March 26th Schedule
Welcome and Keynote Speakers
10am-11am, HST 3rd Floor
Dr. Bill Gaudelli, Vice Provost for Innovation in Education and Dean, College of Education
Lehigh User-Designed Inquiry is an institution-wide effort to revamp instructional practices in ways that center the user--or student--experience. Lehigh UDI entails a significant shift from traditional instruction, where one-size-fits-all design is the default mode, towards reconfiguring curriculum and instructional practices to match the interests, experiences, social identities and capacities of students. We employ foundational educational constructs, such as Universal Design for Learning, Competency-based Education and Backwards Design Assessment, to facilitate this shift. Hear how this initiative and framework focuses on learning that meets the needs of the learner and supports their unique educational journey, and how it can be applied to learning experiences both in and out of the classroom.
Dr. Dominic Packer, Associate Vice Provost for Research and Professor, Department of Psychology
This keynote will articulate our vision and strategy for research growth at Lehigh -- addressing such questions as: Why bet on interdisciplinarity? Why is research central to our identity? What does this mean for the student experience? And in what ways do offices of Student Affairs and of research pursue much the same mission? (Hint: we're both in the business of developing people.)
Lunch & bLUeprint Student Showcase
12pm-1pm, HST 3rd Floor
Please join us for lunch and engage with students as they share how they’re connecting their experiences at Lehigh to our newly relaunched student life curriculum bLUeprint.
Concurrent Sessions on Tuesday, March 26th
Session 1 - 11:10am-noon
AccelerateX Maker BootCamp: Harnessing the power of a dedicated block of time to dramatically impact student outcomes
Room 211
Michelle Spada, Program Manager, Office of Creative Inquiry
Brian Slocum, Director, Design Labs at Lehigh
In January 2024, the inaugural AccelerateX Maker Bootcamp gave 11 Lehigh students an opportunity to immerse themselves in digital design, fabrication, electronics, and broader personal and professional development for two-and-a-half weeks. Through this dedicated time, students realized the program’s goals: to develop foundational maker skills, engender familiarity with the Design Labs, build a supportive community, and connect their passions with opportunities for growth. In this session, Lehigh 360 and the Design Labs will discuss the program’s outcomes and future plans to expand AccelerateX’s interdisciplinary, immersive programs.
College Transitions: 2023 Student Data From First-Year through Year2@LU
Room L185 (Community Room)
Stefanie Burke, Assistant Dean and Director of First Year Experience
In this session, the presenter will share data from first-year and second-year programs at Lehigh University. You'll learn what students reported about their first-year experience including challenges in their academic and personal transition, resources they found helpful and their sense of belonging in the community. The presenter will also share data about parent and family data collected from incoming families about the effectiveness of transition support.
Learning to Care Well from Experiences of Connection
Room 101 (Forum)
Dr. Shamell Brandon, Staff Psychologist, UCPS
Dr. Bill Way, Postdoctoral Fellow, UCPS
Lehigh UCPS Staff
The goal of caring for oneself and others is an overarching theme of the students, staff, and faculty who request the consultation of counseling center staff. While the teaching of specific information and strategies for achieving that goal can be important, learning from the direct experience of caring itself might be an underappreciated source of understanding. Lehigh University Counseling and Psychological Services (UCPS) offers its community various opportunities to experience meaningful connections and has gathered data on what participants have learned from those experiences.
LVAIC Disability Support Providers Roundtable Discussion
Room L101
Maria Zullo, Assistant Dean and Director of Disability Support Services
Join us for an engaging roundtable discussion tailored specifically for post-secondary disability support providers within the LVAIC consortium. This session offers a unique opportunity to connect, share insights, and delve into the most pressing trends and hot topics affecting our work in supporting students with disabilities. During this interactive session, participants will have the chance to engage in a collaborative dialogue focused on the challenges and opportunities present in our evolving landscape. Through sharing experiences and best practices, attendees will gain valuable perspectives on how to navigate complex issues and adapt to changing student needs effectively.
