom improves mental clarity and successful outcomes while reducing their overall experience of stress. Attendees will learn the basic tenants of stress and stress management using practices such as breathing techniques, postures, and visualizations. This is an interactive and fun workshop including lecture, case examples and experiential activities.
Foundations of Course Design Location: AS194 Presenter: Megan Garvy Tags: FPG, TL, ISLOs Identify the knowledge, skills and habits of mind students will acquire in your course that are informed by course competencies, ISLOs and other current trends/issues in your discipline. Identify relevant materials and resources for students to makemeaning of new content, and provide assessments that demonstrate alignment to learning outcomes.
Send a Problem: Classroom Management Location: AS175 Presenter: Janice Pierson Tags: FPG. TL Participate in a group activity called "senda-problem� designed to focus on solving problems and evaluating solutions. Classroom management scenarios will be the focus of discussion. This activity can be used in the classroom to address difficult situations that do not have a single correct solution.
Monday, May 15th 9:45am-10:45am Canvas Design Syllabus and Assignments Location: AS192 Presenter: Jeff Anderson Tags: TL, Tech Do you need a quick set up of a course shell in Canvas for the purpose of covering the basics? Come learn about some helpful tips that will satisfy the needs of your students, program director, department chair, and administration for electronic syllabus distribution and online grade book.
Monday, May 15th 10:55am-11:55am Presentation Tools for Faculty & Staff Location: AS175 Presenter: Jennifer Strickland Tags: TL, SA Come discover a few tools and tricks for effective presentations! Whether you want to present information online or real time, in person, collaborate with peers, or ask users questions - discover some new programs to make it happen. Some presentation tools examined may include: Slides, Nearpod, Plickrs, and more!
Collaboration in the Classroom Location: AS194 Presenter: Megan Garvy Tags: FPG, TL Explore strategies to foster a collaborative classroom environment inclusive of diverse learners. After practicing techniques that elevate critical-thinking, academic discourse and cooperative learning, participants will experience problem-based learning within the context of science. This includes investigation, research, negotiation and articulating ideas to demonstrate at least one scientific solution for a determined problem.
Developing and Assessing an ENG091 Universal Exit Essay Exam Location: AS193 Presenter: Cynthia Kiefer Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, ISLOs In this session, the presenter will discuss how and why SCC's Developmental English instructors developed its universal ENG 091 assessment to align with the revised 2015 competencies. No assessment implementation occurs without a few issues, and those will be discussed as well. The presenter will share the assessment rubric, prompts, and the data to date and current modifications under consideration.
Canvas Updates and Commons Location: AS192 Presenter: Jeff Anderson Tags: TL, Tech Learn about what Instructure has added to Canvas since the last release. Also Canvas Commons is an open repository where other Canvas customers have shared resources for possible adoption into your course. A brief overview of Canvas Commons and how the Canvas new feature release cycle works. Also learn how to see up-comping release notes and participation in the Canvas Community feedback process.
Monday, May 15th 12:50pm-1:50pm Increase Department Efficiency with Google Apps Location: AS175 Presenter: James Bowles Tags: TL, SA, Tech Login to Maricopa email system and access the benefits of Google apps. Explore tools for efficient planning, organization and communication.
Monday, May 15th 12:50pm-1:50pm
Monday, May 15th 2:00pm-3:00pm
What Students are Telling Us: SGID and Student Graffiti Project Location: AS192 Presenter: Janice Pierson Tags: FPG, TL
Intercultural Learning with International Students Location: AS194 Presenters: Annique Nestmann and Megan Garvy Tags: TL, SA, HSI
This session will share insights from both individual classroom student focus groups utilizing the Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) methodology and a NEW project called 'Student Graffiti' where we gathering student feedback about the college.
Serving Underprepared Students Basics, Part 1 Location: AS193 Presenters: Ashley Stich, Sharon McLaughlin and Rosina Wright Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI This workshop will share strategies and techniques for engaging and supporting underprepared students enrolled in college level classes. Participants will be given resources and ideas for evaluating course materials and for helping all students experience success in college level courses. We will also discuss the ins and outs of the new Academic Foundations Course List.
