Breakout Sessions

HyFlex Session!
Dr.Terrell Strayhorn, President/CEO, Do Good Work Consulting Group
Location: Ahwatukee A&B, 2nd Level

Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=a9d442a57ac73935b57780ff0ba06209
Password: aJM4udRR

HyFlex Session!
1C. Overcoming Student Apathy through Innovative Technology, Engagement, and Social-Emotional Strategies in the Higher Education Classroom
Presenter: Dr. Stephanie West, Mesa Community College
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Laveen A, 2nd Level

Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities through a comprehensive session addressing vital aspects of student engagement and well-being. From uncovering causes of post-COVID-19 student apathy to leveraging innovative technology practices, this session delves into research-backed engagement strategies and social-emotional approaches. Discover effective techniques for implementing these practices in college classrooms. Join us to examine fostering student connections, supporting underrepresented groups, cultivating resilience, and promoting learning and professional development within your college, department, or program.

Session Materials:
Slides
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=fea8c235a497c9db9b765abfa97b653e 
Password: aSZZU3xM

HyFlex Session!
1D. Hope Center Basic Needs Survey Results and Analysis
Presenter: Dr. Steven Butler, Maricopa Community College District
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Laveen B, 2nd Level

This session examines the basic needs issues for students across the district using data from the Hope Center Basic Needs survey. The survey uses multiple instruments to determine food and housing insecurity and mental health issues. By better understanding the basic needs of our students, participants will be better equipped to support them. The survey not only identifies mental health issues and insecurities, but also identifies barriers to and pathways for support.

Session Materials:
Slides
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=8e606663a07dbb50c0a33720ec6f3f80
Password: Mr4FnFvq

1E. Success Stories Begin Here: Rio Salado College’s Adult Education Orientation
Presenters: Dr. Nuria Sanchez, Beatriz Montes De Oca Valadez, Danna Farney, Rio Salado College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Cave Creek, 3rd Level

Rio Salado College’s Adult Education program is the largest in the state serving over 4,000 learners annually. Join this interactive session and learn how the revised orientation bridges the gap to college and career readiness, and creates an inclusive and supportive environment for learners from diverse backgrounds. Explore inclusive strategies nurturing belonging, academic growth, and soft skills. Participants will learn course logistics, leave with a toolkit, review student retention data and course satisfaction.

Session Materials:
Slides

1F. Navigating a World Not Built For Us: Strategies for Supporting Neurodivergent Learners
Presenter: Dr. Allison Hawn, Phoenix College
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: Desert Sky, 3rd Level

To meet the goals of building supportive campus communities and inclusive campus cultures, we have to strive to step away from a one-size-fits-all definition of academic success. This session is designed to help college instructors and staff understand the challenges faced by neurodivergent students and discuss strategies for working alongside neurodivergent students to support them in their learning journeys.

Session Materials:
Slides

1G. AMPed: Applying the Psychology of Motivation in Our Colleges
Presenter: Dr. Eric Haas, Scottsdale Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Estrella, 2nd Level

The contemporary psychological understanding of motivation suggests that the ways that many classes - and for that matter, many workplaces - have traditionally been structured to motivate people may actually be counterproductive. This session will examine ways to apply the psychology of motivation to design our work, especially in the classroom, to help our students connect with their coursework and colleges in order to maximize their drive to learn and ultimately excel in college.

Session Materials:
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1H. A PRISM of Change: Building a Culture of Community through the LGBTQIA+ Lens
Presenters: Equality Maricopa Officers: Michelle Cunneen, Paradise Valley Community College; Donicio Jensen Bobadilla, South Mountain Community College; Luke Mumaw, Erick "E" Tanchez Jr., Mesa Community College; Dr. Tasha Nelson, Rio Salado College
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Maryvale A, 2nd Level

Learn the strategies behind the multiple initiatives that Equality Maricopa employed to provide our LGBTQIA+ students in Maricopa Community Colleges with a sense of belonging by creating a more inclusive campus culture. Attendees will discuss the process behind the successful methods that Equality Maricopa has used to implement new policies like the preferred name change process and brainstorm how similar strategies might reach the needs of other underrepresented groups across MCCCD.

Session Materials:
Slides

1I. Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders: The Role of Financial Literacy
Presenter: Tara Baker, Mesa Community College Financial Literacy
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Maryvale B, 2nd Level

Financial Literacy is an essential aspect of student well-being. Attendees will gain insights into creating similar programs at their institutions, fostering student personal finance education and well-being, and promoting personal finance skills. Participants will leave with a blueprint for initiating financial literacy initiatives, positively impacting student lives, and supporting their academic journey.

