Teaching, Learning & Innovation Summer Institute

Join the John Main Center for 30-minutes of quiet reflection and meditation.  

Learning and integrating a mindful practice has become central to our way of life in education, work and home lives. Having presence as a leader, or being the “lead energy”, means going beyond the feelings of stress in our personal and professional lives, to being more present with an open heart. Learning compassion mindful-based practices can help lead us to sustainable engagement in how we live, work and learn. How we can change an environment so we encourage learning from each other? Whether it is imagery to help with envisioning, compassion-based action, or self-awareness, mindfulness has the capacity to create these heart-led shared spaces. There are different ways that mind and body connect so we can work and learn with more energized intent to mentor creative innovative solutions. Mindfulness, compassion, breath and movement (or embodied practice) all help to promote attention and learning. Charles DeSantis, Chief Benefits and Wellness Officer for Georgetown University, has long incorporated mindfulness practice and presence in his programming and leadership approach. From wellness breaks to Ignatian discernment to mindfulness practices, Charles has been an advocate and example of creating space for thriving at home and work. In addition, Charles' work with refugee and orphan populations has informed his thinking and being as a healing and heart-led presence at Georgetown University. Faculty and staff will experience the mindful embodied practice of Qigong and its practical application for leading in the classroom, work space and at home. While Qigong is has been called moving meditation and is a gentle form of movement, it also involves still meditation. It has been known to help enhance health with physical, mental, spiritual benefits. No previous experience is necessary and the movement portion can be adapted to any level and done seated. Ann Duvall has been teaching Qigong and wellness at Georgetown for Faculty and Staff Benefits for several years. To learn more about her go to annduvall.com.

Learning and integrating a mindful practice has become central to our way of life in education, work and home lives. Having presence as a leader, or being the “lead energy”, means going beyond the feelings of stress in our personal and professional lives, to being more present with an open heart. Learning compassion mindful-based practices can help lead us to sustainable engagement in how we live, work and learn. How we can change an environment so we encourage learning from each other? Whether it is imagery to help with envisioning, compassion-based action, or self-awareness, mindfulness has the capacity to create these heart-led shared spaces. There are different ways that mind and body connect so we can work and learn with more energized intent to mentor creative innovative solutions. Mindfulness, compassion, breath and movement (or embodied practice) all help to promote attention and learning. Charles DeSantis, Chief Benefits and Wellness Officer for Georgetown University, has long incorporated mindfulness practice and presence in his programming and leadership approach. From wellness breaks to Ignatian discernment to mindfulness practices, Charles has been an advocate and example of creating space for thriving at home and work. In addition, Charles' work with refugee and orphan populations has informed his thinking and being as a healing and heart-led presence at Georgetown University. Faculty and staff will experience the mindful embodied practice of Qigong and its practical application for leading in the classroom, work space and at home. While Qigong is has been called moving meditation and is a gentle form of movement, it also involves still meditation. It has been known to help enhance health with physical, mental, spiritual benefits. No previous experience is necessary and the movement portion can be adapted to any level and done seated. Ann Duvall has been teaching Qigong and wellness at Georgetown for Faculty and Staff Benefits for several years. To learn more about her go to annduvall.com.

Georgetown is committed to a whole-institution approach to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As part of efforts to better understand academic, financial, social and structural barriers affecting student success, The Hub for Equity and Innovation in Higher Education - working in partnership with the Georgetown Scholars Program and Community Scholars Program - conducted a study on attitudes of belonging among first-generation college students. For this study, we are using SenseMaker, a novel, narrative-based research tool that allows for a rich, mixed methods approach to understanding complex issues inherent in students’ sense of belonging. The tool guides individuals through the telling and interpretation of a short story and then aggregates these annotations into a network model, revealing larger patterns that traditional surveys fail to uncover. In addition to informing changes to practices on our own campus, we hope to contribute to the broader national conversations with this research.

We hope that faculty, staff and students from diverse campus units join us at this session. Audience members will learn about survey findings and be asked to brainstorm structural solutions in their respective units for improving the first-generation student experience at Georgetown. Audience members will also have the opportunity to learn more about the narrative survey tool and consider how it might be adaptable to their own research questions.

Georgetown is committed to a whole-institution approach to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As part of efforts to better understand academic, financial, social and structural barriers affecting student success, The Hub for Equity and Innovation in Higher Education - working in partnership with the Georgetown Scholars Program and Community Scholars Program - conducted a study on attitudes of belonging among first-generation college students. For this study, we are using SenseMaker, a novel, narrative-based research tool that allows for a rich, mixed methods approach to understanding complex issues inherent in students’ sense of belonging. The tool guides individuals through the telling and interpretation of a short story and then aggregates these annotations into a network model, revealing larger patterns that traditional surveys fail to uncover. In addition to informing changes to practices on our own campus, we hope to contribute to the broader national conversations with this research.

We hope that faculty, staff and students from diverse campus units join us at this session. Audience members will learn about survey findings and be asked to brainstorm structural solutions in their respective units for improving the first-generation student experience at Georgetown. Audience members will also have the opportunity to learn more about the narrative survey tool and consider how it might be adaptable to their own research questions.