Session 2 - 1:00 - 1:30pm
The Auxiliary Experience Program
Room L101
Monika Skuriat Fritz, Director, Retail Partnerships & Marketing
Launched in the fall of 2024, The Auxiliary Experience Program utilizes work study students to help analyze various services across Lehigh University under the guise of them being prospective (and actual) customers. The hired work students, referred to as Auxiliary Experience Analysts (AxAs), are assigned 3 to 5 “missions” per week. The AxAs make observations and assess performance based on specific predefined criteria that Auxiliary Services is trying to measure. The AxA’s completed 47 missions over the fall 2023 semester resulted in 135 identified improvements for departments to explore/implement.
Cultivating Campus Leadership Initiatives: Insights from Lehigh's Student Leadership Advisory Cohort
Room 101 (Forum)
Cassandra Gonzalez, Assistant Director, Leadership Education
In Spring 2023, 8 undergraduate students participated in the first cohort of the Student Leadership Advisory Team at Lehigh. This initiative was a semester-long qualitative research project in which students engaged in experiential-learning leadership workshops and provided feedback on new and current leadership initiatives on campus. Their contributions in these meetings led to improvements in many areas of our office.
Impact of a "Wise Blame Intervention" on Relationship Quality and Mental Health among College Roommates
Room L185 (Community Room)
Dr. Michael Gill, Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology Department
I will describe a study of 1st-year college roommates at Lehigh. Roommate pairs were randomly assigned to receive a Wise Blame Intervention (or not). The intervention provided research examples demonstrating that (too much) blame is harmful to relationships and also provided guidance on how to blame more wisely (rather than completely ignoring problem behavior). The 20-minute intervention had positive impacts on relationship quality and mental well-being when those variables were measured a couple of weeks later.
“Testing, 1, 2, 3”: Three Semesters of Testing Services Feedback and Assessment
Room 211
Kara Uhrich, Assistant Dean and Director of the Center for Academic Success
Cami Wheeler, Coordinator for Testing Services and Student Support
In Fall 2022, Lehigh’s Center for Academic Success implemented Testing Services as an option for students with testing accommodations through Disability Support Services to take their exams in an equitable environment. Through benchmarking, campus-wide collaboration and university-wide feedback, Testing Services has provided support for over 200 students taking hundreds of exams within the past three semesters. We are excited to share assessment data and how we have implemented student, faculty, and staff feedback to continue to meet students’ needs.
Session 3 - 1:40 - 2:20pm
bLUeprint Re-Launch Marketing & Assessment Update
Room 211
Stefanie Burke, Assistant Dean and Director of First Year Experience
The Division of Student Affairs re-launched its Student Life Curriculum, bLUeprint, this past year with updated learning outcomes. In this presentation, you'll hear about marketing efforts to encourage students to make meaning of their experiences and see how we encouraged learning and what students learned through efforts to explore the 5 Foundations and delve into their own bLUeprints.
Neurodiversity at Lehigh: Experiences of Neurodivergent Undergraduate Students
Room L185 (Community Room)
Meg Munley Stone, Director of Student Affairs Research and Assessment
In this session, the presenter will share Fall 2023 undergraduate survey results related to neurodiversity at Lehigh. This will include how students who identified as neurodivergent see the impact of their neurodivergence, both in and out of the classroom. Plans for an upcoming qualitative research study on this topic will also be discussed.
Trauma informed practices at Lehigh
Room 101 (Forum)
Lehigh University Police Department: Chief Schiffer, Ashley Strause, Elizabeth Miller Coleman, Lieutenant Kokinda
Student Affairs: Dr. Brooke DeSipio, Dugeidy Ortiz
Many students are entering the world of higher education having previously experienced trauma or will experience trauma as a member of our campus community. Trauma occurs in many forms, can manifest in multiple ways, and can impact various aspects of the student experience. Therefore, trauma informed practices are critical in our support of students as we think about students’ well-being and sense of belonging on campus. Join members of the Lehigh University Police Department and Student Affairs for a panel discussion on the various ways they have implemented trauma-informed practices on Lehigh’s campus, as well as recommendations.