Service-Learning 101 Location: AS194 Presenters: Duane Oakes Tags: TL, SA Explore college resources for integrating service-learning into courses and programs. Service-Learning is a teaching and learning method that connects meaningful community service with academic instruction through guided reflection.
An awareness of the world around us and how it affects our lives is an important component of the education students receive at MCC. Discover our population of international students at MCC and services provided to support them outside of the classroom. Engage with opportunities to maximize this learning experience by learning with international students in and outside of the classroom.
OER Resources and Canvas Integration Location: AS175 Presenter: James Bowles Tags: TL, Tech Explore available Open Education Resources (OER) that may include flexibility to modifications. Integrate these resources into Canvas based on license type.
Serving Underprepared Students Basics, Part 2 Location: AS193 Presenters: Ashley Stich, Sharon McLaughlin and Rosina Wright Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI Continued from the previous session.
What Students are Telling Us: SGID and Student Graffiti Project Location: AS192 Presenter: Janice Pierson Tags: FPG, TL This session will share insights from both individual classroom student focus groups utilizing the Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) methodology and a NEW project called 'Student Graffiti' where we gathering student feedback about the college.
Wednesday, May 17th 9:45am10:45am Overcoming Fear: Teaching Outside of Your Comfort Zone Location: AS192 Presenters: Joseph Swaba and Chris Mims Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI This workshop will examine steps that can be taken to create a classroom culture that facilitates an environment of openness and curiosity. Sometimes our role includes exploring concepts, theories, and themes relative to challenging topics in the areas such as race, class, gender, orientation, and religion. If we approach this with genuine curiosity we will inherently be required to move outside of our comfort zone. Since we cannot be experts on every perspective, shifting from a lecture orientation to one that encourages dialogue is central to success.
Serving Underprepared Students Deep Dive Location: AS191 Presenters: Melissa Carpenter, Ashley Stich and Sharon McLaughlin Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI This workshop is a continuation of "Serving Underprepared Students Basics." During that workshop, participants discussed many different tips and tools for supporting students who test into developmental education. In this session, we will go deeper into how to evaluate course materials and textbooks. There will be additional discussion on more "best practice" strategies for instruction and for integrating support into college level courses.
Keynote Part 2 Location: AS195 Presenter: Dr. Robin Ozz Tags: FPG, TL, SA, DevED Continue the discussion on the national trends, legislation, and state of student advocacy in the field of Developmental Education, the resulting confusion and turmoil, and how the advice Max Ehrmann gave in his poem Desiderata in 1927 applies to educators today in trying to make sense of it all for the success of our students.
Collaboration in the Classroom Location: AS175 Presenter: Megan Garvy Tags: FPG, TL Explore strategies to foster a collaborative classroom environment inclusive of diverse learners. After practicing techniques that elevate critical-thinking, academic discourse and cooperative learning, participants will experience problem-based learning within the context of science. This includes investigation, research, negotiation and articulating ideas to demonstrate at least one scientific solution for a determined problem.
Wednesday, May 17th 10:55am11:55am Behind the Scenes with Enrollment Services Location: AS195 Presenters: Sarah Banner and Jeff Rhoads Tags: TL, SA The following session is designed to enhance Mesa Community College's faculty regarding the core steps involved to serve successfully serve students through the admissions, advising and registration processes. The collaboration between faculty and Enrollment Services staff is crucial to our students success and we look forward to sharing current best practices and new initiatives within specific areas of Enrollment Services.
Wednesday, May 17th 10:55am11:55am
Wednesday, May 17th 12:50pm1:50pm
Problem-Based Learning Location: AS175 Presenter: Megan Garvy Tags: FPG, TL, HSI
Serving Hispanic Students Location: AS191 Presenters: Megan Garvy and Alfred Chavez Tags: FPG, TL, SA, HSI
Explore strategies to foster a collaborative classroom environment inclusive of diverse learners. After practicing techniques that elevate critical-thinking, academic discourse and cooperative learning, participants will experience problem-based learning within the context of science. This includes investigation, research, negotiation and articulating ideas to demonstrate at least one scientific solution for a determined problem.
