Newsletter Preview
- Adobe Workshop Success at URI!
- AEC Writing Center Staff Represent at NEWCA
- David Hayes Celebrates 20 years in the URI AEC
- AEC Welcomes New Rhody Rams
Adobe Workshop Success at URI!
The AEC Staff is excited to share the success of a recent professional development event hosted at the University of Rhode Island, featuring Adobe's creative and AI-enabled tools. Designed to integrate Adobe Express and Firefly into existing workflows, these sessions aimed to boost AI literacy among faculty and staff.
The event drew 81 participants across both in-person and online sessions, where practical applications of Adobe tools were highlighted.
📊 Key survey results included:
- A 53% survey response rate, offering valuable insights.
- Nearly two-thirds of attendees rated their understanding of Adobe tools as "excellent" or "very good."
- 76% found immediate ways to enhance their workflows.
- 60% felt confident in independently applying new skills.
Participants expressed enthusiasm for future workshops, with many already planning to use the tools for webpages, flyers, and course enhancements.
Gratitude is extended to colleagues who assisted, our Adobe partners Laurie Strauss, Danielle Yaag, and Jim Babbage, and URI ITS's Karen Lokey, and Benjamin Leveillee for their support. The team looks forward to continuing this momentum with more innovative sessions for URI employees.
AEC Writing Center Staff Represent at NEWCA
Heather Price, URI Writing Center Coordinator, attended the NEWCA 2025 Symposium on March 29 in Durham, NH with three undergraduate Writing Center consultants. The event was as a success, fostering engaging conversations and establishing meaningful regional connections.
Abbey Gifford shared, "The NEWCA Conference was an amazing opportunity. It was great to hear from other Writing consultants and Writing Center Coordinators about their experiences. I am excited to take what we learned back to our URI Writing Center."
Emily Lambrecht added, "Attending the 2025 NEWCA Symposium provided an enlightening experience for how various Writing Centers across the country utilize their space, train their consultants, and provide help to the student body. It gave me ideas on how we can work to improve the Writing Center to better meet the needs of students and consider how to approach the growing use of AI in the academic world."
We look forward to implementing new ideas and continuing to enhance our Writing Center at URI through professional development for full time and student staff.
David Hayes Celebrates 20 years in the URI AEC
Congratulations to Dr. David Hayes on celebrating 20 years of dedicated service to URI and the AEC. To honor his impactful contributions, campus partners gathered to share heartfelt stories of his influence on their lives and the lives of URI students.
The event saw attendance from the UCAS staff, including Executive Director Dr. Kimberly Stack and Dr. Dean Libutti, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success. Additional guests who attended to support David were Dr. Lisa Macaruso, Associate Director of the Academic Testing Center and Inclusive Learning Strategies; Dr. Kristina Moyet, Associate Director of Academic Programming and Assessment in Talent Development; Kevin Smith, Academic Advisor in Talent Development; and Dr. Paige Ramsdell, Assistant Dean of Students for Accessibility and Inclusion and Director of DAI. We all extend our deepest appreciation to Dr. Hayes for his commitment and service to URI.
AEC Welcomes New Rhody Rams
This month, we were excited to welcome the new Rhody Rams at URI Welcome Days! Throughout April, our staff and students actively participated in all Welcome Day events, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for families, students, and supporters. Welcome to all our new & prospective Ram Fam!