Session 4 - 2:30 - 3:10pm
A Peek into Undergraduate Academic Advising at Lehigh: What Fall 2023 Data Show
Room L185 (Community Room)
Emily Ford, Director of Coordinated Advising
In Fall 2023, Lehigh administered its first campuswide undergraduate academic advising survey. In this session, the presenter will provide an overview of undergraduate academic advising at Lehigh, share data insights from the Fall 2023 survey, and discuss strategies to enhance the advising and mentoring experience for both students and advisors.
From the Locker Room to the Classroom – gender roles and team interdependence as determinants of peer learning participation: evidence from NCAA Division 1 student-athletes
Room 101 (Forum)
Dr. Vincent Munley, Professor, Economics Department
Dr. Ozias Moore, Assistant Professor, Management Department
Presenters will share a set of two distinct but clearly related empirical analyses. Study 1 focuses on the interrelationship between gender and sport type for NCAA Division I student-athletes in determining both their likelihood to engage in peer learning and the level of such engagement. Study 2 explores how the attitudes, characteristics and personal preferences of individual student-athletes, as revealed by their responses to a set of survey queries, may provide insight into why they have chosen to compete at this high level of athletic competition in an individual versus a team-based sport, and how this choice may differ between female and male student-athletes.
Rethinking Gryphon Selection: Making the Process Curricular
Room 211
Chloe Webb-Barnes, Associate Director, Residence Life
Aislinn Strohecker, Assistant Director, Resident Life
This session will focus on the 2024-2025 Gryphon (Resident Assistant) Recruitment & Selection cycle and how it was changed to follow a curricular approach. The Gryphon Selection process includes an application, seminar sessions, and individual interview. Presenters will highlight the changes that were made in the process to focus on the education of the student, the goals and execution of the process, the assessment efforts, and reflections on maintaining its success going forward.
Session 5 - 3:20 - 4pm
Intentional Conversations as an Assessment Strategy
Room L185 (Community Room)
Jean Barnard, Associate Director, Residence Life
Lou Gardiner, Assistant Director, Residence Life
Sean Miller, Assistant Director, Residence Life
This session will focus on the Office of Residence Life’s G-Chat curricular strategy and how it works to engage the residential student population at Lehigh. G-Chats are intentional check-ins that are conducted by Gryphons (Resident Assistants) throughout the semester where they discuss and develop goals and promote a sense of belonging within our communities. Presenters will highlight the context of the G-Chat initiative, assessment efforts, goals, and trends among the residential student population.
Photovoice: An Innovative Method in both Research and Teaching
Room 101 (Forum)
Dr. Katie Bucher, Associate Professor, Education, Muhlenberg College
Dr. Russell McIntire, Associate Professor, Department of Community and Population Health
Meg Munley Stone, Director of Student Affairs Research and Assessment
Dr. Lucy Napper, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology & HMS Program
In this session, presenters will discuss various uses of photovoice, a highly adaptable qualitative research method. Presenters have used photovoice in a variety of projects, including research related to historically marginalized college student populations, as a teaching method for students to connect with theoretical frameworks, and in working with student leaders to encourage both reflection and action-oriented mindsets. Presenters will share practical advice on how to conduct a photovoice project, ways in which projects may be adapted for different purposes, and the impact they have seen within their own photovoice projects.
Sex Communication: The New Consent Education
Room 211
Dr. Brooke DeSipio, Director, Office of Survivor Support and Intimacy Education
Dr. Christina Pallotti, Licensed Counseling Psychologist
Providing effective and comprehensive sexuality education is an important piece of gender violence prevention on college campuses. Utilizing critical consciousness and sexual script theories, a culturally competent and culturally humble sex communication program was created for Lehigh University undergraduate students. The current presentation will review the guiding framework for this program, and present preliminary findings of its effectiveness. Implications for campus prevention initiatives and future research will also be addressed.
