Associate professor Christian Rogers says he has received an outpouring of support during the transition to working with Purdue University in Indianapolis.
“I have felt extremely welcomed, embraced and valued for what I can contribute,” says Rogers, whose department, Computer Graphics Technology (CGT), he says is making the most of the change. “We’ve been able to build such strong relationships across our department. I feel like I’ve been able to totally move on from the uncertainty I had in the beginning, and started thinking about what opportunities we have now that we didn’t before.”
In addition to the support he has received from his own department, Rogers says collaboration with units such as Innovative Learning have been crucial to ensuring that he has the necessary tools to help his students succeed, a mission he calls “the top priority for all faculty at IUPUI.”
Pictured: Associate professor Christian Rogers stands for a photo during the Teaching Academy and Innovative Learning open house event
Providing this kind of support for instructors was exactly the goal of the open house hosted by Purdue’s Teaching Academy and Innovative Learning teams, which took place on March 1 in Indianapolis. The in-person event opened with a brief presentation about Purdue’s Teaching Academy and Innovative Learning resources, but served primarily as an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and identify the support needs of faculty in Indianapolis for the fall semester and beyond.
Chantal Levesque-Bristol, executive director for Purdue’s Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE), says it was also a chance to build community between locations, something she believes will help create a better Purdue for everyone.
"By establishing these connections between West Lafayette and Indianapolis, we are strengthening the sense of community and belonging for all faculty,” says Levesque-Bristol. “Purdue University in Indianapolis is providing us with so many opportunities to learn from one another and to grow together. That ‘better together’ mindset is something we really want to cultivate.”
Pictured: Staff and faculty from Indianapolis and West Lafayette sit and listen to an opening presentation
This sense of togetherness is exactly what Rogers says makes him most excited about the change.
“I’m hopeful, I really am. We’re starting to have conversations (between campus locations) about creating courses that have never been taught, about partnerships and ideas that have never been done. It’s really exciting.”
David Umulis, senior vice provost Purdue University for Indianapolis, says there will be more events aimed at building relationships between locations in the coming months.
"We’re looking forward to facilitating more opportunities for our staff and faculty to form meaningful connections across the Purdue system ahead of our upcoming launch in Indianapolis,” Umulis shared. “Building bridges between these two vibrant academic communities will help strengthen the collective expertise that Purdue brings to the educational landscape. It truly is an exciting time for knowledge exchange, innovation and shared success.”
Faculty and instructors who are interested in learning more about teaching resources at Purdue University are encouraged to visit the Innovative Learning website.
Max Dryer
Digital Communication Manager for Teaching and Learning, mdryer@purdue.edu