UIC Faculty Inclusive Teaching Showcase
October 28, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location
Virtual Event
Calendar
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Overview
Are you looking to implement inclusive teaching strategies but not sure where to start? Come learn from fellow UIC faculty in this one-hour online session showcasing how they put inclusive teaching into action. Featuring four incredible instructors who have completed CATE’s Inclusive Education Scholars Certificate Program (IESCP), presenters will talk about using improv to increase students’ sense of belonging and connection, making large classes feel small, shifting to a growth mindset about teaching and learning, and teaching strategies for online asynchronous learning.
Each panelist will share a practical inclusive teaching strategy they have successfully implemented in their classroom followed by Q&A. Whether you teach online or in a large lecture hall, we hope you can walk away with ideas that you can apply to your course.
Panelists
- Dionna Griffin-Irons (Business) is a writer, Professional Development Programs lecturer in the College of Business and the longtime former Director of Diversity Talent Inclusion of the Second City where she developed and produced talent for 21 years. She's taught improvisation pedagogy to Yale scientists and developed inclusion strategies with companies and organizations around the globe. Her recent solo work, This is My Moment debuted in August at Steppenwolf Theatre's LookOut Series.
- Angélica Martínez Pérez (Applied Health Sciences) is a clinical faculty member in the College of Applied Health Sciences within the Department of Disability and Human Development. She teaches asynchronous online courses in the Assistive Technology Certificate, introducing continuing education, graduate, and undergraduate students to core and emerging areas of assistive technology. She is committed to advancing online learning by developing alternative‑format materials, integrating real‑world applications into learning modules, and designing learning experiences that support diverse student backgrounds and professional goals.
- Dr. Sarah Shepherd-Manandhar (Liberal Arts and Sciences) holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Illinois Chicago and brings over 15 years of U.S. and international university teaching experience, including fieldwork-informed courses developed while researching fashion and identity in Kathmandu, Nepal. She co-authored Teaching at UIC, the university's first institution-wide graduate teaching manual in 2018, and has presented at several teaching conferences. Her work focuses on bringing anthropology's cultural insights into conversation with inclusive, community based teaching approaches.
- Vinh Thai (Pharmacy) is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services at UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy. His work focuses on advancing pharmacy practice through collaboration and innovation in patient care and education. He is committed to continuous professional and personal growth, and he completed the Inclusive Education Scholar program as part of that commitment.
EVENT FORMAT: This session will be online on Zoom.
EVENT LEAD: Katie Pierson, piersonk@uic.edu
EVENT CO-FACILITATOR: Crystal Tse, tsecryst@uic.edu
Inclusion and Accessibility Information: CATE is committed to making events accessible. CATE’s online events are delivered through Zoom, will use Zoom auto-captions, and may include breakout rooms and group discussion. If you have any accessibility questions, requests, or to coordinate accommodations, please contact the CATE team at teaching@uic.edu.
Date posted
Aug 7, 2026
Date updated
Aug 31, 2026