SYNC YOUR CALENDARS: 2025-2026 CAFE SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
Faculty Well-Being Week March 30-April 3, 2026
2026 Teaching and Learning Institute May 12, 2026
From Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH SPEAKER
When: Tuesday, March 24, at 4 pm (Food reception starting at 3:30 pm)
Where: Hull 132
Speaker: Selene Diaz, Instructor of Sociology at Virginia Tech
Talk: Beyond the Binary: Coloniality, Gender, and Indigenous Resistance in the Life of a Trans Rarámuri Woman
This talk explores how colonial ideas about gender still affect Indigenous and transgender women today. Through the life story of a transgender Rarámuri woman from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, the talk shows how rigid gender rules were imposed through colonialism and how Indigenous communities have also resisted them. It highlights everyday forms of strength, survival, and care, and invites us to rethink gender beyond the binary, using decolonial and intersectional perspectives.
BLACKWELL TALKS
When: March 23 from 12:00-12:50 pm
Where: Virginia Room
Blackwell Scholar: Alyssa Lowery, Ph.D. "Romantic Rationales: Assessing Pedagogical Failure"
A relaxed, interactive environment is at the heart of what makes Blackwell Talks such an enriching experience. Each Blackwell Scholar will present their research in progress for about 30 minutes, followed by about 20 minutes for discussion and questions. A light lunch is provided.
The Blackwell Talks are sponsored by: Cormier Honors College, College of Education, Health, and Human Services, Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences, College of Graduate and Professional Studies, Greenwood Library, and Brock Experience
MEDITATION
Dates: Tuesday and Thursday
Time: 11:30 am-12:00 pm
Location: Zoom https://longwood-edu.zoom.us/j/95744314696
Mindfulness meditation can significantly improve your mental well-being by helping you manage stress, enhance focus and concentration, and better understand your emotions, all potentially leading to a calmer and more centered life. Current research also indicates potential benefits for physical health, like lowered blood pressure and improved sleep quality. Join Renee Gutiérrez to create a pause in your day. All are welcome for a brief, guided meditation; no previous experience is required.
From Greenwood Library
AI CONVERSATIONS (Spring 2026)
This spring, join us for AI Conversations, a four-part workshop series designed to help faculty explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in teaching, research, and academic life. From AI-powered library tools to writing support, innovative platforms like NotebookLM, and insights from Longwood’s academic leaders, these sessions offer practical strategies, critical approaches, and thought-provoking discussions on opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into higher education.
All workshops will be held on Wednesdays in Library 209 at 4:00 pm.
March 18
AI Tool Spotlight: Notebook LM:
An interactive workshop exploring the pros and cons of how NotebookLM can transform research and learning by organizing sources, generating insights, and streamlining academic workflows for faculty and staff.
Presenter: Jacob Dolence, Director, Educational Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
April 15
AI with the Deans: How AI is being used in Longwood Colleges: This dynamic panel of Longwood University college deans will discuss how AI is being applied across disciplines and supporting the work of their colleges.
Panelists:
- Roger Byrne, Dean, Cook-Cole College of Arts & Sciences
- Chris Kukk, Dean, Cormier Honors College
- Khawaja Mamun, Dean, College of Business & Economics
- Angela McDonald, Dean, College of Education, Health, and Human Services
- Jeannine Perry, Dean, College of Graduate & Professional Studies
SYNC YOUR CALENDARS: 2025-2026 CAFE SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
Faculty Well-Being Week March 30-April 3, 2026
2026 Teaching and Learning Institute May 12, 2026