Call to Conference
2nd Annual Regional Summit
Moving Below the Surface:
Drilling Down on Student Learning
and Success
Friday, June 5, 2015
8:30am-3:30pm
Early Registration Deadline: May 1st
Catonsville Campus
Regular Registration Deadline: May 22nd
800 S. Rolling Road
Catonsville, MD
Regional Summit
CONFERENCE THEME
“Moving Below the Surface:
Drilling Down on Student Learning and Success”
As higher education professionals, student learning and success remains our most urgent priority. Our
mission to develop students intellectually and personally extends well beyond the classroom, and
includes our interactions with students from the time they apply for admission and financial aid, take
college placement tests, and seek out additional support through learning assistance centers and other
student services. In short, student learning and success is a collaborative effort that involves faculty and
staff in all areas of our institutions. If we are to be effective in our efforts to serve students, we must be
mindful of the needs of our students, and the role that we all play in meeting their needs. During this
year’s regional conference we will take a deeper look at the factors that contribute to student learning
and success. Specifically, we will examine the role that motivation, linguistic diversity, consciousness and
privilege, and other non-cognitive performance factors play in our work with students. We invite higher
education professionals in the areas of developmental education, ESOL, learning assistance, tutoring,
testing, and disability support services to join us for a day of discussions and workshops aimed at
increasing student learning and success.
This year's conference will feature high-energy, TED Talk-style keynotes followed by interactive,
workshop-style breakout sessions--all focused on hot topics in student learning and success!
About CRLA Mid-Atlantic:
The College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) is an international group of student-oriented professionals
active in the fields of reading, learning assistance, tutorial services, and developmental education at the
college/adult level. Inherently diverse in membership, CRLA's most vital function and overall purpose is to provide
a forum for the interchange of ideas, methods, and information to improve student learning and to facilitate the
professional growth of its members. CRLA Mid-Atlantic serves faculty, learning assistance and tutoring personnel
in Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia by providing a regional forum for networking,
professional development, and political activism.
Jeanine L. Williams, Regional Director
Pamela Runge, Membership Coordinator
Website: https://crlamidatlanticregion.wikispaces.com
Regional Summit
“Moving Below the Surface:
Drilling Down on Student Learning and Success”
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
7:30-8:30
Registration and Breakfast
8:30-9:00
Opening Remarks
9:00-9:30
TED Talk 1: Supporting Linguistically Diverse Students
9:30-10:00
TED Talk 2: Engaging the Unengaged Student
10:00-10:30
TED Talk 3: Conscious Conversations in the Learning Environment
10:30-11:00
TED Talk 4: Addressing the Attainment Gap through Academic Coaching
11:00-12:00
Lunch
12:10-1:40
Concurrent Workshops--Session 1


1:50-3:20
Concurrent Workshops--Session 2


4:30-6:30
Supporting Linguistically Diverse Students
Engaging the Unengaged Student
Conscious Conversations in the Learning Environment
Addressing the Attainment Gap through Academic Coaching
Post-conference Dinner at Sabatino’s in Little Italy (additional fee)
Regional Summit
Supporting Linguistically Diverse Students
Linguistic Diversity is a reality for higher education in the 21st century. The number of
linguistically diverse students at the college level is increasing throughout the United States,
and may include second language learners, bilingual individuals, and speakers of different
varieties of English. Therefore, it is essential that educators develop linguistic awareness as
well as concrete strategies for supporting the needs of linguistically diverse students in the
classroom and beyond. This talk and workshop introduces concepts essential to the
development of linguistic awareness. Vignettes and case studies are used to illustrate the
needs of linguistically diverse students, and strategies that faculty and staff can apply to
effectively support this student population are identified.
Rachele Lawton is Professor of Academic English for Speakers of Other
Languages (ESOL) and Chair of the Reading and Language Department at The
Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Baltimore, MD, where she
directs the Academic ESOL, Reading and World Language programs. Dr.
Lawton has taught English as a Second Language and trained ESL teachers at
community colleges, universities and private institutes, in the United States and
abroad. She has also provided leadership for Acceleration in Developmental
Education at CCBC. She has a PhD in Linguistics from Lancaster University in the UK, a Master’s degree in
Applied Linguistics/TESOL from the University of Leicester in the UK, and a Master’s degree in
English/Liberal Studies from Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Regional Summit
Engaging the Unengaged Student
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So does college and career success! We all have a
Zone of comfort and possibilities in our life and this includes our students. Students who are
successful and happy in all aspects of college and life, consistently ‘Live Life Outside the Zone.’
So how do we get our students out of The Zone and GET THEM ACTIVELY INVOLVED in their
education? Bobby Audley believes our students have something very specific that stops them
from being more engaged and involved in the college career, in and out of the classroom. For
Bobby, it is and always has been getting nervous! Nervous of failure, nervous about success,
nervous about the unknown. Bobby’s message is simple yet powerful, Don’t Be Nervous. Learn
the powerful story behind the ‘Don’t Be’ philosophy and how you and your students can ‘Live
Life Outside The Zone!’ In this talk and workshop, Bobby will identify the 3 key reasons most
students do not ask for help or take risks, he will share how these once prevented him from
fully engaging in his college career and how he got over them in a BIG way.
