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Teacher Testimonios for Transformative Learning

HSI Faculty Learning Community | Spring 2025

The Office for Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiatives invites faculty to participate in the HSI Faculty Learning Community (FLC) during the spring 2025 semester. This cohort-based experience is part of UCF’s POTENCIAL initiative which is funded by a U.S. Department of Education Title V grant. Project POTENCIAL focuses on increasing 2- and 4-year graduation rates, promoting high impact practices, and increasing the sense of belonging among Latine and all students.

Over the course of five in-person sessions, faculty will explore their respective academic experiences in relation to academic self-concept and cultural validation through teaching and researching at an HSI. Utilizing Dr. Gina Garcia’s servingness framework as a springboard, HSI FLC participants will make meaning of their own academic experiences and how those experiences in turn influence their teaching present day in an HSI context.

The HSI FLC features three key learning outcomes:

  1. Framework: Faculty members will learn about the foundations of testimonio, as a method, epistemology, and pedagogy.
  2. Storytelling: Faculty members will engage in critical reflection on their own identities and roles within the university, using testimonio foundations.
  3. Listening: Faculty members will determine how this new knowledge can be transferred to student connections, to build on solidarity, and in turn, student success.

HSI FLC participants will engage with readings, podcasts, activities, and group discussions to enhance their learning. Faculty members from all disciplines and backgrounds, both in undergraduate and graduate level education, are invited to join this FLC.

All sessions will run from 11:30AM-1:00PM on the following dates:

  • February 6th
  • February 20th
  • March 6th
  • April 3rd
  • April 17th

HSI FLC participants will be required to construct a personal testimonio for presentation at the 2025 Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning’s Summer Faculty Development Institute – HSI track. These required testimonios may encompass a variety of formats (i.e., written, video/audio recorded, performed, material, etc.)

Full participation in both the 2025 HSI Faculty Learning Community and HSI Track of the Summer Faculty Development Institute (SFDI) are required to receive compensation in the amount of $1,500. This includes the HSI FLC testimonio deliverable to be presented at the summer institute. No partial compensation will be awarded. Payments will be made after the close of the SFDI in May 2025. Participants will also receive copies of some of the texts utilized in the FLC experience.

Apply to participate by January 17, 2025 at: https://tinyurl.com/hsiflcspr25 . For questions, please contact: hsifacultyfellow@ucf.edu.

To learn more about HSI Initiatives at UCF, visit: https://access.ucf.edu/hispanic-serving-institution/

To learn more about the Title V POTENCIAL grant, visit: https://access.ucf.edu/hispanic-serving-institution/potencial/