Congratulations are in order for two WPI graduate students who recently completed the 6-credit graduate Certificate in College Teaching (CCT) offered by the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts (HECCMA):
Joshua Colon, a M.S. candidate in Manufacturing Engineering, reflected on his participation in the program: The Certificate in College Teaching showed me how both sides of a class, being student and instructor, can come together to create an excellent environment for learning. Also while participating in the program the challenges of transitioning from a student to the instructor were made more comfortable and I would recommend this to anyone whose path is the teaching route.
Caitlin Walde is a Ph.D. candidate in Materials Science and Engineering who aspires to a career in academia. She writes: The Certificate in College Teaching Program taught me the "behind the scenes" aspect of being a professor that I would otherwise have had to learn on the job or on my own: from how to intentionally develop lesson plans to how to handle various situations that may arise. Additionally, I was able to develop lesson plans, sample lectures, and a teaching statement with guidance, all which will help set me ahead in my job search process and help me excel in my early career.
The certificate consists of the two-credit Seminar in College Teaching, three one-credit elective courses, and a one-credit capstone Practicum. All courses are practice-oriented while being grounded in theory and research on how people learn.
Financial support for graduate students enrolling in the CCT program is provided by the WPI Class of '57 Excellence in Teaching Fund and by the Office of Graduate Studies. The Morgan Teaching and Learning Center serves as the liaison to HECCMA and coordinates the tuition assistance process. More information can be found on the Morgan Center and HECCMA websites.