Sarah Greywitt, a PhD student in Cultural Foundations program, co-presented at the Jobs for the Future Postsecondary State Network Meeting on January 29, 2020, in Seattle, Washington. With Jonathan Iuzzini, Director of Teaching & Learning at Achieving the Dream, they presented Building a Culture of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. In the presentation, she shared what Cuyahoga Community College's Center for Learning Excellence is doing to contribute to student success, based on the fourth guided pathway for community colleges as established by the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), "Ensuring that students are learning".
"Our presentation welcomed audience whom work in states, systems, and institutions that have invested heavily in rethinking and redesigning student advising and other student supports. We pointed out that, while advising is essential, it is only one piece of the student success puzzle. Effectively building an institution’s teaching and learning capacities—to ensure that a true culture of excellence takes hold—is another critical element. College leaders must turn their focus to the classroom and to sustainable, continuous professional development of their full-time and adjunct faculty members. We can learn how these institutional cultures provide the foundation necessary to successfully implement inclusive, evidence-based instructional reforms such as open educational resources, culturally responsive practices, and adaptive learning technologies. Our breakout session focused on the next frontier in the way community colleges address issues of student retention, equity, completion, and success".
The Meeting was organized by , an organization striving to create "change in the American workforce and education systems to promote economic advancement for all"*. "Twice a year, JFF convenes the Postsecondary State Network, which is comprised of postsecondary and policy leaders across 16 states, as well as national partners and funders. The Postsecondary State Network is committed to accelerating community college student success and completion. The meeting provides opportunities for peer learning within and across states, the dissemination of effective models and practices, sharing the latest field research, and collaboration around developing solutions and navigating change"**.
Apart from her busy PhD schedule at Kent State, Sarah is also working fulltime as a Senior Instructional Designer at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C).
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