The 40th Faculty Showcase on Teaching and Learning will be held this fall on August 13, 2025. This event provides a venue for faculty to hear from an exciting keynote speaker, share their own accomplishments, advancements, and practices, and engage in a communal effort to further the fields of teaching and learning with other faculty members. During this event, faculty are invited to present their own materials (research, theories, studies—or any of dozens of other academic pursuits) on teaching and learning with attendees, engaging our campus community and helping us shape the future of learning together.

The Showcase is an amazing opportunity for faculty to connect, share, and grow in their practices, but it can be daunting to consider the task of presenting at a large event. Despite the potential intimidation factor, presenting at the Showcase provides a unique set of benefits, connections, and opportunities that cement it as an experience well worth the effort. To get some perspective into this event’s benefits from a presenter themself, we asked a few questions to one of our amazing repeat presenters at the Showcase about her experiences and the impact they’ve had on her.

A Professional Boost

The Faculty Showcase on Teaching and Learning is, first and foremost, a place for faculty to flourish professionally through the discussion and teaching of their various learning strategies, technologies, or theories. Both attendees and presenters alike are able to encounter a variety of professional development opportunities at the Showcase, but presenting at the Showcase opens even more doors for faculty outside of the event itself. Dr. Chloe Bolyard, Associate Professor of Elementary Education in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Developmental Sciences, has presented at Showcases over the years an impressive six times. To learn a bit more about how these experiences can impact individual faculty members, we asked Dr. Bolyard a few questions about the professional impact of her activities at the Showcase.

The first meaningful impact that Dr. Bolyard highlighted for herself was an increased sense of belonging. “Sharing my work at Showcase has helped me connect with fellow presenters and attendees, strengthening my sense of community on campus. [It’s also created] continued conversations. Presenting doesn’t end when the session is over—some attendees have reached out afterward to discuss session topics in more depth, leading to ongoing dialogues about teaching.” Showcase is the perfect place to foster these connections for all attendees, but presenting specific interests or topics creates an easier path for faculty to reach out, connect, and discuss with presenters about their work. Oftentimes, these conversations lead to increased interdisciplinary interaction, collaboration, and learning. “As a teacher educator, I regularly discuss pedagogy within the College of Education. Showcase allows me to extend these discussions to faculty across campus, many of whom have less formal training in pedagogy but are eager to enhance their teaching practices,” Dr. Bolyard stated.

However, it’s not just connections with interested peers that are created or strengthened by presenting at Showcase. Presenting at Showcase also allows the work of faculty to be seen by a wider, broader audience; some of whom might want to see that information shared at other events. Dr. Bolyard provided an example of this with her work last year, sharing, “My 2024 presentation led to an invitation to speak at an Early Career Faculty Teaching Academy session, demonstrating how Showcase can open doors for further professional development.” Opportunities abound at the Showcase, and presenters are first in line to seize them.

Learning With and From Others

Presenting at the event also, of course, means getting to attend engaging and insightful presentations from other faculty members. The Showcase is an interdepartmental event which hosts presentations from faculty members all across campus, leading to a diverse range of topics that is sure to contain new and exciting information for every attendee. “Choosing which sessions to attend is tough—there are always multiple strong options happening at the same time!” Dr. Bolyard remarked. It’s a good problem to have; faculty are presented so many options of intriguing, applicable, and inspiring presentations at the Showcase that choosing a few to attend can be difficult. 

A slightly less obvious benefit to both presenters and attendees also comes in the form of an energetic and passionate atmosphere that welcomes faculty back to the academic world after a long summer. “The energy at the beginning of the year is contagious,” Dr. Bolyard stated. “Faculty come in excited and ready to share ideas, and I always leave Showcase inspired by MSU faculty’s dedication to improving student learning.” Joining in the vibrant community of academics returning to campus provides an energy and interest boost for faculty who may have gotten out of the swing of things during the summer. Presenting at (and therefore attending) the Showcase is the perfect way for faculty to kick the semester off right and reignite their academic spark for the upcoming months. 

“The energy at the beginning of the year is contagious. Faculty come in excited and ready to share ideas, and I always leave Showcase inspired by MSU faculty’s dedication to improving student learning.” – Dr. Chloe Bolyard

A Unique Event

When asked if she would recommend faculty to attend or present at the Showcase, Dr. Bolyard’s answer was clear. “Without a doubt—yes!” She stated. While there’s plenty of benefits to presenters and attendees already mentioned here, Dr. Bolyard summed many of them up from a faculty member’s point of view. “There’s relevant and thought-provoking sessions. The content is applicable and directly enhances our teaching practices. [There is also] the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration—conversations at Showcase can spark new ideas and partnerships.” Dr. Bolyard also mentioned the ever-important opportunities to connect with faculty across campus, as well as the more recreational aspects of the event. “It’s free! No cost to attend. And, there’s food, [which is] always a plus.” She stated.

Showcase is a unique event that provides professional, personal, and educational opportunities to MSU faculty in an engaging and welcoming environment for our campus community. Attending the event is already a wonderful boost to faculty inspiration and innovation, but presenting at the event opens the door to another level of opportunities and connection. Whether you’re looking to share your own teaching practices, discoveries, or theories, or simply looking to learn from others about theirs, the Showcase is a can’t-miss event for MSU faculty. As Dr. Bolyard stated, “If you’re looking for a way to engage with colleagues, gain fresh perspectives on teaching, and walk away with strategies you can immediately implement in your courses, Showcase is the place to be!”

“If you’re looking for a way to engage with colleagues, gain fresh perspectives on teaching, and walk away with strategies you can immediately implement in your courses, Showcase is the place to be!” – Dr. Chloe Bolyard

The FCTL is accepting proposals to present at the 2025 Showcase until March 31, 2025. Follow the links below to learn more about the Showcase, sign-up to attend, or submit a proposal to present at the event. 

Learn More About Showcase

Submit a Proposal

Sign-Up to Attend Through My Learning Connection