Facilitated by Liz Norell, Associate Director of Instructional Support at the University of Mississippi
To attend one or both sessions, please call 815-753-0595.
We often hear about “student-centered teaching” and its benefits. Yet this approach can make faculty feel like their job is to become invisible, as though increasing learner autonomy equates to losing time to share our expertise. In truth, though, students rightfully depend on their faculty to remain present — present to the people and to the learning. In this half-day workshop, we’ll dig into some of the research that touches on instructor presence, learning, and relationship-rich education and rethink what it means to educate and be an educator today. Ultimately, our focus will be on how to be more authentically ourselves in our teaching — and why doing so matters. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in one or more exercises from Liz’s book, The Present Professor: Authenticity and Transformational Teaching (2025), with ample time for reflection and Q&A.
Teaching in 2025 is not for the faint of heart. Uncertainty abounds, and how we maintain our commitment to transformational learning in the current environment can easily feel overwhelming. In this half-day workshop, we’ll talk about how to reclaim and sustain our joy and purpose in an environment filled with challenges. Participants will engage in discussion and reflection on questions like:
Dr. Liz Norell serves as Associate Director of Instructional Support in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Mississippi. She has spent more than 20 years teaching in higher education, including stints in composition, journalism, new media, and political science. She completed a PhD in political science at the University of Texas Dallas, along with master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Arkansas and library science from Texas Woman’s University.
Liz’s first book, The Present Professor: Authenticity and Transformational Teaching, is aimed at educators who know they want to create meaningful relationships with students but aren’t quite sure how to do that in authentic ways. Liz is passionate about equitable, inclusive teaching, constructive conversations across differences, and fostering meaningful learning. She is also dedicated to boosting awareness of disability in higher education. You can find Liz on social media (@liznorell) and at her web site, liznorell.com.
The Institute is open to NIU faculty, instructors, and SPS and Civil Service staff. Please register by the deadline so that we can ensure we have sufficient space available.
Online registration is closed, but you can still register by calling us at 815-753-0595.
After you register, if you are unable to attend, please cancel your registration by Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at citl.niu.edu/myprograms.
For the first session, check-in begins at 8:30 AM. The morning session will begin at 9 AM.
Check-in begins at 12:30 PM for the second session. The afternoon session will begin at 1 PM.
If budget and university policy permit, we will have light refreshments available in the morning. Feel free to bring a snack or beverage to enjoy during the institute.
It would be helpful to bring a laptop or pen and paper to take notes. We want you to be relaxed and comfortable, so please dress casually. Bring a sweater or jacket in case of room temperature changes.
