Daily Events Teaching Resources
Daily Events and Highlights
Creating a welcoming environment in the university classroom can be easier than many think. Learn why care and empathy in the classroom are important, what the research says, and productive ways teachers can enhance their classrooms, materials, and professional development. Topics include teaching with compassion, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), learning student's names, the Student Experience Project (SEP), and more!
Sessions
Teaching with Compassion: Trauma-Informed Approaches for Higher Education | Register
11:00am-Noon | In-person
The Student Experience Project: Faculty Community and Growth Mindset | Register
1:00pm-2:00pm | Webinar
Name Dropping: Building Rapport Through the Science of Names | Register
2:20pm-3:10pm | Webinar
This day will also feature:
- Short videos
- Handouts on Pedagogies of Care, accessible active learning, compassionate course design, UDL, creating welcoming classrooms, growth mindset, building community through groupwork, and other best practices.
Educators, including faculty, staff, and graduate teaching assistants, often forget to take care of their own emotional, mental, and physical health. Benefits exist across campus to help educators walk into class ready for a productive session. Learn more about free and low-cost services that you can take advantage of today!
Sessions
Leave Benefits and FMLA (Family and Medical Leave) | Register
10:00am-11:00am | Webinar
Recovery Ally | Register (Please note the special instructions in the registration link)
10:05am-11:20am | In-person
Prioritizing Your Well-Being | Register
Noon-1:00pm | Webinar
Somatic Subtleties & Sound: Living Beyond the Workplace | Register
1:30pm-2:15pm | In-person
Suicide Prevention Training | Register (Space is limited)
2:00pm-3:30pm | In-person
Balancing Your Role as an Instructor and Graduate Student | Register
3:00pm-4:00pm | In-person
This day will also feature:
- Short videos on self-care and breathing exercises
- Handouts on faculty and staff benefits, self-care, graduate teaching assistant resources, mental health
- And more!
A student’s lived experiences directly influence how they enter the classroom and engage in the materials presented to them. USC offers support, outreach, and guidance to help them navigate their concerns outside of the classroom so they can show up ready and engaged.
Sessions
The Balance of Care and Accountability | Register
10:00am-10:50am | Webinar
Leadership, Power, and Empathy: A Virtual Reality Activation | Register
11:00am-1:30pm | In-person
Virtual Environments Community of Practice | Register
Noon-12:50pm | In-person
Additional materials will include resources from our partners:
- The Student Care Team
- Student Advocacy
- Counseling and Psychology
- Civil Rights/Title IX
- Student Success Center
- Student Health and Well-Being
- Student Disability Resource Center
Beneficial resources are available to students across campus and online to support academic and career excellence.
Sessions
Creating Academic Spaces that Foster Success for First-Generation College Students
| Register
1:15pm-2:30pm | In-person
The Student Success Center: How your Students Can Utilize Peer-led Academic Support
| Register
3:15pm-4:00pm | In-person
Additional materials will include resources from our partners:
- Student Success Center
- University Libraries
- First-Generation Center
- TRIO Programs
- The Humanities Collaborative
- Student Disability Resource Center
- Graduation and Retention Network (GARNET)
- Office of Access and Opportunity
- and others!
The week ends with the First-Generation Symposium, an annual celebration of the experiences, successes, and unique needs of first-generation college students. This collaborative event is supported by the Center for Teaching Excellence, First-Generation Center, TRIO Programs, Graduation and Retention Network (GARNET), the Office of Access and Opportunity, the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support, and Aramark. Join us for an inspiring day filled with engaging discussions, insightful data, and impactful stories.
Registration Deadline: Friday, March 17 Register (Note: This event currently has a waitlist.)
Time: 9:00am - 1:15pm
Location: University Conference Center (8th floor, Close-Hipp Building)
Yet in practice, I've found that kindness as pedagogical practice distills down to two simple things: believing people, and believing in people.
Catherine Denial, "A Pedagogy of Kindness," 2020
CAREolina Gallery of Useful Tools and Resources
Starting March 23rd, view, download, and share a variety of teaching materials curated especially for CAREolina. These include videos, interviews, tip sheets, handouts,
and valuable references about care and empathy on the USC campus.
An Interview about Care on Campus with Xavery Hopkins
In this interview, CTE talks to Xavery Hopkins, Senior Director of the Office of Access, Opportunity and Community Engagement at the Darla Moore School of Business. She recently won the 2026 Martin Luther King Social Justice Award and took time to talk to us about why empathy is important on campus and how educators can foster care in the classroom.