Serving Underprepared Students Deep Dive Location: AS191 Presenters: Melissa Carpenter, Ashley Stich and Sharon McLaughlin Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI Continued from the previous session.
Overcoming Fear: Teaching Outside of Your Comfort Zone Location: AS192 Presenters: Joseph Swaba and Chris Mims Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI Continued from the previous session.
This workshop aims to offer a counter story to the perceptions, attitudes and actions of faculty and staff that are serving culturally and linguistically diverse students. Explore past and present context of Latinos in America and within the community of MCC. Discover an education model that transforms learning though cultural wealth and frameworks for teaching and learning. This workshop is applicable to all faculty, staff, administration and community members at MCC.
Fostering Mathematical Discourse: MCCCD Math Modules Location: AS195 Presenter: Jennifer Caldwell Tags: FPG, TL, DevED The purpose of this workshop is to provide faculty an opportunity to engage in discussion regarding the concept of Constant Rate of Change (CROC) and how to facilitate student learning and understanding of the concept of constant rate of change in module 7.
Increase Department Efficiency with Google Apps Location: AS175 Presenter: James Bowles Tags: TL, SA, Tech Login to Maricopa email system and access the benefits of Google apps. Explore tools for efficient planning, organization and communication.
Wednesday, May 17th 12:50pm1:50pm Establishing Trust and Building Relationships Location: AS192 Presenters: Joseph Swaba and Chris Mims Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI Relationship development is a critical element of addressing issues of diversity and inclusion within the classroom. This session will highlight proven strategies to develop an environment conducive to learning.
Wednesday, May 17th 2:00pm3:00pm Establishing Trust and Building Relationships Location: AS192 Presenters: Joseph Swaba and Chris Mims Tags: FPG, TL, DevED, HSI Continued from the previous session.
Information Literacy Reframed Location: AS195 Presenter: Marjorie Leta Tags: FPG, TL The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) recently adopted a richer, more complex set of six core concepts for information literacy: The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. This workshop will examine the new Framework, discuss its implications for improving the teaching and learning of information literacy, and demonstrate how it can be applied in a variety of learning experiences.
Interactive Notebooks Location: AS191 Presenters: Ashley Stich and Roxanne Klassen Tags: FPG, TL, DevED This hands-on workshop explores the techniques and resources for helping students create meaningful and individualized interactive notebooks. Participants will move through multiple activities to learn how these notebooks work as an integral part of the facilitators’ math and reading classes. Strategies for organizing, differentiating, and evaluating notebooks will be shared.
Online Education: Best Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities of Distance Education at MCC Location: AS175 Presenters: Sarah Banner, Laura Ballard and Andrew Kuhn Tags: TL, Sa, Tech With 30% of today's college students taking an online course, distance education has become an important topic at Mesa Community College. This session will provide information on who our online learners are as well as their success in the classroom, discuss best practices in online education, and discuss our opportunities as a campus. This session will provide a demonstration of an online education tool (Cranium Cafe) used by many faculty and Student Affairs staff members to further educate and serve our distance learners.
Thursday, May 18th 9:45am10:45am Veterans’ Resources Location: AS193 Presenter: Bill Clites Tags: SA Learn about the unique challenges that Veterans face and explore strategies to assist them in being successful.
Thursday, May 18th 9:45am10:45am Path to Success for English Language Learners Location: AS192 Presenter: Lupco Spasoviski Tags: TL, SA The first part will be a general presentation on the ESL program at Mesa Community College, the demographic structure of ELL and ESL students, the affiliated programs, ESL curriculum, courses and skills taught, learning resources, and future prospects for ELL and ESL students. The second part will consist of a follow-up Q&A discussion.
Get Involved! Student Life Location: AS194 Presenter: Beth Ann Wright Tags: SA Student Life has various different resources and opportunities to help students get involved on campus and become successful students. This workshop will inform faculty and staff on different opportunities and resources for students. We will also touch on how they can get involved as staff or faculty on campus.
