Faculty and staff make UHart’s distinctive educational experience possible. These resources are here to support your work, deepen your impact, and empower your continued growth.
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Professional Development Wednesdays
As part of our ongoing commitment to reimagining excellence and strengthening campus culture, the second Wednesday of each month is set aside for faculty and staff development. From 12:45 to 2 p.m., no meetings are scheduled—this time is reserved for your professional growth.
Each month, you’ll have the flexibility to choose how you engage. We encourage you to take part in any of the University-sponsored sessions, designed to spark learning, build community, and support your goals. Space is limited, so be sure to register early!
❄️ Winter Research Connections (Pre-Session | Feb. 11)
Join colleagues for an informal, pre-session gathering ahead of Professional Development Wednesday programming. This 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. session is designed to spark conversation, showcase work in progress, and build connections—while still allowing time to attend other professional development sessions beginning at 12:45 p.m.
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Location: Commons PDR
As part of Professional Development Wednesday, and sponsored by the Faculty Engagement and Retention Committee, join colleagues for an informal winter gathering to connect and share work-in-progress.
What to Expect
This collaborative session gives faculty the opportunity to:
- Share current or in-progress work
- Explore interdisciplinary collaborations
- Highlight needs such as students, grants, or partners
Want to Participate?
Faculty who wish to showcase their work should:
- Sign up using the registration link
- Create an 8 × 11 flyer featuring:
- Name, department, and email
- Current projects and needs
- A QR code linking to more information (bio, website, or short video)
Unable to attend in person? Email your flyer to Jess Nicklin at nicklin@hartford.edu, and it will be shared during the event.
Good to Know
This is not a formal poster session, and no presentation is required. The focus is on conversation and connection.
Stop by, enjoy a $5 lunch, and continue to a professional development session at 12:45 p.m.
All faculty are welcome—whether or not you prepare a flyer.
Feb. 11–Session Schedule
Time: 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. | Location: CTEI Library
Case studies rarely have a single correct answer, and that’s what makes evaluating them challenging. In this Learn@Lunch session, participants will explore the PENCIL rubric, a structured tool that supports fair, consistent, and quantitative assessment of case-study responses. You’ll learn how the framework scaffolds reasoning, emphasizes patient assessment over “the answer,” and helps educators provide more transparent, defensible feedback to learners. This rubric has been created for clinical reasoning but will also adapt easily to other disciplines that use case-study methodologies.
Questions? Contact Lindi Mitsou.
*After 25 registrants, registration will close.
Time: 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. | Location: Greenberg Center
This workshop will provide instructors with examples of classroom activities, as well as at-home assignments, that make use of generative AI (artificial intelligence). The examples can be adapted to a variety of courses, but there will be an emphasis on how these assignments can be applied to humanities and social science courses. The goal of the workshop is two-fold: 1) To provide professors with the necessary know-how to use specific AI tools and 2) to share examples and suggestions of how to use generative AI in classroom assignments to advance the learning outcomes of the course. By the end of the workshop, instructors will leave with sample materials detailing how they can use generative AI in their courses.
Questions? Contact Amy Weiss.
*After 25 registrants, registration will close.
Time: 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. | Location: GSU 333
This workshop will introduce neurodiversity in the Uhart community. Topics will include an overview of the services provided by Access-Ability Services, Neurodiversity, and customer service, language, and classroom management.
Questions? Contact Tracy Lopez.
*After 30 registrants, registration will close.
Time: 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. | Location: Wilde Auditorium
This session demystifies how university endowments and donor dollars work—and what they mean (and don’t mean) for the operating budget. We’ll explore how restricted and unrestricted gifts are used, how endowment earnings support long-term priorities, and why donor intent matters. The conversation will also explain how capital projects are funded through targeted fundraising and why new buildings—when philanthropically supported—do not divert resources from day-to-day operations such as faculty, financial aid, or programs.
Questions? Contact Erica Light.
Time: 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. | Location: Makerspace
Join us for an interactive workshop led by MathWorks engineers and technical specialists, who will be on campus to introduce the expanding MATLAB ecosystem available to faculty and staff across the University of Hartford. This session will highlight powerful capabilities for teaching, research, data analysis, simulation, and interdisciplinary collaboration, with direct insight from the people who design and support MATLAB.
Participants will explore practical, real-world examples, learn best practices for integrating MATLAB into courses and labs, and receive hands-on guidance while having their questions answered in real time by MathWorks experts. Attendees will also gain a clear understanding of the campus-wide resources available through our MATLAB site license and how to leverage them effectively.
Whether you are new to MATLAB or looking to deepen your current use, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with MathWorks professionals, gain actionable tools, and discover new ways to enhance your work while elevating the learning experience and overall success of our student body.
Questions? Contact Keshawn Smith, CETA.
*After 70 registrants, registration will close.
Time: 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m. | Location: KF Room
We are giving folks across campus the opportunity to learn more about the Hawk Advantage program, a new academic opportunity for qualifying students featuring the small class sizes, peer support workshops, and other programmatic and academic supports currently offered in Hillyer College courses.
The Hawk Advantage program is being established as a key element of the soon-to-be-merged Hillyer College of Arts & Sciences. If you are interested in learning more about the Hawk Advantage program and the Hillyer College of Arts & Sciences merger (which will be finalized by July 1, 2026), drop by!
Questions? Contact Kenna Grant.
*After 30 registrations, registration will close.
Would you like to offer training to the community or have an idea for a future developmental opportunity? Provide your feedback here.