The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation welcomes the 2025-2026 cohort of Elkins SoTL Fellows – USM faculty who will receive mini-grants and technical support to conduct projects focused on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
The Elkins SoTL Fellowship Program was developed to support and elevate faculty research on teaching practice. The 2025-2026 cohort of Elkins SoTL Fellows will conduct research spanning areas such as writing and literacy development, inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogy, and the integration of emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence into teaching and learning.
SoTL focuses on systematic investigation of student learning, instruction, and teaching innovations. Findings from SoTL research studies can help inform educators as they decide which instructional methods to use with students and as they design courses, helping to improve student performance and contributing to the knowledge base related to effective educational practices.
“I’m delighted to welcome this third cohort of Elkins SoTL Fellows,” said Nancy O’Neill, Executive Director, USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. “Their scholarship will advance our collective knowledge about what works for student success, and I am deeply grateful for their engagement in this important work.”
The 2025-2026 Elkins SoTL Fellows are:
Rebecca (Becky) Anthony, Associate Professor of Social Work and Rachel Buchanan, Associate Professor of Social Work, Salisbury University | Project: Using AI Simulation in Social Work Classes
Mandee Booth, Assistant Professor, Department of Practice, Science, and Health Outcomes Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore | Project: Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) in Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE)
Melissa Bugdal, Associate Professor of English, University Writing Center Director, Salisbury University | Project: First Year Seminar and Writing Center Workshops: Understanding Dispositions toward College Writing and Writing Centers as a Retention Tool
Kelsie Endicott, Coordinator of the Graduate Writing Center, University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Project: Developing a Graduate Writing Center
Jason Farman, Professor of American Studies and Associate Dean of the Graduate School, University of Maryland, College Park | Project: Making is a Mode of Thinking: Assessing the Impact of Hands-On Design for Inclusive and Deep Learning in the Humanities
Wyletta Gamble-Lomax, Associate Professor of Elementary Education, Coppin State University | Project: Our Uniqueness in Reading (O.U.R.) Book Club
Jennifer Rae Myers, Assistant Professor, Hearing and Speech Sciences, and Kristin Slawson, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education in Speech-Language Pathology, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park | Project: Enhancing Clinical Education in Medical Speech-Language Pathology through AI-Driven Simulated Learning Experiences
Lari Warren-Jeanpiere, Collegiate Professor, Social Sciences and Dominique Hammonds, Collegiate Professor, Clinical Professional Counseling, University of Maryland Global Campus | Project: Moving Beyond Diversity Training: Promoting Cultural Humility in Counselor Education through Intersectionality and Multiculturalism
Rebecca M. Williams, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Project: Chart Smarts: Cultivating Critical Visual Literacy in Diverse Student Populations with Student-Curated Examples
