MUAC Faculty

Facilitators: Emily Hutsell and Jessi Venice

Discover the truth behind the sticker price and what students really pay to attend MUAC. Join us for an eye-opening session that demystifies financial aid, breaks down net price, and explores how the business office works with students and families to navigate this process. Don’t miss this chance to turn financial complexity into a powerful tool for student success.

Facilitator: Kim Gentry

The Office of Admission invites you to join them October 2^nd for a Lunch ‘n Learn to discuss different collaboration opportunities this year! We will discuss how can we work together to help our incoming class of Chargers, chances to talk with students in your field of study, travel opportunities with our admission counselors, and events on campus you would like to be a part of or host for your department.

Please email Kim (or bring on 10/2) three things you want shared about yourself with our potential students. This can be about the classes you are currently teaching, a fun project you have done recently, or something about yourself. This helps us when talking to families connect them with you!

Over the course of several sessions, participants will explore the art of crafting personal narratives. No prior storytelling experience necessary, just an open heart and curiosity to see what unfolds!

WEDNESDAYS
2:30-3:30pm ET
October 8th & 22nd
November 5th & 19th

Open to all Sisters, PHJC co-workers, Maria Center residents, MUAC faculty & staff. You’ll receive more details after registration.

Register by Wednesday, October 1st  via
e m a i l t o j j o h n s o n @ p o o r h a n d m a i d s . o r g

Location: Hardesty Room
Facilitator: John Yeager
Outcomes:

• Articulate how our personal core values and the Franciscan Values serve as an "internal compass" that guides our actions and decisions, particularly when faced with fear or uncertainty. The objective is for faculty, staff, and students to recognize and lean on these values as a source of courage and conviction.
• Identify strategies to support students’ sense of purpose and determination that lead to increased commitment.

Our core values act as an internal compass, guiding our behaviors and providing a moral foundation for decision-making. In moments of fear or uncertainty, they serve as an anchor, giving us the strength and courage to act in alignment with our principles. This deep commitment to what we hold dear generates a powerful sense of purpose and resolve, helping us to overcome adversity. We can model this behavior for our students to help them build clarity and motivation towards their commitments.

This session explores how we can recognize and build upon the diverse strengths students bring to the classroom. You will learn about Funds of Knowledge (the skills and expertise rooted in students’ home and community experiences), Asset-Based Approaches (shifting from deficit perspectives to valuing what students contribute), and different forms of Capital (cultural, social, linguistic, aspirational, etc.) that support student success.

Join Dr. Neal Knapp for a lunch-and-learn on breaking down the walls between teaching and advising. Learn how student-centered learning and High-Impact Practices not only boost retention—a key indicator of students’ sense of belonging—but also foster engagement, mastery, and readiness for lifelong success. Thoughtful integration of AI and tailored feedback loops make this approach both innovative and practical for supporting every learner.

• Enhance Practical Skill Application and Success Tracking: Faculty and Staff will acquire practical tools and skills to translate intentions into effective actions, actively building a track record of success by successfully navigating challenges and focusing on effective performance and goal achievement.
• Increase Self-Assurance and Sense of Mastery: Participants will experience increased self-assurance and develop a sense of mastery by consciously focusing on the competence pathway, which for faculty and staff also includes identifying and leveraging their core strengths and assets.
• Promote Courage, Growth Mindset, and Risk-Taking: This session will encourage the courage to apply skills, admit when knowledge is lacking, and continuously seek growth—directly countering obstacles like risk aversion, fear of failure, and perfectionism in themselves and in the students.
• Cultivate Performance Resilience: Faculty and Staff will learn a two-pronged approach to confidence: intentionally cultivating it and developing the ability to perform successfully even during confidence lapses, allowing them to focus on the task and tolerate distracting thoughts.
• Faculty/Staff as Competence and Confidence Role Models: Faculty and staff will not only strengthen their own competence and confidence but also use these skills to effectively support students in understanding and applying their strengths, serving as successful models for overcoming confidence obstacles.

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Thursday, Nov. 20

Facilitator: Karlie Kaser
Location: 236
Time: 12:00 pm

This session examines how assessments and rubrics can be designed and applied to support meaningful student learning. You will explore different types of assessment—formative, summative, and authentic—and consider how each contributes to measuring growth and mastery. We will also explore creating clear, fair, and transparent rubrics that communicate expectations, provide constructive feedback, and promote student self-reflection.