CSN Opens Doors to New Faculty Center

July 13 2026

CSN is inviting faculty to mark their calendars: the college’s first-ever Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning celebrates its grand opening this fall, with a celebration tentatively planned for the afternoon of Sept. 21.

The new center gives instructors across every appointment type, full time, part time and everywhere in between, a place to sharpen their craft, connect with colleagues across departments, and try new approaches in the classroom. Leading the effort is Dr. Rachel Yoho, who joins CSN as the center’s inaugural director.

“It’s a space built entirely around helping faculty grow,” Yoho said. “When instructors have the support and community to keep learning and innovating, students feel it in the classroom.”

Ahead of the official celebration, faculty will get an informal first look at the center during the Part-Time Faculty Impact Conference and Convocation. From there, a full slate of programming rolls out, including workshops on navigating difficult conversations, syllabus design, supporting first-generation students and trauma-informed teaching practices.

The center is also launching a Faculty Fellows program, offering partial appointments for faculty to help shape programming starting in January, along with a new Innovators Club for instructors looking to experiment in their courses. An advisory board made up of faculty and stakeholders from across the college will help guide the selection of fellows, awards and future initiatives.

Yoho brings a career built around exactly this kind of work. Before joining CSN, she spent years teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and served as a graduate program director. She is a two-time recipient of the University of Florida’s Rising Star educator award, earned the Exemplary Course Award through UF and Quality Matters, and received multiple faculty commendations at Miami University. She has also served as a Fulbright Specialist at the University of Galway in Ireland.

Her background blends biotechnology and bioengineering with a deep interest in the social and environmental sides of climate change. She is lead co-editor of an upcoming book on sustainable materials, set for publication in summer 2026, and holds a doctorate in engineering from Arizona State University along with a graduate certificate in scientific teaching in higher education.

Long term, the center aims to grow into a hub for workforce development partnerships and community connections, helping faculty understand what local employers need and how to prepare students for it.

Faculty can watch for more details as the college finalizes plans for the grand opening celebration this fall.