This wellness session is designed to introduce Qigong, the mind-body practice that reduces stress levels, enhances vitality and calmness, and brings renewed focus for teachable moments! Qigong combines gentle movement, deep breathing, and meditation to help facilitate physical, emotional and spiritual benefits allowing for sustained resilience professionally and personally. We will learn simple qigong movements applicable to any learning environment to help you feel energized, relaxed and centered for the rest of the day.

The most recent Georgetown University Intellectual Life Report states that “the pressures to participate in club culture, internships, and other dimensions of social life at Georgetown create a frenetic environment where students find their time split between the intellectual activities of their courses and social and pre-professional lives they wish to pursue.” (Intellectual Life Report, 2018, p. 38). For many reasons, students employ an achievement-oriented approach to their Georgetown pursuits, both academic and extra-curricular. This approach manifests itself in hyper-awareness of the regard of others, a sense of competition for roles and experiences, and increased focus on social capital. Current events and social media further complicate the perception of achievement in a high-prestige university environment. Achievement-orientation may impact the development of process-based, relational leadership skills. This presentation provides context and considerations for the ways that achievement-orientation impacts Georgetown students’ leadership identity development by presenting findings from a qualitative research study. The presentation will include implications for achievement-orientation in other aspects of Georgetown students’ learning and development, and provide opportunity for conversation about interventions and strategies to mitigate the practical and at times, negative effects of this approach.

The most recent Georgetown University Intellectual Life Report states that “the pressures to participate in club culture, internships, and other dimensions of social life at Georgetown create a frenetic environment where students find their time split between the intellectual activities of their courses and social and pre-professional lives they wish to pursue.” (Intellectual Life Report, 2018, p. 38). For many reasons, students employ an achievement-oriented approach to their Georgetown pursuits, both academic and extra-curricular. This approach manifests itself in hyper-awareness of the regard of others, a sense of competition for roles and experiences, and increased focus on social capital. Current events and social media further complicate the perception of achievement in a high-prestige university environment. Achievement-orientation may impact the development of process-based, relational leadership skills. This presentation provides context and considerations for the ways that achievement-orientation impacts Georgetown students’ leadership identity development by presenting findings from a qualitative research study. The presentation will include implications for achievement-orientation in other aspects of Georgetown students’ learning and development, and provide opportunity for conversation about interventions and strategies to mitigate the practical and at times, negative effects of this approach.

We propose convening a workshop that explores the recent research we undertook to address issues of student learning and wellness within the learning environment at the Georgetown School of Medicine.

The Build & Belong study at Georgetown School of Medicine, launched in May 2017, set out to explore how to improve medical students’ wellbeing and resilience in medical school by reducing ‘belonging uncertainty’-- a concept explaining one’s sense of belonging in new social and academic settings, especially if one is targeted by negative stereotypes. Guided by theories of social belongingness in primarily undergraduate academic environments, an evidence-based model of social belonging was adapted for the medical school academic environment.

The workshop will feature study design, focus group information, data analysis insights, and address promising strategies moving forward to implement in other learning environments across Georgetown. Outcomes from the workshop include gleaning insights around social belonging informed strategies and discussion of adoption of similar promising strategies at other campuses.

Our goal was to develop a better understanding of the potential impact of influencing medical students’ sense of belonging, given experiences of depression, burnout, distress and social isolation experienced in medical school. The Build & Belong Campaign explored the value of vulnerability, convenience of access to program information, community building, and faculty awareness.. Insights generated by this research will potentially contribute to new psychosocial intervention research in the medical education realm. Other undergraduate and medical schools and graduate schools (business, policy, education) may also be interested in implications of our research as they endeavor to reduce stress and create a culture of well-being at their schools.

We propose convening a workshop that explores the recent research we undertook to address issues of student learning and wellness within the learning environment at the Georgetown School of Medicine.

The Build & Belong study at Georgetown School of Medicine, launched in May 2017, set out to explore how to improve medical students’ wellbeing and resilience in medical school by reducing ‘belonging uncertainty’-- a concept explaining one’s sense of belonging in new social and academic settings, especially if one is targeted by negative stereotypes. Guided by theories of social belongingness in primarily undergraduate academic environments, an evidence-based model of social belonging was adapted for the medical school academic environment.

The workshop will feature study design, focus group information, data analysis insights, and address promising strategies moving forward to implement in other learning environments across Georgetown. Outcomes from the workshop include gleaning insights around social belonging informed strategies and discussion of adoption of similar promising strategies at other campuses.

Our goal was to develop a better understanding of the potential impact of influencing medical students’ sense of belonging, given experiences of depression, burnout, distress and social isolation experienced in medical school. The Build & Belong Campaign explored the value of vulnerability, convenience of access to program information, community building, and faculty awareness.. Insights generated by this research will potentially contribute to new psychosocial intervention research in the medical education realm. Other undergraduate and medical schools and graduate schools (business, policy, education) may also be interested in implications of our research as they endeavor to reduce stress and create a culture of well-being at their schools.

Join the John Main Center for 30-minutes of quiet reflection and meditation.  

We will discuss helpful tools to reduce stress and burnout and add clarity to the mind, body and spirit. Useful tools that can be performed in work clothes, in the chair or standing. No experience required. Paige Lichens is a 500Hr Licensed Yoga & Meditation Teacher, DC native and been teaching for the past 10+ years. To learn more: paigesyoga.com for useful health articles, workshops, books, and tips.