Developing a Culture of Transfer Location: AS191 Presenter: Rosina Wright and Yoroba Russell Tags: TL, SA MCC students demonstrate high university transfer aspirations. As a campus, how can we encourage and sustain student aspirations? What practices can we adopt that promote transfer and provide the support necessary for students to successfully transition to a 4-year college/university?
Why Acceleration Matters Location: AS195 Presenters: Andrea Osteen and Melissa Carpenter Tags: TL, SA Students who test into one or more areas of developmental education can face a lengthy sequence of courses in English, Math, and/or Reading to complete graduation requirements. Many of these students start on the pathway, but never enroll in the college-level course in the core discipline(s). Come see why accelerating students through their coursework helps them complete these requirements as quickly as possible. In this session, we will discuss co-requisite remediation, intensive/fast track courses, and other forms of acceleration.
Serving Hispanic Students Location: AS175 Presenters: Megan Garvy and Alfred Chavez Tags: FPG, TL, SA, HSI This workshop aims to offer a counter story to the perceptions, attitudes and actions of faculty and staff that are serving culturally and linguistically diverse students. Explore past and present context of Latinos in America and within the community of MCC. Discover an education model that transforms learning though cultural wealth and frameworks for teaching and learning. This workshop is applicable to all faculty, staff, administration and community members at MCC.
Thursday, May 18th 10:55am11:55am Foundational Advising: A Holistic Approach to Retention Location: AS195 Presenters: Melissa Carpenter and Melissa Turnbull Tags: SA This presentation will focus on the best practices of advising Foundations students (those who test into developmental coursework). We will share key components of a proactive advising model that has been built to ensure students don’t slip through the cracks with the goal of providing the tools they need to experience success throughout their first year and beyond.
Developing a Culture of Transfer Location: AS191 Presenters: Rosina Wright and Yoroba Russell Tags: TL, SA MCC students demonstrate high university transfer aspirations. As a campus, how can we encourage and sustain student aspirations? What practices can we adopt that promote transfer and provide the support necessary for students to successfully transition to a 4-year college/university?
Pathway Mapping At MCC: Observation and Q/A Location: HW848 Presenter: Jennifer Fay Tags: TL, SA, GPS Are you curious about what's happening in all of those pathway mapping workshops? Bring your compass and learn about the purpose and process of Guided Pathways to Success pathway mapping. A brief overview of the pathway mapping process will be provided followed by a chance to observe a live pathway mapping workshop. The hour will conclude with a campfire question and answer session.
OER 101 Location: AS175 Presenter: Megan Garvy Tags: FPG, TL, Tech Open Educational Resources (OER), a part of the global open content movement, are shared teaching, learning, and research resources available under legally recognized open licenses -- free for people to reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute. Review the attributes of OER including sharing and quality considerations. Explore, use and create Open Educational Resources (OER) as a low to no cost solution for student access to materials on day one. Identify and use appropriate license type with Creative Commons. Teach students how to apply OER principles to their assignments.
Promoting Student Success through Retention Programs and Services Location: AS192 Presenters: HSI Retention Program and Services Committee Tags: TL, SA, HSI Students come to MCC with a variety of educational goals, but they often encounter challenges that prevent them from reaching those goals. Learn how to connect students with Retention Programs and Services to help students succeed. Strategies for faculty and staff will be shared by the HSI Success and Retention Committee.
Canvas Design Syllabus and Assignments Location: AS193 Presenter: Jeff Anderson Tags: TL, Tech Do you need a quick set up of a course shell in Canvas for the purpose of covering the basics? Come learn about some helpful tips that will satisfy the needs of your students, program director, department chair, and administration for electronic syllabus distribution and online grade book.
Thursday, May 18th 12:50pm-1:50pm Financial Aid Summer Bootcamp Location: AS191 Presenters: Juan Carlos Sanchez and Gayla Garcia Tags: SA This workshop will focus on the four step of applying for financial aid, how posting grades impact student's aid and in your classroom. In addition, we will discuss important dates (book & financial aid disbursements) and how to maintain aid.