Session Materials:
Slides
Handouts

1J. Building an Online Writing Community for Student-Athletes: A Contextualized Approach to Teaching First-Year Composition
Presenters: David Pegram, Paradise Valley Community College; Billy Gerchick, Mesa Community College
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: South Mountain, 2nd Level

Student-athletes are overlooked as a marginalized group on college campuses today. So how can faculty and staff help meet the needs of student-athletes? In this session, we offer one approach: a set of online first-year composition courses designed to foster belonging, empowerment, and success. We will share ways of engaging our students within and outside the scope of our curriculum.

Session Materials:
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Handouts

HyFlex Session!
2A. Evaluating FOI and Pathways as Tools for Building Belongingness -- A Listening Session
Presenters: Dr. Jacqui Jesse, Helice Agria, Maricopa Community College District
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: Ahwatukee A, 2nd Level

In Fall 2019, Fields of Interest and Guided Pathways were launched district-wide with the goal of clarifying and helping students choose, stay, and learn on their pathway to a career or transfer. Five years into our collective journey, it is time to evaluate our progress to inform iterative improvements. Join us for this listening session to share your experiences with FOI and the pathways to help us continue our evolution as a Guided Pathways institution.

Session Materials:
Slides
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=d42528c5566a980596e39b…
Password: bMJQTGJ3

HyFlex Session!
2B. Partnering Up for Student Success: The Literacy Partners Project
Presenters: Stacy Wilson, Michelle Jung, Samantha Calvin, Mesa Community College; Stephanie Couture, Glendale Community College; Kat Valdivia, Phoenix College
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Ahwatukee B, 2nd Level

The Literacy Partners Project, rooted in threshold concepts, learning theory, and knowledge transfer, invites disciplinary teams to think, learn, and grow together. Drawing from their expertise and program insights, teams tackle discipline-specific challenges related to student success with innovative solutions. 

LPP facilitators and Literacy Partners will describe how this program supports faculty growth and how LPP-projects are leading to the development of inclusive, accessible learning environments that nurture students' sense of belonging and empowerment. 

Session Materials:
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=347b4b882fbc40c3dbf783a3a81b7f83
Password: NrVAmUd7
 

HyFlex Session!
2C. Why the First Year Experience is Critical to Student Success
Presenters: Dr. Meredith Warner, South Mountain Community College; Dr. Sharon Zygowicz, Gateway Community College
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Laveen A, 2nd Level

In the Fall of 2022, all Maricopa rolled out the new First Year Experience Courses.The courses were designed to provide all new students a common Maricopa experience. In year one,, over 7000 new students took one of the two courses at all 10 colleges, 82% of whom are STILL Maricopa students. Comparatively, there were 1800 new students who did not take the course, and only 47% are still enrolled at a Maricopa college. The evidence is clear, our students need a common experience that provides all of the tools to support persistence in a Maricopa college. This session will share the content, the lessons, and the experiences within the new FYE course(s). Understanding how and why the course is necessary is critical to our ability to help our students connect, engage, and remain on track to reach their academic goals.

Session Materials:
Slides
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=22b01f1803d337eb6f6a319573e8bfb9
Password: YfYWnQ9A

HyFlex Session!
2D. The PC Student Success Specialist Program: Building Campus Community and Showing Students That They Matter
Presenters: Stephanie Madison, Dr. Jeni Ussery, Phoenix College 
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: Laveen B, 2nd Level

PC’s Student Success Specialist (SSS) program is a peer mentoring program that has a quantifiable positive impact on course-level student success. We’ll discuss our program’s funding and success data (for administrators!) as well as an overview of the program structure and training used to support the SSS (for faculty and staff!) Finally, we’ll facilitate an interactive exercise pulled from our SSS orientation. Join us to learn more about how every student matters at PC!

Session Materials:
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=2ce1cde9a3c71c36048e01…
Password: mV7btAby

2E. Innovations in Addressing Social Determinants of Academic Success
Presenters: Dr. Roberto Villegas-Gold, Kaylin Shady, Joanna Torres Perez, Phoenix College
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Cave Creek, 3rd Level

Phoenix College is committed to creating an environment where students can achieve personal and academic achievement. Addressing social determinants of academic success is one of the essential strategies for creating equitable access to higher education and the accompanying benefits of a college degree. This presentation will introduce recent basic needs initiatives at PC, report their efficacy, and share insights about innovative strategies to bring resources to students in areas of housing, technology, and benefits assistance.

Session Materials:
Slides

2F. Implementing SERVINGNESS at Hispanic Serving Institutions
Presenters: Alyssa McKenney, West Valley Regional Coordinator, HSI EXCELlence, Maricopa Community College District; Adriana Galindo, East Valley Regional Coordinator, HSI EXCELlence, Maricopa Community College District
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Desert Sky, 3rd Level

Maricopa Community Colleges is proud to have, for the first time, all ten colleges designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions by the U.S. Department of Education. These designations come with both; increased opportunities to to apply for and receive additional federal funding and great responsibility to support the needs of students from traditionally underserved communities. How do we transcend beyond “enrolling” and redefine what it means to “serve” the fastest-growing student population in our state?

