College of Innovation and Design Resources: Investing in Us
Investing in Us offers a professional development program at no cost to East Texas A&M University faculty and staff through a series of credit-bearing, academic, master classes. The program promotes a supportive environment for employees seeking to learn, grow, and thrive in their careers. Investing in Us seeks to invest the university's significant and relevant academic knowledge and experiences into its faculty and staff, which will best position them to build on their strengths, talents, and skills and invest them back into serving students at East Texas A&M University.
Spring 2026 Second Subterm Courses
Faculty and staff: Receive an Investing in Us campus leader designation
Complete at least four Investing in Us classes at East Texas A&M University, serve as a model for continuous professional development and growth and receive an Investing in Us Campus Leader Designation with your name displayed on our website for all of our campus community to see!
US 397.01E Pilates: Core Curriculum & Us
- Term: Meets March 16-May 8, 2026
- Meeting Day and Time: Mondays or Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
- Location: NHS 164
- Instructor: Lauren Rhodes
- For staff and faculty. Face-to-face classes in Commerce.
Pilates: Core Curriculum & Us focuses on essential Pilates concepts that develop core strength, stability, and efficient movement. This class emphasizes controlled, low-impact exercises that support functional strength and long-term wellness. Appropriate for all levels, with options provided throughout.
US 397.02E Improvisation & Us: Presence, Listening, and Adaptability
- Term: Meets March 16-May 8, 2026
- Meeting Day and Time: Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
- Location: PAC 100
- Instructor: Jackie Rosenfeld
- For staff and faculty. Face-to-face class in Commerce.
In Improvisation & Us, we will explore how improvisational theatre techniques support creative thinking, clear communication, and flexible problem-solving. Through simple, engaging exercises, participants will practice staying present, responding thoughtfully, and building ideas collaboratively. The focus is on practical skills, not performance.
US 497.01W Photoshop Foundations for Us
- Term: Meets March 16-May 8, 2026
- Meeting Day and Time: Thursdays, 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
- Location: Synchronous Zoom class
- Instructors: Paul Bryan and Cathy Li Foster
- For staff and faculty.
Designed for beginners, this course covers the essential techniques needed to create, manipulate, and enhance images. Learn how to navigate the Photoshop interface, use each tool, and work with layers and masks. Quickly and effectively explore and express your ideas visually. Equip yourself with the foundational knowledge and skills to use Photoshop for personal projects, professional tasks, or further advanced studies.
US 597.01W Promoting Active Learning & Us (shared ACUE class)
- Term: Meets March 16-May 8, 2026
- Instructor: Theresa Sadler
- Location: Asynchronous, web-based class.
- For faculty and instructional staff teaching at the University this semester.
- *Must have completed bachelor’s degree.
Discover active learning techniques to engage students. ACUE’s Promoting Active Learning course provides instructors with evidence-based teaching practices to facilitate group work and actively involve students in quality discussions during lectures and class sessions. Completing this course is one step toward becoming certified in ACUE’s Effective Teaching Practice Framework, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE). Or, the course can serve as a dynamic stand-alone experience!
US 597.02W Leading through Disruptive Change & Us
- Term: Meets March 16-May 8, 2026
- Meeting Day and Time: Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
- Location: Synchronous, Zoom class.
- Instructor: Nancy Albers
- For staff and faculty.
- *Must have completed bachelor’s degree.
This course will address strategies and methods of managing and leading during times of unexpected changes. Disruptive change can be complicated and result in alterations to policies, expectations, and practices.
US 597.03W Academic Writing for Us
- Term: Meets March 16-May 8, 2026
- Meeting Day and Time: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
- Location: Synchronous, Zoom class.
- Instructor: Salvatore Attardo
- For faculty.
- *Must have completed bachelor’s degree.
The workshop is geared toward early and mid-career academics (pre- and post-tenure) who need to publish or writers who have “stalled” and need help on a major project (for example, finishing a book). This eight week workshop/seminar is a hands-on 75 minute session, comprising an accountability writing group and a discussion of effective strategies and techniques to facilitate the writing of academic books and articles. Participants will work on at least one piece of writing. Topics to be covered include overcoming procrastination and impostor syndrome; positive thinking and reinforcement; establishing and keeping momentum; the importance of planning (backward calendars) and tracking one’s output; writing for thinking; and finding flow and joy in writing. The workshop’s philosophy is based on the forthcoming book: Attardo et al. (2026) Academic Writing Demystified: Publish and Thrive. Cambridge University Press.
Alumni Recognition
Spring 2025 Special Recognition: Investing in Us Alumni and Community Leaders
Special recognition is offered to the first three alumni and community members who completed at least four classes during the first two years of the Investing in Us program. Congratulations!
Teresa Bussell, Linda King, Elizabeth Rudin
Investing in Us Campus Leaders
Lisa Avrit, Kasey Britton, Chris Gage, Leah Kanaman, Brad Klypchak, Carrie Klypchak, Mo Reeves, Jaime Rodriguez, Belinda Rudinger, Joi Saville, Tracy Stewart, Catherine Giles, Ashlie Hight, Gavin Johnson, Ashanka Kumari, Virginia Monk, Denise Neill, Jamie Pfennig, Mark Rudin, Judy Sackfield, Kristen Segar, Rebecca Steward, Ancy Thomas, Renee Wallace, Pamela Webster, Michele Anderson, Kelin Loe, Adam Northam, Carol Revelle, Katelyn Severance, Karen Walker, Amanda Willows, Elvis Dang, Nicole Farris, Morgan Hargrove, Carla Jones, Cecilia Jubera, Dana Kruger, Lindsay Morgan, Justin Norman, Alice Norwood, Julia Persky, Laura Slay, Katrina Starr, Hannah Stotts, Andrea Williams, Lauren Devitt, Vipa Bernhardt, Misty Boyd, Kara Campbell, Mylynka Cardona, Ramona Gilley, Amanda Lowe, Britnie Moka, Rose Moreno, Sarah Northam, Syed Asif Raza, Deborah Scaggs, Christie Sifuentes
Course Archives
Contact Us
- Investing in Us
- [email protected]