Upcoming Events and Workshops
STEAM Socials w/ the STEM Ambassadors
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Trivia STEAM Social: Tuesday, September 15th, 2026, 5–7 p.m.
Register on the Redbird Life event page. -
Piñatas and Masks STEAM Social: Wednesday, October 21st, 2026, 5–7 p.m.
Register on the Redbird Life event page. -
Key Holders STEAM Social: Thursday, November 12th, 2026, 5–7 p.m.
Register on the Redbird Life event page.
Visit the CeMaST page on Redbird Life for upcoming STEAM Socials and other student events.
Upcoming Professional Development Workshops
Student-Led Faculty Professional Development Series
Join CeMaST's Student STEM Ambassadors for an interactive presentation and Q&A panel. Each session includes opportunities for participants to discuss barriers students face and successful strategies for helping students overcome those barriers. You will learn about the program, effective practices for faculty/student partnerships, and create a plan to support STEM students. You will leave with a curated list of resources that you can use with your own students. Tenure-track faculty, non-tenure track faculty and course instructors, and graduate students are eligible to participate. A $125 stipend is available if you participate in two or more sessions. (Note: Compensation for GAs is dependent on pre-approval from their department/school and HR.) Registration is required for each session. This workshops are facilitated by CeMaST's STEM Ambassadors and their mentor, Matthew Hagaman.
Session 1: Supporting Students through Successful Life Transitions in the Classroom & Beyond
Faculty support for students as they navigate transitions helps students thrive in college and beyond. Student researchers have developed a unique understanding of student perspectives on career transitions through research on Illinois State students’ experiences and the broader literature.
- Wednesday, September 2nd, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Session 2: Promoting Student Success through Faculty-Student Connections
Strong connections with faculty lead to greater student belonging and greater student success. Student researchers surveyed Illinois State students and faculty to understand the indicators and implications of faculty-student connections. Suggestions from students and the literature will be shared during this session.
- Wednesday, September 16th, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Session 3: Small Steps to Set Students Up for Success
Universal Design for Learning and related movements in education show that small course changes focused on overcoming obstacles can have positive impacts for all students. Student researchers surveyed Illinois State students to understand the stumbling blocks encountered in courses and identified small steps that faculty can take to ensure all students have a path to success.
- Wednesday, September 30th, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Session 4: Increasing Investment through Active Learning
Student researchers surveyed Illinois State students to understand what aspects of teaching and learning lead to engagement and investment. Suggestions from these interviews and the literature will be shared during this session.
- Wednesday, October 14th, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
- Thursday, November 5th, 3:00–4:15 p.m.
Session 5: Study Skills that Meet Students Where They Are
Student researchers surveyed Illinois State students to understand which study skills and strategies have proven helpful in various courses. Attend the session to learn the results of studies conducted at the University and in the academic literature.
- Wednesday, October 28th, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
- Thursday, November 19th, 3:00–4:15 p.m.
Please visit the Student-Led Faculty Professional Development Workshop Series page for registration and additional information.
Past Events and Workshops
Events
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Earth Day STEAM Social:
Wednesday, April 8th, 2026, 5–7 p.m.
- Book Lamp STEAM Social: Monday, March 2nd, 5–7 p.m.
- Paper Lantern STEAM Social: Tuesday, February 17th, 5–7 p.m.
- Mosaic Frame STEAM Social: Thursday, January 29th, 5–7 p.m.
- Finals Week Destresser STEAM Social: Thursday, December 4th, 5–7 p.m.
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Trinket Shelf STEAM Social:
Wednesday, November 12th, 5–7 p.m.
- Pumpkin Painting STEAM Social: Tuesday, October 14th, 5–7 p.m.
- Make Your Own Ice Cream STEAM Social: Monday, September 29th, 5–7 p.m.
Workshops
Student-Led Faculty Professional Development Workshop Series
This series of professional development workshops is facilitated by the STEM Ambassadors. In this three-part series, you will learn about the program, effective practices for faculty/student partnerships, and create a plan to support STEM students. You will leave with a curated list of resources that you can use with your own students. Tenure-track faculty, non-tenure track faculty and course instructors, and graduate students are eligible to participate. The best practices documents from each of these sessions are included after the session description.
Session 1: Supporting Students through Successful Life Transitions in the Classroom & Beyond
Description: Join ISU’s STEM Ambassadors for an interactive presentation and Q&A panel. Faculty support for students as they navigate transitions helps students thrive in college and beyond. ISU student researchers have developed a unique understanding of student perspectives on career transitions through research on ISU students’ experiences and the broader literature.
Session 2: Promoting Student Success Through Faculty–Student Connections
Description: Join ISU’s STEM Ambassadors for an interactive presentation and Q&A panel. Strong connections with faculty lead to greater student belonging and greater student success. Student researchers surveyed ISU students and faculty to understand the indicators and implications of faculty–student connections. Suggestions from ISU students and the literature will be shared during this session.
Session 3: Small Steps to Set Students Up for Success
Description: Join ISU’s STEM Ambassadors for an interactive presentation and Q&A panel. Universal Design for Learning and related movements in education show that small course changes focused on overcoming obstacles can have positive impacts for all students. Student researchers surveyed ISU students to understand stumbling blocks in ISU courses and identified small steps that faculty can take to ensure all students have a path to success.
Avoiding Burnout Using Self-Determination Theory to Foster Well-being in Both Ourselves and Our Students
Hosted by Dr. Rebekka Darner and Dr. Ashley Waring-Sparks; Illinois State University (Summer 2024)
Description: We will use self-determination theory to explore our own motivations within and beyond teaching, identify how we can avoid burnout, and conceptualize what psychological wellness really is. Then we will explore how self-determination theory can be applied to foster motivation in our students by supporting their psychological wellness, fostering their STEM identity, offering choices in the STEM classroom, fostering goal setting and achievement in STEM classrooms, fostering a sense of belonging in STEM, and making STEM feel new and exciting.