June 20, 2023

Educational & Student Success Center Holds Open House to Celebrate Faculty Development

The UAMS Educational and Student Success Center (ESSC) held a Faculty Celebration and Open House in the UAMS Library on May 11.

All faculty were invited to join us to celebrate finding ways to improve student learning in the classroom and clinic, foster interprofessional collaboration among educators and encourage curricular and teaching innovation. The Faculty Celebration also offered the opportunity to thank UAMS faculty who participated in or presented at ESSC training events. All faculty participants were invited and recognized during the celebration held in the Active Learning Center on the first floor of the Library. Speakers included Kat Neill, Pharm.D., associate provost for academics, Wendy Ward, Ph.D., associate provost for faculty, and Tracy Haselow, M.D., director of the UAMS Student, Resident and Faculty Wellness Program.

Following the Faculty Celebration, the ESSC held an open house on the 3rd floor of the UAMS Library to celebrate the center’s first anniversary providing development for all UAMS faculty in teaching and learning and to celebrate Faculty Appreciation Week and Mental Health Awareness Month. All faculty were invited to attend and participate in some de-stressing activities.

Activities included:

• Yoga — Yoga has been shown to lower stress hormones in our bodies while increasing feel-good chemicals in our brains like endorphins. Participants are encouraged to bring a mat or towel.
• A Relaxation Room with foot massage and aroma therapy
• A Coloring Poster — Coloring is an easy and fun way to relieve stress. It calms you and helps your brain and body relax.
• A Therapy Dog supports a person’s mental health by providing attention and emotional comfort

ESSC faculty were joined by representatives from the Faculty Center, Library, Wellness Services, ADA/Disability Services Office, Office Educational Development (OED) and the Mindfulness Program to chat informally with faculty members about the services they offer.

The ESSC faculty and staff members, especially Dana Pickett, Marjoree Harper, Lian Taylor, Marybeth Norcross, and Meghan Reed, worked diligently to make this faculty appreciation and de-stress event happen, said Helen Hu, director of the Educational and Student Success Center. The ESSC hallway area and all the event rooms were decorated in a beach theme.