Foundational Advising: A Holistic Approach to Retention Location: AS195 Presenters: Melissa Carpenter and Melissa Turnbull Tags: SA This presentation will focus on the best practices of advising Foundations students (those who test into developmental coursework). We will share key components of a proactive advising model that has been built to ensure students don’t slip through the cracks with the goal of providing the tools they need to experience success throughout their first year and beyond.
Serving Up Contextualization Location: AS192 Presenter: Matthew Healy Tags: FPG, TL, DevED This workshop will explore the benefits of contextualization for both student and instructor. We will investigate various methods of contextualizing content across disciplines, as well as using servicelearning to make the learning experience engaging, relevant, and meaningful.
Career Consciousness Location: AS193 Presenters: Liz Calderon. Angel Moore and Amanda Copetillo Tags: SA Overview of Career Services and how to integrate it into the classroom.
Presentation Tools for Faculty and Staff Location: AS175 Presenter: Jennifer Strickland Tags: TL, SA Come discover a few tools and tricks for effective presentations! Whether you want to present information online or real time, in person, collaborate with peers, or ask users questions - discover some new programs to make it happen. Some presentation tools examined may include: Slides, Nearpod, Plickrs, and more!
ESL from Placement to Proficiency Location: AS194 Presenter: Megan Garvy Tags: TL, SA, HSI ESL faculty across the district engaged in workshops and online assignments to set ACTFL proficiency targets for ESL courses. After setting proficiency targets, participants developed and shared lessons to increase student performance of functional language in the classroom. Review guides based on these targets for all faculty and staff to use to inform instructional planning and advisement.
Thursday, May 18th 2:00pm-3:00pm Early Alert Referral System: Connect 4 Success Location: AS195 Presenter: Melissa Turnbull Tags: TL, SA, Tech Early Alert Referral (EARS) is a retention tool used to refer students who need additional resources and/or assistance during the semester. Come learn how this tool can assist your students in reaching their academic and personal goals. Connect4Success (C4S) is a campus wide mentoring program that connects students with faculty, staff and administrators in assisting students through the student life cycle. Come hear updates about the program and sign up as a mentor for a 2017-2018 student.
Mining MCC and MCCCD Data, now what? Location: AS175 Presenters: Matt Ashcraft, Dennis Mitchell and Jacqui Jesse Tags: TL, SA, Tech Don't miss the forest for the trees! Join us for an interactive session on how metrics and data can be your student success compass!
Filling your bucket with Civic Engagement, Service-Learning and the 4Cs Location: AS192 Presenters: Duane Oakes, Dawn Rhodes and Guests Tags: TL, SA, ISLOs Come learn about civic engagement and service-learning, and how it can support student learning at MCC. We will fill your bucket with ideas, resources and projects the College is involved in with the goal of preparing individuals to become better citizens. We will share how to apply for student scholarships and faculty and student mini grants. Come learn how to become an engaged employee on campus and in our community!
Why Acceleration Matters Location: AS191 Presenters: Leanna Hall and Elizabeth Simpson Tags: TL, SA Students who test into one or more areas of developmental education can face a lengthy sequence of courses in English, Math, and/or Reading to complete graduation requirements. Many of these students start on the pathway, but never enroll in the college-level course in the core discipline(s). Come see why accelerating students through their coursework helps them complete these requirements as quickly as possible. In this session, we will discuss co-requisite remediation, intensive/fast track courses, and other forms of acceleration.
Exploring Your Next Career Move at MCCCD Location: AS193 Presenter: DeeDee Tapson Tags: SA This workshop will be helpful to anyone who is thinking about their own career and ways to enhance their own learning for career mobility. Resources available throughout MCCCD along with some external resources will be provided to those attending.
Contextualized Learning Location: AS194 Presenter: Annah McMahon Tags: FPG, TL This session will include a pre-assessment for participants on what contextualized learning is. Instructor will provide a brief segment of direct instruction on contextualized learning. The remaining time will be small group instruction on how participants can visually represent contextualized learning within their current discipline.
