Breakout Sessions and Activities

Upside Down Thinking: Navigating Information Literacy in a Stranger World

Presented by: Alexandra Quintero Deleon, Megan Gonzalez, and Kimberly Grotewold
11 - 11:50 a.m.
In-Person (STEM 131)

In an age of misinformation and information overload, individuals need strong information literacy skills to separate fact from fiction. Inspired by Stranger Things, this session explores how to recognize “the Upside Down” in everyday information including misleading data, unreliable sources, and hidden biases. Participants will learn practical strategies to evaluate sources, verify credibility, and make informed decisions in a fast-moving digital environment.

Short on Time? Leverage AI to Make Your Day Manageable

Presented by: Theresa Garfield and Don Brocker
11 - 11:50 a.m.
In-Person (STEM 125)

This session will give participants an overview of the tools they can use to save time on their tasks and in their workday. Practical tools, basic and advanced AI prompting, and ethical guidelines will be covered.

Punchlines to Participation: Crowd Work for Student Audiences

Presented by: Brandon Clark
11 - 11:50 a.m.
In-Person (STEM 143)

Do you often feel like the only active students in your presentations are the crickets chirping through awkward silence? You have amazing content students can learn great things from, but no one seems engaged. In this high-energy breakout session, higher education professionals will learn how to borrow crowd work techniques as seen by comedians, and how to use them responsibly to engage with students instead of at them. Examples will include how to read the room, engage in active listening, and riff in the moment. If you're a higher education professional that consistently presents to crowds of students, this is for you!

Building Sustainable Campus Partnerships: Creating Mutual Support Through Shared Goals

Presented by: Elissa Gallegos and Lori Day
11 - 11:50 a.m.
In-Person (STEM 141) 

This session will explore how campus partners can intentionally build sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships that advance shared goals, increase collaboration and campus-wide impact. Rather than focusing on one-off collaborations, this presentation highlights initiatives that align the missions of multiple departments to support student success and improve workplace culture. Using campus based examples, participants will learn how partnerships thrive when each departments goals and resources are aligned, creating initiatives and programming that benefit students, staff, and A&M-SA.

Talk Saves Lives: Suicide Prevention

Presented by: Sandra Mendoza Lee and Karla Martinez
11 - 11:50 a.m.
In-Person (STEM 169)

Join the Student Counseling Center for Talk Saves Lives - an educational presentation by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) that provides an overview of suicide prevention. It increases awareness by covering warning signs, risk and protective factors, and actionable steps to help prevent suicide.

Emphasizing early intervention, support and stigma reduction, this presentation equips individuals with the knowledge and confidence to take proactive measures on campus and beyond.

Beyond Access: UDL Strategies for Working with Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Higher Education

Presented by: Mariya Davis, Eric Lopez, and Gavin Watts
11 - 11:50 a.m.
In-Person (STEM 145)

This session explores effective approaches to working with students with intellectual disabilities in higher education settings. As colleges and universities expand access, faculty and staff play a critical role in creating environments where all students can meaningfully participate and succeed. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of intellectual disabilities, common barriers students encounter, and the importance of shifting from deficit-based perspectives to strengths-based, student-centered practices. Grounded in the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), this session highlights practical strategies that proactively support diverse learners without the need for extensive retrofitting.

Draft Day Ready: Prepare Your Resume for Prime Time

Presented by: Adrian Jackson
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 165)

These tips will help you draft a powerful resume. If you are ready, but you need a little more coaching to level up your career, this workshop is for you. We'll talk about common missteps resume writers take that keep them on the sidelines. Be ready to get in the game.

How to be a Savvy Health Care Consumer

Presented by: Cindy Quinn (BCBS)
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 169)

How to Be a Savvy Health Care Consumer : The best way to ensure you are getting the right care at the right time means taking an active role in your health care. This presentation highlights the TAMUS Medical Plan featuring the importance of a primary care physician along with suggestions for making the most of your health  care plan - including the actions and behaviors that can help prevent, delay, or modify disease or disability.

Managing Employees Through Stressful Situations

Presented by: Compsych
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 131)

Managing Employees ThroughStressful Situations: When facing heightened stress, employees react in diverse ways. For some, stress leads to a dropoff in performance, lowered morale or emotional outbursts. For others, high-pressure, stressful situations actually become an opportunity to shine. As a manager, it’s difficult to anticipate the multitude of reactions you’re likely to observe during times of stress, and it’s even harder to be equipped with the tools to handle them all. This workshop helps you plan for the expected and the unexpected and provides practical tools for dealing with both positive and negative employee behaviours during stressful times.

