Celebrating Excellence: Taking PRIDE in Our Teaching
Friday, March 27, 2026
SULB 360 (Alumni Hall)
Join your colleagues for a day of sharing ideas, building community and celebrating excellent teaching at PNW!
All faculty and instructors are invited to attend.
Celebrating Excellence Agenda
| 10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. | Student Panel - Balancing Life and Learning: How Faculty Can Support Today’s Students |
| 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. | Faculty Panel - Humanizing the Higher Ed Experience: Building Relationships for Student Success |
| Noon to 1:15 p.m. | Recognition Luncheon (by invitation only) |
Session Details
Student Panel – Balancing Life and Learning: How Faculty Can Support Today’s Students – Today’s students are navigating far more than coursework—they’re managing jobs, family commitments, mental health challenges, transportation barriers and financial pressures, all while striving to succeed academically. In this conversation with students, participants will hear firsthand how these intersecting responsibilities shape the PNW learning experience. Students will share what helps, what hinders and what instructional practices make a meaningful difference in their ability to thrive.
Faculty Panel – Humanizing the Higher Ed Experience: Building Relationships for Student Success – Strong faculty–student relationships are among the most powerful drivers of learning, motivation and persistence. In this conversational panel, PNW faculty will share practical, realistic ways they build meaningful connections with students through communication, care and intentional classroom practices. Panelists will discuss approaches that foster trust, engagement and a sense of belonging—especially for students managing complex lives. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on these ideas and consider how they might apply them within their own teaching.
Recognition Luncheon (by invitation only) – This luncheon will recognize faculty and staff committed to teaching excellence and student success.