Presenter BIOs Alfred Chavez, MCC Alfred Chavez has an extensive background in educational access and attainment. After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science from Northern Arizona University in Criminology and Ethnic Studies, he has combined his two areas of study with real life experiences to advocate for equitable access to education. His experience ranges from community organizing in defense of ethnic studies curriculum, legislative research in the Arizona House of Representatives and program development. Previously, he had the honor of working with Amistades, Inc. to create the culturally responsive curriculum component of the Fortaleza Re-Entry Project, a My Brother's Keeper White House initiative to help Latino and Latina youth successfully re-enter society after incarceration.
Annah McMahon, MCC Annah McMahon received her undergraduate teaching degree from Northern Arizona University. A year later she received her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Development with a Reading Endorsement from Northern Arizona University. Annah has taught in the elementary grades in Colorado and Arizona for four years and then became a reading coach for the Dysart School District in Arizona for the next four years. She taught as an adjunct reading instructor for Phoenix College for four years and as an OYO at Chandler-Gilbert for one year. Annah has been a residential faculty reading instructor at Mesa Community College for five years.
Annique Nestmann, MCC Annique has been working in the field of International Education for 18 years. Starting her career at NAFSA: Association of International Educators in Washington, D.C, she then moved on to complete her Master’s Degree in International and Intercultural Communication from the University of Denver. As the Director of International Education at Mesa Community College in Mesa Arizona, she oversees international student admissions/recruitment, international student services, and study abroad. Fluent in French, Annique has studied and worked abroad in England, France, Ghana, Malawi and Benin, and has visited over 30 countries worldwide. She also is an adjunct professor at MCC in French and Communication.
Ashley Stich, MCC Ashley Stich is a reading faculty member at MCC and the MCCCD Developmental Education Coordinator. She has an MA in Education and is currently working on her doctorate in developmental education through Sam Houston State University.
Beth Ann Wright, MCC I've worked in Student Life and Leadership for 4 years. 2 years at the Red Mountain campus and two years at Southern and Dobson. Student Life works with the different clubs and organizations on campus, provides resources for students, as well as, coordinates events and leadership opportunities.
Presenter BIOs Bill Clites, MCC Bill Clites is a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Military. In 1976 he joined the Navy and served as Petty Officer aboard 2 U.S. submarines as a communications technician. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1983 with a BS is Cartography and earned his commission in the US Air Force. He also earned his Master’s of Science degree from Troy State University in Educational Leadership. As a combat veteran in Panama, Desert Shield and Desert Storm he accumulated over 80 combat and combat support missions flying for AF Special Operations Command Aboard Combat Talons. After being selected for Lieutenant Colonel, and with a continued passion for education, Bill retired from the Air Force in early 2000 and began teaching in the public-school system. In 2005 Bill worked as a Senior Analyst and Consultant for a Defense Contractor. In this capacity, between 2005 and 2010 Bill was a key player on the Director of Operations staff at Head Quarters, United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Ramstein, Germany. In 2010 Bill worked for the Arizona Department of Veteran Services as an auditor. Bill currently serves as Director of Veteran Services and Disability Resource Services at Mesa Community College.
Caron Sada, PVCC Prior to teaching psychology and entrepreneurship courses, Caron's workplace ideals developed through experiences in family businesses, nonprofits, startups and Fortune 50 organizations. Caron's formal education includes speech and hearing sciences, business administration and industrial-organizational psychology. Caron serves as Residential Psychology Faculty and Ambassador of Club Zeitgeist at Paradise Valley Community College.
Christopher Mims, GWCC Christopher Mims began serving as Residential Faculty in January 2015. As Communication faculty, he brings over 10 years of diverse experience in postsecondary education. As an educational professional his bring a unique blend of experience and expertise in student services, student success initiatives and studentcentered instruction. Throughout his tenure at GateWay Community College he has worked tirelessly to extend educational opportunities to underrepresented and at-risk student populations. His work in programs such as Trio, Minority Male Initiative, LIFT for Success and as well as student services underscore his passion for diversity, inclusion and student success.