Session Materials:
Slides

2G. Fostering Belonging for Latino Men: Research-Based Strategies and Student Perspectives
Presenter: Dr. Luvia Rivera Valles, Estrella Mountain Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Estrella, 2nd Level

Learn effective research-based teaching practices that foster a sense of belonging in the classroom. Participants will gain valuable insights into creating a welcoming environment where students feel included, supported, and motivated to excel in their learning journey. This session delves into sense of belonging practices that have been shown to impact students' academic and emotional well-being. You will learn how to integrate these practices into your working environment. 

Session Materials:
Slides

2H. The Connection between Course Materials and Teaching Approaches
Presenter: Dr. Julie Lazzara, Paradise Valley Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Maryvale A, 2nd Level

You may have heard of Open Educational Resources (OER) and their value in lowering textbook costs for students, but what are the potential benefits for faculty? This session will discuss the results of a national study that found that instructors who reported using OER scored higher on the conceptual-change student-focused instructional approach than those who used commercial materials. This session will explore the ways that using OER can positively impact teaching approaches.

Session Materials:
Slides

2I. Labor-Based Grading: Empowering Student Engagement and Agency
Presenters: Christina Bell, Jacqui Higgins-Dailey, Glendale Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Maryvale B, 2nd Level

What’s more important - getting it “right” or the space to make mistakes? This session will explore how labor-based grading re-focuses on content rather than rules. We seek to empower students through the learning process rather than emphasizing deadlines and good grades. This lets educators foster belonging by increasing students’ agency in their own learning. We will employ both our own experience in the classroom alongside a research-based approach and provide resources on alternative grading methods.

Session Materials:
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2J. Using an Equity Literacy Framework and Case Studies to (Re)spect Student Voices
Presenters: Lewis Andrea Brownlee, South Mountain Community College; Tawn Hauptli, Estrella Magallon, Sariah Chabarria, Taryn Willis, Mesa Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: South Mountain, 2nd Level

Equity literacy frameworks promotes a more comprehensive understanding of enacting equitable practices, emphasizing the importance of integrity in instruction, curriculum, and lesson plans. Equity literacy frameworks empowers instructors and students alike to recognize and address even the most subtle forms of bias and inequity, acknowledging the value of every student and community. By using equity literacy frameworks, any subject, with any major, with any field of interest, now have strategies to become more student centered.

Session Materials:
Slides
Handouts

HyFlex Session!
3A. Our Student Success Stories
Presenter: Lori Lindenberg, Maricopa Community College District
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Ahwatukee A, 2nd Level

Maricopa has many stories to tell about how we support student success. At this session we use data to take a comprehensive journey through the stories of the student experience at our colleges. This presentation will walk attendees through our most critical measures of student success including college-level course completion, persistence, completion, wage outcomes, and more! Attendees will get highlights from the 2023 SWOT Analysis report and the recently released 2022 Performance Monitoring Report.

Session Materials:
Slides
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=4cee26774845cec5468c7afb4252dafe
Password: pQpQcvj3
 

HyFlex Session!
3B. Bridging the Gap Between Student Support Services and Academic Disciplines
Presenters: Alex Arreguin, Leanna Hall, Craig Jacobsen, Crissy Negrini, Mesa Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Ahwatukee B, 2nd Level

This presentation will describe a student success initiative by MCC’s English Department aimed at bringing student support services into the classroom in order to create a more inclusive learning environment for students (track 1).

Presenters will describe a 3 part heuristic that the department created and implemented in order to demonstrate how student support services (counseling, library, writing center, Mesa Market, advising, financial aid, career services, student life) were integrated into its curriculum (track 2).

Session Materials:
Slides
 

HyFlex Session!
3C. Maricopa Pipeline: Guided Pathways to Career Attainment
Presenters: Helice Agria, Julie Stiak, Maricopa Community College District; Sara Beakley-Mercill, Scottsdale Community College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Laveen A, 2nd Level

Academic achievement and career maturity are closely related, and the first phase of Guided Pathways is clarifying paths to student education and career goals. Maricopa PipelineAZ is an equity and access focused platform based on FOIs that empowers each and every student to find their 'why' for being in college. Join this session to learn how this innovative ecosystem supports students throughout their learning experiences, nurtures work-based experiential learning, and enhances career and educational attainment.

