It’s Convocation Day!

Celebrations, Faculty & Staff

Sep 22, 2023

Cincinnati State’s annual Employee Convocation takes place Friday, September 22.

Classes end at noon and College offices will be closed starting at noon so all employees can participate in Convocation activities.
The Overlook is closed on Friday, but Bakery Hill will be open 7:30-11:30 a.m., and it’s “Free Coffee Friday,” as usual.

The schedule for Convocation is:

Lunch – 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. – ATLC First Floor

Enjoy lunch choices from local favorites Montgomery Inn and LaRosa’s, with vegetarian options prepared by Elegant Fare. Thank you to these organizations for supporting our event!

Breakout Session 1 – 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Learn New Skills

Creating Videos to Help Students Build Skills – Kellee Fields & Paul DeNu – ATLC 328 – Instructional skill building videos that teach students how to “do” something have been used in many educational settings to improve specific hands-on techniques while engaging students, improving self-efficacy, and promoting retention. Learn how to create effective skill building videos for your program and student reactions and outcomes for these teaching tools.

How to Help Prevent Suicide using QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) – Eric Smith – ATLC 324 – A session for those not trained in mental health, to learn how to respond when you encounter someone who may appear to be thinking or intending to die by suicide, including approaching the person sensitively but directly, asking appropriate questions, persuading the person there is hope and help available, and referring the person to appropriate resources

Gain New Insights

Practical Tips for Working with English-Learning Students – Daniel Zimmer – ATLC 323 – Gain practical advice for making your classroom or office more inclusive and supportive for English-learning students. Topics include communication tips and helpful resources for instructors and students.

AI Ascension: Elevating Higher Education with Artificial Intelligence Tools – Kathleen Pickens & Paul Weingartner – ATLC 320 – Explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence tools such as ChatGPT in higher education, and gain insights for integrating AI-powered tools to personalize learning, automate administrative tasks, and engage students effectively. Discover how AI can elevate teaching, research, and student support for a holistic educational experience. (ChatGPT wrote this description and a human lightly edited it)

Ohio College2Careers Partnership – Brian Newton & Christopher Smith (Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities) – ATLC 301 – The Ohio College2Careers partnership offered by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities ensures that Cincinnati State students with disabilities have support to complete their degree or certificate, earn higher wages, and meet the demands of tomorrow’s labor market. Meet the full-time, dedicated Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor now embedded in the Career Center to provide career counseling and other services and support for students.

How to Make a Difference with Communications Students Want – Greg Gantzer & Todd Vura (Locale Agency) – ATLC 330 – How can messages you send to students (such as signing up for an event, enrolling in classes, or other College tasks and information) be improved? Using before-and-after examples, this session will discuss approaches to creating communications students will actually open and read, and designing, writing, and structuring these message to actually achieve end goals.

See New Places (meet in the Overlook after lunch to join these groups)

Tour the Cincinnati State SIM Lab – Claudia Miller, Toni Durban, Bill Mehbod, Rachael Meier, Bonnie Smith & Jenna Beck – Tour the new Health Simulation Lab (Main 156) and see demonstrations of how this unique lab space will allow Health and Public Safety Division students to work in interdisciplinary teams, just as they would in the field.

Tour the Cincinnati State RAPIDS-Equipped Labs – George Armstrong, Zane Decker, Kim McMillan & Doug Bowling – Tour the labs that Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited recently and see demonstrations of the advanced high tech equipment the College obtained with RAPIDS grant funding, including:
- Building Information Modeling demonstration (Main 134A)
- Laser Cutting and 3D printing demonstration (Main 141)

Tour the Cincinnati State Greenhouse – Kelly Wanstrath (limited to 20 participants) – Tour the newly-renovated Greenhouse, and create your own small succulent container to take home. All supplies will be provided.

Take a Walk on Campus – Mark Deacon – Take a walk outside, observe some of the over-100 species of trees on campus, and learn about the roles they play in the ecosystem and our lives. Wear sturdy shoes suitable for going off the sidewalks!

Take a Break (and grab a bottle of water) – 2:15-2:30 p.m.

Breakout Session 2 – 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Learn New Skills

Social Media: Developing Your Digital Voice – Brittany King – Main 374 – Whether your goal is to promote a program, a department, or yourself, learn strategies to help you reach your audience authentically through social media.

Trauma Informed and Beyond: Applying psychological science to strengthen student learning and resilience – Heather Hatchett – Main 376 – Learn how to leverage the best of psychological science to mitigate distress and nurture resiliency in our students and ourselves.