Zoom Sessions on Wednesday, March 27th
Session 1 - 9:00 - 9:50am
Assessing the Impact of Health-oriented Leadership as a Leadership Tool to Amplify the Health and Well-being of Higher Education Student Affairs Professionals in Northeastern Pennsylvania
Zoom Link
Jayme Trogus, Director of Wellness Promotion, West Chester University
During this presentation, research and results from a dissertation study focused on identifying the role that leadership, particularly supervision, has on the health and well-being of employees, job satisfaction, and work engagement. Employees and supervisors at two universities in Northeastern PA participated in a mixed-methods study to identify the impact of the Health-oriented Leadership framework as a leadership tool among higher education professionals.
Session 2 - 10:00 - 10:30am
Data Insights from the Summer Success And Aid Program
Katie Robinson, Assistant Dean and Director, Office of Academic Transitions
The Summer Success and Aid Program (SSAP) is a retention initiative started in 2012 to provide funding and support for students with high financial need and who are behind in the completion of degrees. The presentation will discuss the program, share data insights and thoughts for the future.
Do Muhlenberg Students of Color Feel Like They Matter? A Research Report.
Dr. Connie Wolfe, Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Muhlenberg College
Student Co-Authors: Richeta Cubano, Kaylin C. Foss, Julianna Muñoz, Ibrahim Sidibeh, and Augusta Witherspoon-Dweh
Zoom Link
We interviewed 10 students of color about the extent to which they felt they mattered at Muhlenberg. Our results suggest students self-objectify. They feel hypervisible, but unseen as individuals. Students felt more comfortable with those who shared similar identities, but struggled with within-group differences in that very small cohort. Results emphasize the importance of cultural competency, building trust, affinity groups, and the vital need to help students of color see themselves as whole people.
Session 3 - 10:30 - 11:00am
An Application of the Dual Factor Model for Student Well-Being Data
Dr. Bridget Dever, Professor, College of Education
Jessica Lathrop, Doctoral Student, College of Education
The presentation will provide an overview of the dual factor model of mental health, which has typically been used in K-12 settings. The dual factor model will then be applied to data from the Life at Lehigh: Community and Well-being Survey. Results on key academic and behavioral outcomes will be examined, and implications and future directions will be discussed.
Creating a more just, caring, and thriving world: LeaderShape at Lehigh
Carolina Hernandez, Assistant Dean and Director of the Community Service Office
McKenna Myers, Assistant Director, Community Service Office
Undergraduate students: Ignacio Gonzalez, Ignacio Umpierre Jimenez
A flagship program of the Community Service Office, the LeaderShape Institute engages participants in a transformative experience and inspires them to create a just, caring, and thriving world. The Institute is grounded in helping students identify the values they hold that lead to making a difference in the communities around them. Learn about the impact this program not only has on our students but also its connection to Lehigh's bLUeprint foundations.
Session 4 - 11:10 - noon
Qualtrics 101
Chris Martin, Senior Computing Consultant
Denise Campion, Library and Technology Consultant
In Qualtrics 101, the focus is on 'what' you can accomplish with Qualtrics, along with a little bit of the 'how'. From surveys, to applications, to data collection and tracking, we'll walk through the benefits of using Qualtrics so you can determine if it's the right tool for your job, and offer some alternatives for when it's not. The overview will be followed by a short demonstration of basic Qualtrics functionality, along with time for Q&A.
Session 5 - 1:10 - 2:00pm
Care & Coaching: Muhlenberg's Three Pronged Approach to Individualized Support
Zoom Link
Courtney Stephens, Associate Dean of Students, Muhlenberg College
Dr. Sean Schofield, Executive Director, Career Center, Muhlenberg College
Dr. Sharon Albert, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, Muhlenberg College
Presented with a reality that students are craving (and needing) more individualized support, Muhlenberg created a coaching approach piloted with the class of 2027 to meet students where they are at, and support and challenge them to take full advantage of their College experience. This model provides a three pronged approach in which every student has a faculty advisor, College Life coach, and Career Center coach to support them throughout their college journey.