Session Materials:
Slides
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.phpRCID=29845415a9085dbd6876abb64e3b5e3e 
Password: sKvATN8X
 

HyFlex Session!
3D. Because Doing Good Does you Good: Using Volunteerism to build Community and Engagement on Campus
Presenter: Izelle Silva, Glendale Community College
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: Laveen B, 2nd Level

The Volunteer Month event aligns with ‘Building an Inclusive College Community theme by utilizing a creative approach to bring our campus community together for the purpose of volunteering and engaging in mini-volunteer projects with community partners. Students and faculty shared how impactful this event was to providing a sense of belonging. One participant shared: “Volunteering helps me feel connected to those we are helping in the community. I also met new people that I had never known before. At this event there were so many diverse backgrounds. That made this event one of my top events this past month!!”

Based on event evaluations from 2023, 89% of respondents said “Participating in this event motivated them to want to volunteer more.” We feel Volunteer Month offered a unique way to meet local organizations, provide our campus community the opportunity to do good while making it more accessible by removing transportation barriers.

Session Materials:
Recording: https://maricopa.webex.com/maricopa/ldr.php?RCID=3763fcde3c220dbbc985943760eccd5b 
Password: sQBmTNz4
 

3E. Practicing Mindfulness to Foster Belonging and Replicate Successes with Students: An Interactive Discussion
Presenter: Dana Dinsmore, Chandler Gilbert Community College
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Cave Creek, 3rd Level

Student mindfulness is often explored as a factor in student success, but faculty, staff, and administrators can also engage in their own mindfulness practice to capitalize on breakthroughs with students. In this interactive session, we will engage in a guided discussion to mindfully identify times participants fostered belonging or empowered students and circumstances surrounding those successes. Participants will leave with a “breakthrough journal” to encourage mindfulness practice in future student interactions.

Session Materials:
Slides

3F. Overcoming Barriers: Supporting Students with Foster Care Experience
Presenters: Allison Goodwin, Leona Morales, Maricopa Community College District
Track 3: Building Engagement, Support, and Growth Opportunities
Location: Desert Sky, 3rd Level

This session will serve to discuss the unique experience of foster care alumni and how to best support and advocate for success and degree attainment.

Presenters will discuss the importance of advocating for foster care alumni and understanding the barriers to retention and graduation. In addition, attendees will learn about on-campus and community supports available. Current students participating in Bridging Success and/or are a part of Nina Scholars will join the presentation to share their stories and experiences as students.

Session Materials:
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3G. Putting DEIB(Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) at the Heart of Learning Design
Presenters: Dr. Christy M. Alarcon, Kali Andrews, Rio Salado College
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: Estrella, 2nd Level

Rio Salado College is dedicated to our DEIB philosophy: diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering belonging for all. Differences and unique perspectives from everyone are embraced. This presentation highlights the role of instructional design in integrating the college’s DEIB philosophy in its courses. Attendees will be presented with a current example of DEIB at work at a community college and how instructional designers ensure that all members of the learning community can thrive.

Session Materials:
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3H. Holistically Serving Student Experiences: An Intervention Addressing Equity and Access
Presenters: Dr. Elizabeth Cantú, Dr. Linda Manning, Erica Wager, Estrella Mountain Community College
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: Maryvale A, 2nd Level

Our current intervention helps build a more inclusive campus community by creating an environment that leads to greater sense of belonging, engagement, academic performance, and student success. Our team collaborated with students, faculty, and staff in developing an intervention to create and disseminate videos and culturally engaging visual assets to help students navigate the college experience. Participants will walk away with an understanding of these products and how they help build an inclusive college community.

Session Materials:
Slides

3I. Building an Inclusive College Community through Service-Learning & Civic Engagement
Presenters:Dr. Alisa Beyer, Kerry Gerle, Katie Haar, Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Track 1: Building an Inclusive College Community
Location: Maryvale B, 2nd Level

Come hear the benefits of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement (SLCE) for student inclusion and success. We will provide insights into an array of community-based learning models and offer an overview of our service management platform, GivePulse. Discover best practices, discuss challenges, and engage in some trivia and bingo. Join us to see how service-learning is a powerful tool for enhancing the overall educational experience and preparing students to be active and inclusive members of their communities.

Session Materials:
Slides

3J. Building Community Through Storytelling
Presenter: Anna Blocher-Rubin, Phoenix College 
Track 2: Building Community in the Classroom
Location: South Mountain, 2nd Level

Humans thrive through connections, and one way to support this is though community in the classroom. Using storytelling within a classroom enables everyone to acknowledge a story within themselves and build connections with classmates. This reinforces the idea that our individual stories matter and should be shared, and it builds a stronger community in the classroom. In this session, audience members will participate in creating a story to tell by the end of the session to a partner or small group. The story could be a concept, a personal story, or metaphor to convey a message. This skill will enable participants to embed storytelling in their individual classes to build community, and build a bridge of understanding of concepts being taught by looking at them through different perspectives and similarities. 

Session Materials:
Slides