Teams Phone: What Does it Mean for Me? – Frankie Baker – ATLC 301 – Cincinnati State campus telephone service is changing to Teams Phone. At this session, you’ll learn the timeline for implementation, see a demonstration, and get answers to your questions about Teams Phone.

Gain New Insights

Using Student Roles in Learning Teams – Karen Groh – Main 370 – When students work together in learning teams, assigning a role to each student can facilitate group dynamics and learning. In this session, you’ll experience the use of roles while completing a short learning activity, and then discuss advantages and challenges of using assigned roles.

Sabbatical Project Presentations – Jayne Dressing, Candice “CJ” Jones & Leesha Thrower – Main 372 – Learn about the outcomes of three recently-completed faculty Sabbatical projects:
- Jayne Dressing’s project developed a model for experiential learning for the transfer degrees (Associate of Arts/Associate of Science), to increase the number of students who participate in an experience that introduces them to professionals in their field of interest. The project focused on streamlining options for students while maintaining the components of a successful co-op program, including faculty engagement and involvement, and student development of transferable skills.
- CJ Jones’ project focused on Culinary Medicine, a new field that examines “food as medicine.” CJ updated and created new Dietetic Technology courses and created an accelerated dietary management certificate so Culinary, Pastry, Hospitality, and Nutrition graduates can qualify to take the Certified Dietary Managers Exam. The project also includes developing a Culinary Nutrition Therapy course and a certificate to provide continuing education for healthcare providers in the community.
- Leesha Thrower’s project created a Cincinnati State Speakers Bureau that provides presentations for community and professional organizations, delivered by Cincinnati State faculty, staff, and alumni. While the service is free, those who use the Speakers Bureau are asked to contribute to a new Community Impact Scholarship, open to new and returning students who demonstrate they are making a positive impact on their communities. (Learn more at https://www.cincinnatistate.edu/speakersbureau)

Guardians of Ethical AI: Faculty’s Defense Against the Dark (Data) Arts – Kathleen Pickens & Paul Weingartner – ATLC 320 – Delve into vital strategies for ethical implementation of artificial intelligence tools in assignments and assessments, so you can navigate the evolving landscape of AI-powered education while maintaining the highest ethical standards. This session addresses responsible integration of AI tools to prevent plagiarism, uphold academic integrity, and ensure fairness. (ChatGPT wrote this description and a human lightly edited it)

Equity Awakening: An Invitation to Equity-Minded Teaching – Madeline Ndambakuwa – ATLC 313 – Equity-focused educators teach with a holistic approach, and awareness that a student’s personal history and identities do not predict success. Gain insights to become equity minded during your course design, in your day-to-day inclusive teaching, and at the end of the semester through critical reflection on your course data and feedback.

How to Make a Difference with Communications Students Want – Greg Gantzer & Todd Vura (Locale Agency) – ATLC 330 – How can messages you send to students (such as signing up for an event, enrolling in classes, or other College tasks and information) be improved? Using before-and-after examples, this session will discuss approaches to creating communications students will actually open and read, and designing, writing, and structuring these message to actually achieve end goals. (This is a repeat of the Breakout 1 session)

See New Places / Taste New Treats

Tour the Cincinnati State Greenhouse – Kelly Wanstrath (limited to 20 participants – meet in HPB Lobby by 2:25 p.m.) – Tour the newly-renovated Greenhouse, and create your own small succulent container to take home. All supplies will be provided.

Enjoy a Culinary Experience in the Demonstration Kitchen (ATLC 043; entrance on ATLC 1^st Floor opposite the Bookstore) – Chef Greg Skibinski & Brewer Caleb Ochs-Naderer – Enjoy a demonstration with samples! Chef Skibinski will prepare ora king salmon sushi and vegetarian sushi, with beer pairings from Brewing Science Chair Ochs-Naderer.

College and Community: Volunteer Opportunities & Closing remarks from President Monica Posey – 3:45-4:15 p.m. – ATLC Auditorium

Panel members representing several organizations will describe opportunities to support the Greater Cincinnati community through your volunteer efforts.

President Posey will offer closing comments at the end of the panel discussion.

Representatives of the community organizations will be available outside the Auditorium after the session, to provide more information and sign you up if you want to volunteer!

Happy Hour – 4:30-?? p.m. – ATLC Second Floor near Bakery Hill

Wrap up the day by enjoying conversation with your Cincinnati State colleagues, while sipping a beverage of your choice. Plus, enter the raffle drawing and you could win a gift basket with fabulous prizes, including a restaurant gift certificate worth $100— but you must be present to win!