Cynthia Kiefer, SCC Cynthia Kiefer serves on the SCC English faculty and is SCC's Developmental English Coordinator. In addition, she serves as the English Dual Enrollment liaison. With twenty plus years of teaching experience and a Curriculum & Instruction Ph.D. in English Education, Cynthia's professional work centers on exploring ways to support students' writing, reading, and critical thinking development and academic success.
Presenter BIOs DeeDee Tapson, MCCCD DeeDee is currently the Coordinator of the Creative Pathways Programs at Maricopa County Community College District. Dee Dee is a trained facilitator for The 7-Habits of Highly Effective People, True Colors, and StrengthsQuest. She conducts training in the areas of Career Development, Supervisory/Management, Self-Leadership and Diversity & Inclusion.
Dennis Mitchell Director of Research
Elizabeth Simpson, MCC Elizabeth Simpson has been a residential faculty member at Mesa Community for six years, and teaches developmental education. She has been teaching in MCC's Accelerated Learning Program for seven years.
Janice Pierson, MCC Janice Pierson has been the Faculty Developer at Mesa Community College for the past three years. She brings sixteen years’ experience to the position. Her past and current leadership roles include CTE Program Director, Department Chair, Senator, PAR Facilitator, FEP Resource Person, and District Faculty Development Council (FDC) chair. Ms. Pierson has her Master of Science in Design degree from ASU and has completed all coursework towards a PhD in Environmental Planning.
Jacqui Jesse, MCC Math faculty and Informed Improvement (ii) Coordinator
Jeff Rhoads, MCC Jeff Rhoads is the Director of Enrollment Services & Registrar at Mesa Community College. Arriving at Mesa Community College in July, 2016, Jeff’s higher education career spans across 13 years within Student Affairs; including Yavapai College, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Phoenix, and Arizona State University. In addition, Jeff has four years of experience as an adjunct instructor, teaching Public Speaking and Communication with Glendale and Estrella Mountain Community College. Jeff has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Arizona State University and a Master’s degree in Higher Education and Human Relations from Northern Arizona University.
Jeffrey Anderson, MCC Jeff is a seasoned user of Canvas since MCC went live with it in 2011 and sits on Maricopa's LMS Core team. He has been working with Canvas and other LMS technology since 1998 and the inception of MCC's online course initiative.
Presenter BIOs Jennifer Caldwell, MCC Jennifer Caldwell has been a residential faculty member in mathematics at MCC for the past 9 years. She holds a Bachelor degree in mathematics and a Master degree in curriculum and instruction, both from Arizona State University. Jennifer is currently the developmental math coordinator in the math department and has been involved with the Math Modules for College Readiness project since its inception in 2011.
Dr. Joseph Swaba, GWCC Dr. Joseph Swaba is a Communication professor at GateWay Community College, previously serving as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Learning Support. Joseph Swaba’s career in postsecondary education spans an eclectic set of roles, responsibilities, and experiences. Dr. Swaba has been a MOSAIC facilitator for over a decade and has presented locally and nationally on issues relative to diversity and inclusion. Most recently he has been working specifically on veteran student success initiatives. In 2016 he received the John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award and the Diversity Advisory Council Award for his work with veterans on Battlemarks.org.
Juan Carlos Sanchez and Gayla Garcia, MCC Juan Carlos and Gayla have been working in the Financial Aid Department for 7-8 years. Along with working with students every day in the Enrollment Services Department, we also facilitate workshops for students, MCC's faculty and staff. Our workshops consist of educating our students on the importance of financial literacy and how to maintain financial aid eligibility.
Laura Ballard, MCC Laura Ballard is the eLearning Director at MCC. Her primary role is to provide leadership and a platform for shared governance for elearning and online learning at the college. She holds an M.Ed in Learning & Instructional Technology from Arizona State University and a B.A. in English Language Arts and Secondary Education from Washington State University.
Leanna Hall, MCC Leanna Hall has been teaching at Mesa Community College for six years, and has been involved in developmental education for 15 years. She has taught in MCC's English Department's Accelerated Learning Program for two years.