Punchlines to Participation: Crowd Work for Student Audiences

Presented by: Brandon Clark
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 143) 

Do you often feel like the only active students in your presentations are the crickets chirping through awkward silence? You have amazing content students can learn great things from, but no one seems engaged. In this high-energy breakout session, higher education professionals will learn how to borrow crowd work techniques as seen by comedians, and how to use them responsibly to engage with students instead of at them. Examples will include how to read the room, engage in active listening, and riff in the moment. If you're a higher education professional that consistently presents to crowds of students, this is for you!

Short on Time? Leverage AI to Make Your Day Manangeable

Presented by: Theresa Garfield and Don Brocker
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 125) 

This session will give participants an overview of the tools they can use to save time on their tasks and in their workday. Practical tools, basic and advanced AI prompting, and ethical guidelines will be covered.

Making the Most of Your Retirement Savings

Presented by: Danielle Gomez
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 145) 

In this presentation, we’ll focus on helping you understand different ways to save for retirement and how to keep growing your assets once you retire.  We’ll discuss how much saving is "enough" for retirement, several strategies that could help you save more, and tips to help preserve and grow your savings in retirement.

Clear the Noise: Reset Your Mind, Reclaim Your Focus

Presented by: Rani Muthkrishnan
1 - 1:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 141)

In today’s fast-paced work environment, constant demands, digital distractions, and competing priorities can leave professionals feeling mentally overloaded and unfocused. This interactive session equips participants with practical, science-backed strategies to move from overwhelm to clarity without adding more to their plate.

Through guided exercises and real-life application, attendees will learn how to recognize cognitive fatigue, quickly reset their mental state, and structure their workday for sharper focus and greater efficiency. Participants will leave with a personalized toolkit they can immediately apply in their roles at Texas A&M University–San Antonio.

Reclaiming Your Shine: Practical Ways to Navigate Burnout at Work

Presented by: Jasmine DeLeon
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 143)

Ever feel like you're stuck in the Upside Down at work, trying to keep up while Demogorgons chase you from task to task? That might be burnout. Burnout happens, especially in environments where the work is meaningful and the pace never really slows down. This session explores practical ways employees can reconnect with their work, regain energy, and make small shifts that improve day-to-day engagement. Participants will leave with realistic strategies they can apply immediately in their current roles.

Building Sustainable Campus Partnerships: Creating Mutual Support Through Shared Goals

Presented by: Elissa Gallegos and Lori Day
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 141)

This session will explore how campus partners can intentionally build sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships that advance shared goals, increase collaboration and campus-wide impact. Rather than focusing on one-off collaborations, this presentation highlights initiatives that align the missions of multiple departments to support student success and improve workplace culture. Using campus based examples, participants will learn how partnerships thrive when each departments goals and resources are aligned, creating initiatives and programming that benefit students, staff, and A&M-SA.

Draft Day Ready: Prepare Your Resume for Prime Time

Presented by: Adrian Jackson
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 165)

These tips will help you draft a powerful resume. If you are ready, but you need a little more coaching to level up your career, this workshop is for you. We'll talk about common missteps resume writers take that keep them on the sidelines. Be ready to get in the game.

The Relationship Between Physcial Pain & Your Mental Health

Presented by: Christopher Jammer
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 125)

It is important to understand the effects pain can have on mental health, how it can change your overall life, and why seeking care and staying active are key steps in your recovery. Join Airrosti for an interactive wellness workshop to learn about the relationship between your body and your mental health. You will learn how to prevent injuries and strategies to relieve body pain.

Making the Most of Your Retirement Savings

Presented by: Danielle Gomez
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 145)

In this presentation, we’ll focus on helping you understand different ways to save for retirement and how to keep growing your assets once you retire.  We’ll discuss how much saving is "enough" for retirement, several strategies that could help you save more, and tips to help preserve and grow your savings in retirement.

Being Adaptive in an Ever-Changing World

Presented by: Compsych
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 131)

Being Adaptive in an Ever-Changing World: “Because we’ve always done it like that,” may not be the best answer to, “Why do we do the things we do?” In our ever-changing world, we are seeing shifts in our markets and economies, our cultural norms, our behaviours and ourselves. Now is the time to thrive by learning how to be adaptive and to be consistently able to change yourself to accommodate and maximize the benefits of change.

The Power of Social Connection

Presented by: Cindy Quinn (BCBS)
2 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 169)

The Power of Social Connection : What is social wellbeing and why is it so important to our health? In this class we will look at how social connection is linked to our overall wellbeing, and strategies we can use to improve our social connections, and therefore our health.

Accessibility For Beginners

Presented by: Samantha Broughton and Araceli Hernandez
1 - 2:50 p.m.
In-Person (STEM 173)

Join us for a practical, hands-on workshop designed to demystify digital accessibility. We will cover the essential building blocks of accessible communication—from structuring documents with headings and lists to optimizing tables and visual content. By applying Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 504 standards, you will learn how to make your digital materials accessible to every user. Participants will receive an electronic resource guide to use during the session’s interactive practice modules.

Requirement: Please bring a device to participate in the hands-on activities.