What if we designed assignments that not only engaged students creatively and supported their learning outcomes, but also gave them space to tell their story—allowing us, in turn, to see and understand them more deeply?
Helping us truly see who they are and who they are becoming?
Your Storytellers...
The Tree as a Metaphor for Identity
The Two Seeds: The Origins of SDSU’s Transformation
"FYS Life Tree Visualization," developed by Stephen Schellenberg and Rebeca Navarrete, planted for First Year Seminar courses, Fall 2022.
First Year Seminar Course
- Providing opportunities for reflection, connection, and adaptation helps students develop habits and mindsets to sustain success in college and beyond.
- One-unit, letter-graded, ~25 per section.
Learning Outcomes
- Self-Learning and Development
- Strengths Finding
- Empowered Help Seeking
- Academic Success Strategies
- Sense of Belonging
- Well-Being
A Second Seed...
Planted at the Adobe Academic Innovation Summit, San Antonio, TX, April 2025.
SDSU’s GenAI Cultivation for Student and Faculty Success
- May-June: Meeting with Stephen Schellenberg and Rebeca Navarrete
- July: Transforming FYS Life Tree into Adobe Express Template
- July-August: Rebeca and Stephen prepare the implementation and training of FYS instructors for FA 2025
- August 20-21: Training Instructors with the Adobe Team (Shauna Chung and Courtney Miller)
- August 25: First Day of Classes
Part A. Personal Roots – Where you come from and who influenced you (FYS Sessions 1, 2)
"Building Connections and Community"
Guiding Question: Who planted your roots? Think about the people, communities, or cultures that have shaped your values, beliefs, or drive. Who helped you become who you are today?
"Identifying, Prioritizing, and Accomplishing Tasks"
Part B. Core Values – What forms your “trunk” (FYS Session 7)
"Living Core Values"
Select at least three core values that form your "trunk" and describe these here, uploading or generating visuals that complement your text.
Guiding Question: What do you stand for, even when no one’s watching?
Guiding Question: When do you feel most like yourself? Consider moments when you felt strong, proud, or at peace. What values were you honoring in those moments?
Part C. Future Self – Your goals and aspirations (FYS Session 9)
"Envisioning Future Self"
Guiding Question: Who do you hope to become? Imagine yourself five or ten years from now. What kind of person are you? How do you show up in the world, and what impact are you making?
Guiding Question: What kind of life do you want to build? Picture a day in your ideal future. Where are you? Who's with you? What are you doing that feels meaningful and fulfilling?
Part D. How I'm Growing Towards My Future Self (FYS Session 12)
"From Pieces to Pathways: Making Meaning of Your Journey"
Directions: Based on your Action Planning Worksheet, identify and describe at least three major actions, when you plan to do each, and how each will move you towards specific aspects of your Future Self. To complement your highlights, please incorporate a screen shot of your completed Action Planning Worksheet. In our final seminar session, we will share our growing Life Trees projects to one another and celebrate our first semester at SDSU.
By using Adobe Express to create interactive, multimodal Life Trees, students gain confidence in their digital storytelling and portfolio-building skills. The project serves as a foundation for career exploration, connecting first-year reflections with long-term academic and professional planning,
Launch Spring 2026
Adobe Express Modules Library
- Adobe customizable templates, ethics resources, NACE-aligned creative assignments for faculty across disciplines, and access to Adobe Digital Academy (Adobe Badges)
- Embedded into SDSU’s Course Design Institute (CDI) (Spring Semesters) and Self-Paced Online Training (SPOT) (Fall, Spring)
- SDSU Brand Style Toolkit built in Adobe Express, allows students and faculty to create polished, institutionally aligned visuals across their coursework and projects
SDSU Creative Influencer & Peer Mentorship Network
- Building a community of creative GenAI practice across campus.
- Student AI Coaches (from the AAAI program) provide peer mentoring and digital support.
- Faculty & Staff Influencers recognized for modeling ethical, innovative GenAI integration.
- Spring 2026 Showcase and Workshop hosted by SDSU Story Lab
Bonus Element: SDSU Adobe GenAI Module
Expand SDSU's Academic Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) microcredential with a creative, project-based Adobe GenAI module.
SDSU Adobe GenAI Module
Purpose: Expand the SDSU AAAI microcredential with a creative, project-based Adobe GenAI module that bridges responsible AI use and digital design practice.
Format:
- One-hour, optional module
- Integrated within the AAAI microcredential or taken independently
- Uses Adobe Express as a low-barrier creative space
Outcomes:
- Create an Adobe webpage portfolio (First-Year Seminar students are guided to the FYS Life Tree template)
- Complete one creative learning activity, assignment, or project (e.g. presentation, infographic, video, podcast)
- Earn an SDSU-branded Adobe GenAI badge
- Receive an invitation to pursue Adobe Digital Academy badges aligned with NACE Career Readiness Competencies
Becoming to Being?
Being to Becoming.
Q&A
Credits:
Created with images by den-belitsky - "Beautiful mystical forest in blue fog in autumn. Colorful landscape with enchanted trees with orange and red leaves. Scenery with path in dreamy foggy forest. Fall colors in october. Nature background" • satori - "mighty oak tree" • lovelyday12 - "small tree growing in garden with morning light. concept eco and save earth" • Tryfonov - " Stump of tree felled - section of the trunk with annual rings. Slice wood." • amenic181 - "Farmer's hand planting a seed in soil" • Eric - "Apple Tree With Ripe Red Apples Hanging Low on Branches in Golden Late Afternoon Sunlight" • littleny - "Rustic wooden fence along countryside with greenery " • Carlos Caetano - "Centenarian tree with large trunk and big roots above the ground" • hasnain - " close up of trunk of tree in forest " • zilvergolf - "Kid hands embracing nature. Child hug a tree in the park. " • SergeyIT - "mighty tree with green leaves" • jonnysek - "green beech tree leaves" • Nigel - "Vibrant red Acer tree set in exotic garden" • Prikhodko - "Green leaves of the forest on a blurred background of nature." • Artinun - "Bottom view of tree trunk to green leaves of tree in tropical forest. Fresh environment in park. Green plant give oxygen in summer garden. Forest is lung for human concept. Breath fresh air concept." • bilanol - "Close up of bright yellow and red maple leaves on fall tree branches with vibrant blurred background in autumn park." • pumungkus - "Large green palm leaves overlapping on a light background for a tropical, exotic feel " • Mehmet Gokhan Bayhan - "Wooden background. Abstract wood cross section image. Beautiful annual age rings of a tree cut." • dmitr1ch - "beautiful cut tree trunk with annual rings and cracks. wood texture background" • lovelyday12 - "small tree growing in garden with morning light. concept eco and save earth" • dadtophoto - "Ancient live oak, branches reaching skyward, sunlight dappled leaves, environment, forest"