This March, the college had the privilege of hosting the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Nursing Faculty Professional Development (NFPD) Consortium.
Each year, nursing faculty from SEC universities gather to share ideas, discuss common challenges, and explore practical ways to better support nursing educators across the region.
Led by Tami Wyatt, associate dean of research, this year’s session also spotlighted the college’s new Innovation Room, an energizing space designed for connection, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving.
The environment set the tone for meaningful dialogue and forward-thinking outcomes.
Wyatt shared, “There were two goals: help the SEC consortium clearly identify their need and establish ideas (ideate) toward meeting their need. In their case, they wanted to figure out a way to host a number of professional development resources for SEC nurse faculty. The activity helped establish the work they completed during the day-long retreat.
The second goal was to demonstrate how design thinking may be used to identify problems and solutions. “
As conversations unfolded, ideas and plans moved quickly, shifting from notes on paper to sketches on the tables, then onto the windows as the group mapped possibilities in real time. Participants moved beyond simply exchanging strategies to using design thinking as problem solving.
In a space shaped by shared purpose, honest concerns and hopeful ambitions began to align.
What could have felt like a room of competing perspectives became something far more powerful: a group of partners listening closely, learning from one another, and working together toward stronger support for nursing faculty.
In a space of encouragement and understanding this team was able to identify problems, create solutions, and better faculty support.
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CONTACT:
Kara Clark Cardwell ([email protected], 865-974-9498)
Lauren Bryant ([email protected], 865-974-1271)