Faculty Development

Tigers Excel is built on three core pillars, each designed to empower students through experiential learning. Focus area one is to develop a comprehensive and systematic professional development model aimed at empowering and supporting faculty to design and implement experiential learning opportunities that foster career readiness. To support this, Tigers Excel will develop capacity among faculty to connect academic curriculum to experiential learning activities that supports career readiness through training and development. Expanding experiential learning opportunities across campus requires a strong focus on training and using best practices to engage faculty in designing and implementing these activities. Tigers Excel seeks to equip instructors with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to integrate experiential learning effectively into their courses. Key resources will include faculty toolkits and training materials focused on integrating NACE competencies into course design and development, along with guidance on crafting syllabi and learning outcome statements. Through these resources, students will be able to apply, identify, and reflect on the skills gained in coursework and experiences, supporting their preparation for future careers. Reflection is an essential component of experiential learning, as it allows students to translate their experiences into new knowledge and skills, deepen their connection to course content, and develop critical thinking. Establishing a structured process for students to identify, interpret, and integrate their experiences is vital for meaningful engagement and effective career preparation. 

Implementation action items to support faculty development:  

1. Establish a Faculty Development Committee concentrating on enhancing faculty skills, integrating experiential learning into curricula, and supporting continuous professional development and collaboration among faculty.
2. Create a faculty toolkit for experiential learning course content development and facilitation.
3. Recruit volunteer faculty to embed experiential learning in courses utilizing training and toolkits.
4. Develop a faculty grant and incentive program to encourage instructor buy-in and incorporate experiential learning curriculum into their coursework.