Presenter BIOs Dr. Lupco Spasovski, MCC Dr. Lupco Spasovski is an English/ESL residential faculty and ESL Coordinator at Mesa Community College Dobson & Southern campus. His areas of specialization include ESL, composition, as well as interlanguage and cross-cultural pragmatics. Prior to joining the Maricopa Community Colleges, from 1998-2015 he taught at Arizona State University (ASU). At ASU Dr. Spasovski concurrently held the positions of an Honors Disciplinary Faculty at Barrett, the Honors College, and instructor at the ASU Critical Languages Institute—an internationally recognized institute specializing in less commonly taught languages. Before moving to Arizona, from 1990-1998, he was a Lecturer in English linguistics at the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Macedonia. Dr. Spasovski has designed, taught, and supervised courses in composition, ESL, general linguistics, English grammar, phonetics and phonology, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, methods of teaching English, as well as EFL and ESP. His research and scholarly interests include interlanguage and cross-cultural pragmatics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics of English and Slavic languages, and English grammar and usage. Dr. Spasovski has received a number of awards for academic excellence, student mentoring, and professional service.
Marjorie Leta, MCC Marjorie Leta holds a B.A. in English and a Masters in Library and Information Science. She has over 20 years of experience working in libraries and teaching information literacy in public, corporate, and academic libraries. Marjorie is currently the Instruction Librarian at MCC, Chair of the Library Instructional Council, a Guided Pathways to Success Coach, and a member of MCC's HLC Assessment Academy Team.
Matt Ashcraft. MCC Dean of Institutional Analysis and Planning
Matthew Healy, SCC Matthew Healy has been teaching in the Maricopa Community College system for nine years, six of which have been at Scottsdale Community College. He is the co-chair of the SCC Service-Learning Committee and the founder of the World Hunger Fair, an event that allows more than 300 students across 12 departments to contextualize their learning while educating the community about issues linked to food security. The event raises more than $15,000 each year for hunger-related charities.
Megan Garvy, MCC Megan Garvy is the Instructional Designer at MCC. She has extensive experience with professional development for P-20 educators especially on the topics academic discourse community, student engagement, formative assessment, course design and inquiry methods. Megan started her career as a K-12 ESL teacher and has taught at the community college since 2006. She is currently working towards a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership.
Presenter BIOs Melissa Carpenter, MCC Melissa Carpenter is the Director of Developmental Education at Mesa Community College. Before coming to MCC full-time, she was a program coordinator and teacher for Mesa Public School's Adult Education program. She also taught first-year composition and developmental writing as an adjunct for ten years.
Dr. Robin Ozz, PC Robin has been teaching developmental education in one form or another to students in grades K-graduate school for 39 years. She is currently the President of NADE (20152017). She has Kellogg and Advanced Kellogg certification and On Course I & II certification. Robin was the founding president-elect of the Arizona Association for Developmental Education, and is the past president of the Arizona and Southwest Associations for Developmental Education. She chaired a NADE special interest group on Alternative Models and Innovations in Developmental Education. Sh She is currently the Faculty Director of Developmental Education and English faculty at Phoenix College.
Rosina Wright, MCC Rosina Wright-Castro serves as the Student Success Coordinator for Foundations for Student Success. She is responsible for providing instructional support to developmental education students at Mesa Community College. She also collaborates with the Reading, Math, and English Departments to conduct faculty professional development.
Sarah Banner, MCC Sarah Banner is the Director of Advisement, Career, and Transfer Services at MCC. She has been at MCC for one year and spent the last 10 years working as an Academic Advising Manager for the University of Phoenix. She also has 8 years faculty experience teaching student success courses. She has a Masters in Higher and Post-Secondary Education from Arizona State University.
Sharon McLaughlin, MCC Sharon McLaughlin is a full-time faculty member in the Exercise Science department at MCC. She has been a member of the Foundations Action Team (formerly the Developmental Education Committee) for several years and has taught a 100-level course as part of a learning community for developmental English students.