Graduate Conference
(Future Faculty)
The Conference on Inspiring College Teaching has included graduate students (”Future Faculty”) since its start in 1990. Many repeat participants first attended the conference as graduate students and later returned as faculty. Much undergraduate teaching at universities across the U.S. is done by graduate students. They need support as educators and have a great deal of insight to offer about undergraduate education. Grad students will spend the conference engaging with faculty and administrators and undergraduates in a collaborative exploration of what makes effective and inspiring learning.
Consult with your advisor, department chair, dean, provost, or director of your campus teaching center to discover whether there might be a budgetary allowance for your travel or attendance.
All conference participants attend workshops on engaging all learners, meaningful assessment, the science of learning, student and faculty mental health, and innovative teaching strategies.
Grad student instructors have many opportunities to contribute their unique perspective and their expertise in teaching and in their discipline to the conference. They also enjoy a set of professional and social opportunities designed exclusively for them, such as dialogue group discussions and concurrent sessions devoted to their concerns. An “Evening Elevator Pitch” activity, a session on grad student challenges, and a workshop on writing a teaching statement are just some of the programming grad students may choose to attend, as well as the full array of workshops offered for and by faculty participants.
Our programming also includes workshops in AI for teaching and learning, online resources that maximize student learning, creating learning communities in physical and virtual classrooms, and many more topics. Many graduate students present formally as well as engaging in informal and impromptu conference sessions. An undergraduate leadership conference runs parallel to ours and provides opportunities to interact with real students and learn from them. Undergraduate and graduate students gain new understanding of their professors and often make connections that lead to long-term mentorship, advanced study, and even job offers.
The benefits of attending the conference are manifold.
NEW TEACHING STRATEGIES
Graduate student instructors come away with a bevy of new strategies, approaches, and knowledge about the research and practices of teaching and learning. They also tend to make strong bonds with other graduate students at the conference. Graduate students are respected as fellow educators and gain experience, confidence, and lines on their C.V.s by being presenters.
EXCHANGE OF IDEAS
One unique feature of the Conference on Inspiring College Teaching is the "Wakonse spirit." The exchange of ideas and inspiration do not end on the last day of the conference. The program fosters a national network of Wakonse Fellows who serve as a source of encouragement and support once participants return to their respective colleges and universities.
NETWORKING
Most of the over 2,000 past attendees of this conference (some of them returning many times) put the words “Wakonse Fellow” on their C.V. to signal that they have been to this conference; some also have it on the placards at their office doors. Should another Wakonse Fellow happen to be on your hiring or admissions or fellowship committee, they will know that you are a candidate who is serious about teaching and learning!
See our community of
Wakonse Fellows on Facebook!
"I learned about the Conference on Inspiring College Teaching from my doctoral advisor and founding member, Barbara Kerr. I instantly wanted to attend because I saw the way Barb’s eyes lit up when she talked about the numerous opportunities for professional and personal development. I was intellectually challenged as the presentations, concurrent sessions, and dialogue groups prompted me to reflect on my career development. While attending the conference, my creativity sparked as I designed multiple research studies, embraced best practices, and adapted course syllabi. Ultimately, because of the conference, I’ve created connections with faculty members inside and outside my discipline, learned strategies for addressing burnout, and enhanced my professional identity."
—Michael Diana, Graduate Student, University of Kansas
“One of the greatest things about being a graduate student is that we can stumble upon opportunities that can end up enhancing and lifting up our experiences. I was sold when I heard I was able to go to a conference on education in a beautiful place with people who were there because they cared about teaching. When I arrived, I realized that not only do they encourage us to think outside of the box, but also give us freedom to create our own teaching opportunities to share with everyone.
Coming out of my second year at the conference, I’ve developed incredibly deep connections with both peers in other grad programs and mentors that are established faculty across multiple fields. I have been asked to present and help with programming after sharing some of my ideas with conference organizers. CICT is a safe and supportive place for a graduate student to develop teaching and professional strengths.”
—Andrew Long, MFA Candidate, University of Missouri