POWER Teaching Conference
Fort Lewis College

Join us at the 2nd annual POWER Teaching Conference

Discover new ways to engage and empower your students at the 2nd Annual POWER Teaching Conference—a one-day, in-person event designed to inspire, connect, and equip educators with proven strategies for inclusive and impactful teaching. Hosted through the Title III POWER Project, a NASNTI collaboration between San Juan College and Fort Lewis College, this regional conference brings together secondary and college-level instructors committed to equity and student success.

Together, we will:

Build a collaborative community of educators across San Juan College, Fort Lewis College, and regional high schools.
Share evidence-based, inclusive curriculum design strategies with a focus on supporting Indigenous students.
Explore culturally responsive teaching practices that promote academic, social, and identity-safe belonging for all students, including Native American, first-generation, Hispanic, rural, and non-traditional learners.

San Juan College logo Fort Lewis College logo

2025 POWER Teaching Conference Agenda:

8:30-9:00 Check In and Light Breakfast (Vallecito Room, Student Union Building)
9 - 9:45am Keynote
10 - 10:45am Session 1
11 - 11:45am Session 2
Lunch & Student Panel
1 - 1:45pm Session 3
2 - 2:45 Session 4
2:45-3:00 pm Closing Remarks

Save the date

Saturday, September 6, 2025
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Fort Lewis College, Student Union
Free

Event details

Meet our keynote speaker, Lloyd L. Lee, Ph.D.

Lloyd L. Lee, Ph.D. is an enrolled citizen of the Navajo Nation. He is Kiyaa’áanii (Towering House people), born for Tł’ááshchí’í (Red Cheeks people). His maternal grandfather’s clan is Áshįįhí (Salt clan), and his paternal grandfather’s clan is Tábąąhá (Water’s Edge people).

Dr. Lee is professor and chair of the Department of Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico and editor of the Wicazo Sa Review journal. He also co-edits the University of New Mexico Press book series Studies in Indigenous Community Building with Wendy Shelly Greyeyes, Ph.D. His research focuses on Indigenous identity, masculinities, leadership, philosophies, and Native Nation building/ Indigenous community building.

Keynote speech details

Community-engaged Leadership and Student Wellness: Building Sustaining, Transformative, and Healthy Indigenous Communities

The University of New Mexico Native American Studies Department was created because of student demands for UNM to offer their perspectives, experiences, and knowledges in the curriculum. NAS curriculum aims to promote student wellness, developing community-engaged leadership, and building sustaining, transformative, and healthy Indigenous communities. This approach is the pathway for higher education and positive Native ways of life. This talk will discuss how this is accomplished in the classroom and with curriculum.

This year's session tracks

Tech for Agency

Leveraging AI and innovative tools to amplify learning and empower students.

Beyond Grades

Reimagining assessments to build trust, transparency, and authentic understanding of student growth.

Honoring Indigenous Knowledge

Centering Indigenous ways of knowing to create inclusive learning experiences.

HIK

Community Connections

Collaborative partnerships that bridge classrooms and communities for deeper, relevant learning.

Session schedule

10:00-10:45 | Session 1

Helping students fill their academic toolboxes: Using skill checks to build confidence and competence

Carolyn Tewksbury-Christle

Ungrading reduces the pressure of traditional grades and allows students to grow their knowledge at their own pace. This session will present an example of ungrading-style 'skill checks' in the geosciences, along with implementation strategies (e.g., how you and your students can track their success and areas for growth). We will take time throughout the session to brainstorm potential applications to your course(s), tackle opportunities and challenges, and share your ideas. (EBH 219)

Reciprocity and Relationships: How the 5 Rs of Indigenous Pedagogy Creates Space for All Student Voices

Meg Alvarado-Saggese, Ryan Rhadigan, Jen Rider

This interactive session introduces the 5 Rs of Indigenous Pedagogy (Kirkness & Barnhardt, 1991; Restoule, 2008)—Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility, and Relationships—as a framework for making course learning outcomes more culturally responsive and inclusive. Participants will revise course outcomes by focusing on two of the 5 Rs—Reciprocity and Relationships—to promote belonging and engagement for Indigenous students, and then collaboratively rework an assignment from their own course to align with these pedagogical values. (EBH 107)

Balancing Structure and Flexibility: Can Attendance and Late Work Policies Promote Student Success?

