Faculty and staff gathered May 7 for the inaugural Skyhawk Summit at Fort Lewis College, a campus-wide day of learning, connection, and celebration hosted by the Division of Enrollment Management.
Designed to strengthen collaboration and highlight the work happening across the College in support of students, the Summit featured 15 breakout sessions led by faculty and staff from across campus.
The day opened with welcome remarks from President Heather Shotton and a panel discussion with campus leaders focused on collaboration, student success, and strengthening connections across the College.
“The Skyhawk Summit reflected what makes Fort Lewis College strong, and that’s our people. People learning from one another, sharing ideas, and building relationships that help our students thrive,” Shotton said. “As we close the academic year, this was a moment to celebrate the work already happening across campus and carry that energy into what comes next.”
Breakout sessions throughout the day covered a wide range of topics connected to teaching, learning, student support, and employee well-being.
Faculty and staff explored sessions including “High Impact Practices Teaching Toolkit,” “Experiential Learning in Action: UGR & EXCEL,” and “Careers Everywhere: Helping Students Navigate Uncertainty Through Everyday Interactions.”
Other sessions focused on wellness, belonging, and connection across campus, including “Building Balance: Using LEGO® to Support Wellness, Resilience, and Connection,” “On the Spectrum – Understanding Neurodiversity,” and “Pedagogy of Belonging: Pedagogy & Class Inequality.”
Employees also participated in operational and campus-focused conversations, including sessions on the Native American Tuition Waiver, administrative productivity and social media strategy.
One breakout session, “Partnerships That Work: Collaborating Across Campus to Advance Fort Lewis College,” drew standing-room-only attendance and highlighted how relationships across campus help support student opportunities and institutional priorities.
During the session, faculty, staff, and campus leaders shared examples of collaboration supporting experiential learning, student wellness initiatives, reconciliation work, athletics, and academic programs. 
Laurie Williams discussed how donor support helped expand renewable energy projects serving communities on the Navajo Nation while creating hands-on learning opportunities for students.
“The Summit helped create space for conversations and connections that can be difficult to make during the academic year,” said Douglas DuPont, the interim program director at KDUR.
The Summit concluded with a campus social gathering outside the Chapel featuring live music from Tom Kipp, refreshments, and opportunities for faculty and staff to continue conversations and build connections across departments.
During the closing gathering, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Lori Cook announced that fundraising connected to Shotton’s investiture celebration raised more than $4.6 million for student scholarships.
“We have a lot of folks who care about the student experience and student support,” Cook said. “This really demonstrates that Fort Lewis College is telling the right story.”
Organizers said the Summit was designed to create opportunities for employees to share ideas, strengthen relationships, and better understand the many ways faculty and staff contribute to student success at Fort Lewis College.