Recharge. Reconnect. Renew.
A Learning Community Focused on Teaching

Please apply by: Friday, October 17, 2025

Join us to recharge, reconnect, and renew your teaching practice through community, conversation, and collaboration.

Faculty often begin the new school year energized and ready to teach with the anticipation and excitement to the start of the new semester. But with the fall season and the weather changing (and the leaves falling), this is also the point of the semester where we may be starting to feel a little drained. We know that we sometimes need to take time for self-care and to recharge but we sometimes wait until it’s too late and we’re too stressed. This community is here for you. We’re going to focus on strengthening our human connection to others as we recharge our own shared passion for teaching through our group meetings and drop-in sessions. 

We’re also going to connect with one another with fun activities, too. These social opportunities are intended to get to know one another and engage and interact outside the classroom, while showcasing the resources and activities across campus and our local Morgantown community. This learning community is intended for faculty new to the WVU campus or those faculty that know their way around campus but would like to reconnect and expand their network across other teaching disciplines.

Looking ahead into the spring semester, we’ll continue the self-care and connection, as we add specific themed workshops and events that help us renew our teaching philosophy and practices. We can all learn and grow from one another as we share our teaching experiences. 

Community Leader: Cathy Mezera, Teaching Associate Professor, Advertising and Public Relations, College of Creative Arts and Media

Eligibility: Faculty, instructors, and graduate teaching assistants (full-time or part-time), across all disciplines. Whether you are new to WVU or a long-time faculty member, all are welcome.

Dates: October 2025 – May 2026

Purpose and Focus: This learning community is designed as a supportive peer network dedicated to student success and scholarly teaching.

Each semester begins with enthusiasm and energy, but by mid-fall, the demands of teaching and the changing season can leave us feeling stretched thin. Too often, we postpone self-care until we are already overwhelmed. This community provides the space to pause, reflect, and recharge.

Together, we will:

• Strengthen our human connections with colleagues.
• Share successes, challenges, and strategies for effective teaching.
• Explore fun, community-building activities both on campus and around Morgantown.
• Support one another in renewing our passion and philosophy of teaching.

In the spring, we will add focused workshops and events that highlight teaching practices and philosophies, allowing us to learn from each other’s journeys.

Members will also receive documentation of their participation for including in their annual teaching files.

Group size: Limited to 20 members.

Questions:Please reach out to Cathy via email (Catherine.Mezera@mail.wvu.edu )

• Learn more, review the tentative schedule of events, and apply for your membership