Bobby Audley is an author, speaker, and team development facilitator. His is
a highly sought after keynote speaker at college campuses across the country
who has been featured on the NCAA Speakers Registry and is well known for
the energy he brings to his events! In college Bobby was a Vice President in his
SGA, a lacrosse National Champion, and twice named the Student Leader of
the Year. After college Bobby served as the Student Orientation and
Leadership Specialist at Harford Community College before leaving to
dedicate his full time and energy to his company Outside The Zone. Outside
The Zone serves the higher education community with student engagement keynotes, staff professional
development, and teambuilding trainings.
Regional Summit
Conscious Conversations in the Learning Environment
“Many…teachers assume that feeling guilty about racism is sufficient to make them worthy
promoters of equality and social justice in their classroom” (Geneva Gay, Developing Cultural
Critical Consciousness and Self-Reflection in Preservice Teacher Education). This talk and
workshop explores the place that consciousness has in learning conversations. It is challenging
to recognize, interrupt and work through the ways that privilege – racial, class, gender or other
– shows up in learning environments. If we truly have the will to envision and actualize
education for social justice, this should involve a consciousness-raising action plan. In this
presentation, Consciousness will be explored in three main ways: as personal process, plan and
product.
Gretchen Rudham currently teaches across two acceleration programs
(Academic Literacy and the Accelerated Learning Program) at the Community
College of Baltimore County. She completed her doctoral degree in Urban
Educational Leadership at Morgan State University where she concentrated in
Social Policy. She most recently founded a Black Male Think Tank, co-creating
contextualized classes for African American male students. Integrated reading
and writing, inquiry-based design, critical thinking, and critical cultural
consciousness form the foundation of her classrooms. Bringing acceleration to those labeled as
developmental learners has been a constant in her teaching career. Gretchen has taught high school,
adult education and community college students nationally, and has taught composition and film studies
internationally at the University of Cape Town in South Africa where she earned her Master’s in English
in American Studies.
Regional Summit
Addressing the Attainment Gap through Academic Coaching
The attainment gap is a nationwide hot topic in higher education. This talk will address the
exciting new program we have developed at Harford Community College to support and
empower African American students who require developmental courses and are first
generation and/or low income. Specifically, we will provide the audience with strategies for
motivating and encouraging students of color who are enrolled in predominantly white
institutions (PWIs) by addressing non-cognitive performance factors. The workshop portion will
allow participants to engage in thoughtful discussion about inclusive programs to support
student success. We will share data and outcomes being measured, along with specific
strategies for student success that can be applied to a variety of programs. The workshop is
beneficial for those who have extensive experience with these kinds of programs, as well as
those who are new to this type of work.
Adaria Hathaway works as an Academic Success Coach within the My College
Success Network at Harford Community College. In this position, she works
with newly enrolled African American first generation and/or low income
students to nurture motivation and persistence. Adaria is enrolled in an Ed.D.
program in Urban Educational Leadership at Morgan State University. She has
a Bachelors of Science in Communications and a Masters of Science in
Communications Management from Morgan State University. She has
previously worked as a Language Arts teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools, Academic Coordinator at
Morgan State University, Academic Advisor and adjunct faculty member at CCBC.
Jennifer Spencer is an Academic Success Coach within the My College Success
Network at Harford Community College. She holds a M.Ed. in Student Affairs and
a B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from Grand Valley State
University. In her present role, Jennifer is responsible for supporting student
success, retention, and degree completion by providing regularly scheduled
individual coaching for students at Harford Community College. Jennifer
primarily works with African-American students enrolled in developmental
courses and other identified students who traditionally stop out or drop out of
college.
Regional Summit
“An Evening at the Harbor” (Post-conference Social Event)
4:30-6:30
Do you want to keep the fun going and avoid evening rush-hour traffic? Make plans to join
other conference attendees for an evening at the Baltimore Harbor.
This year will be dinning at Sabatino’s Italian Restaurant in Little Italy
901 Fawn Street • Baltimore, Maryland 21202
http://www.sabatinos.com
We will enjoy a family-style dinner which includes:
Fresh Italian Bread and Butter
Salad with Sabatino’s House Dressing
4 Signature Entrees
Dessert (Rum Cake and Spumoni Ice Cream)
Iced Tea, Coffee, Hot Tea and Soda
The cost of the dinner is $40 per person with a cash bar.
If you would like to join us for dinner, please make your check out to
CRLA Mid-Atlantic and mail no later than May 22nd. Checks should be mailed to:
Jeanine L. Williams
The Community College of Baltimore County, COMM 213
7200 Sollers Point Road
Dundalk, MD 21222
Regional Summit
Registration Form
Conference Registration Fees (Includes CRLA Mid-Atlantic membership fee)
$60.00
☐ Registration Fee
☐ Early Bird Registration (form and check
received by 5/1/2015)
$50.00
☐Adjunct Faculty
$40.00
Post Conference Dinner $40 (please send payment no later than 5/22/15)
☐ Yes, I plan to attend the dinner
CRLA Mid-Atlantic Membership (June 1, 2015-May 31, 2016)
$10.00
☐ Individual Not Attending
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Registration must be received no later than May 22, 2015
(Early Bird Registration deadline May 1, 2015)
Complete this form, print it, make check payable to CRLA Mid-Atlantic and mail to:
Jeanine L. Williams
The Community College of Baltimore County, COMM 213
7200 Sollers Point Road
Dundalk, MD 21222
Email: jwilliams4@ccbcmd.edu