Corey McCullough

In this session, I will review research on course policies like attendance and late work, arguing for a balance between high structure and high flexibility. I will review positive results I've had, particularly with late work policies, in reducing DFW rates and ask audience members to reflect on their own policies, considering whether certain policies can increase student accountability and engagement with course policies while also creating opportunities for instructor-student dialogue. We will discuss potential benefits, ethical issues, and the logistics of creating late-work policies in Canvas. (EBH 118)

Culturally Responsive Course Based Undergraduate Research

Missy Thompson, Marnie Clay, Chiara Cannella, Erin Lehmer

This presentation shares the results from an NSF-IUSE funded project that created a faculty professional development course to assist faculty in developing culturally responsive sophomore level course based undergraduate research experiences. Session participants will learn how students benefited from this approach and how faculty applied knowledge gained to their individual courses. Session participants will gain new insight into what students find beneficial and ideas to reimagine their own courses. (EBH 210)

Empowering Learning Through Personalized AIs

Tom Miaskiewicz

This session will guide participants through the creation of personalized AI tools—such as Custom GPTs and Notebook LM applications—to support student engagement, personalization, and inclusive learning. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for integrating AI into their teaching practices and to enhance the overall learning experience. (EBH 207)

11:00-11:45 | Session 2

Incorporating Utility Value into STEM Curriculum to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

Renee Beeton

Recent research in STEM education shows that increasing the perceived relevance or personal value of course content—known as utility value—can significantly boost student success, particularly for minoritized students. This interactive workshop will explore practical strategies for enhancing utility value in STEM classrooms, with opportunities for participants to reflect on and adapt activities for their own teaching contexts. (EBH 107)

Effective classroom practices in a global business course: What do the data speak about our students at a Native American serving institution?

Kaori Takano

The data collected for four years at FLC in my First Year Launch global business course will be presented and key successes and potential room for improvement in teaching freshman students in this Native American serving institution will be discussed. (EBH 118)

Engaging Students in the AI Conversation

Genevieve Hiltebrand

Generative AI is rapidly evolving and impacting many jobs and industries as well as education. Rather than focus on preventing academic dishonesty, I want to engage students meaningfully in conversations around AI - including ethics, sustainability, benefits, controversies and the impact on learning. This presentation will engage participants in activities I designed for my classes as well as open the floor for dialogue and sharing of ideas. **Participants should bring a laptop to this session. (EBH 207)

Mentoring Young Black Men in an Insular Cultural Bubble: Building Belonging Through Culturally Competent Care

Maggie Shields

Participants will explore how reflective questioning and the concept of conscientization can help students make meaningful connections between academic content and their lived experiences. Through discussion and practice, participants will think about their challenges doing this in the classroom, brainstorm reflection prompts and design simple community-rooted activities that foster critical thinking, relevance, and social awareness that could be used for students. Attendees will leave with ideas of how they can deepen classroom learning by bridging classroom and community/outside of the classroom. (EBH 210)

1:00-1:45 | Session 3

2:00-2:45 | Session 4

It's Not All on You: Building a Network of Care in and Beyond the Classroom

Sutherland & Schulz

This session explores how instructors can support students' wellbeing without feeling like they have to do it all themselves. We'll share simple, low-effort ways to build a culture of care—like quick check-ins and easy outreach ideas - and highlight how to connect students with academic support staff and campus services. Attendees will walk away with tools and strategies they can easily apply in their own classrooms. (EBH 210)

Learning and Unlearning: Early Reflections on Indigenizing My Pedagogy

Mark Beattie

This session shares three classroom projects that bring Indigenous history, community, and reconciliation into sport management courses. Attendees will leave with practical ideas, sample materials, and space to reflect on how they might Indigenize their own teaching. (EBH 207)

Reflective Practices to Root Learning in Real Life

Meredith Nass

Ethical AI in Action: Streamlining Faculty Workflows with Equity at the Center

Karen McCay

This interactive session explores how faculty can use AI tools to streamline workload while centering equity, ethics, and student wellbeing. Participants will engage with real-world strategies for revising modules, delivering feedback, and implementing early interventions—reclaiming time for culturally responsive teaching, mentorship, and relationship-building. Designed for educators seeking practical, values-aligned approaches to innovation. (EBH 219)