How does a college dedicated to the environment teach students to tell the story of the planet? At SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry — one of the nation’s premier institutions focused on the study of the environment and building a sustainable future — JR Fenn and Jason Kohlbrenner are demonstrating the broad power and agency of storytelling. In this session, they share how the Environmental Writing Program and the Digital Storytelling Studio work hand in hand to move student work from the page to the planet, weaving Adobe creative tools and multimedia craft into every stage of the writing process.

You’ll hear how Fenn integrates digital tools across her Environmental Writing, Research and Writing in the Humanities, and Fiction courses — transforming traditional assignments into podcasts, video stories, multimedia essays, and final portfolios that reach audiences far beyond the classroom. Kohlbrenner will offer the production side of the partnership, drawing on his work coordinating the Digital Storytelling Studio to show how thoughtful media training and post-production support empower students and faculty alike. Together they will demonstrate how multimedia storytelling, critical pedagogy, and research-based learning can equip the next generation of storytellers to share narratives of action and hope. 

Attendees will leave with practical strategies and tangible examples for bringing digital storytelling into writing-intensive courses at their own institutions.

• Jason Kohlbrenner | Teacher and Creative Writer, SUNY ESF.
• Dr. JR Fenn | Instructor and Creative Writer, SUNY ESF.

• Dr. Melissa Vito | Vice Provost of Academic Innovation, University of Texas at San Antonio.
• Dr. Todd Taylor | Adobe Pedagogical Evangelist & Professor of English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

How can institutions light the path toward digital fluency for faculty, not as a one-time workshop, but as a meaningful, year-long journey? In this session, Dr. Troy Hicks and Katie Edmiston of Central Michigan University share the guiding principles and hard-won lessons behind their Digital Learning & Leadership Faculty Fellows program, a structured initiative that empowers a cross-disciplinary cohort of faculty to explore, implement, and reflect on creative and technology-enriched teaching.

You'll hear how Hicks and Edmiston approached faculty development as a thoughtful, iterative process — one grounded in real pedagogical challenges and refined through peer collaboration and reflection. From facilitating a series of inspiring, discussion-based trainings to building a sharable gallery of remixable multimedia assignments, they will show how intentional program design can spark meaningful learning experiences for faculty and students alike. 

Attendees will leave with practical frameworks and tangible examples to cultivate similar communities of practice at their own institutions.
 

• Katie Edmiston | Arts, Media, and Design Librarian & Assistant Professor, Central Michigan University.
• Dr. Troy Hicks | Acting Associate Dean & Professor of English and Education, Central Michigan University.

• Dr. Melissa Vito | Vice Provost of Academic Innovation, University of Texas at San Antonio.
• Dr. Todd Taylor | Adobe Pedagogical Evangelist & Professor of English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Join this session to explore how Auburn University integrates AI-powered Adobe tools into engineering and cross-disciplinary courses to enhance student engagement and creativity. You’ll discover how tools like Adobe Podcast and Adobe Express support accessible, high-quality podcast production while reducing technical barriers for students. Through real course examples, this session highlights strategies for designing engaging assignments that build communication skills, creativity, and career-ready digital portfolios. 

Leave with practical ideas to implement AI-enhanced podcasting workflows in your own curriculum—no matter your discipline

• Dr. Chelsy Hooper | Instructional Technology Coordinator, Auburn University.
• Dr. Erin Garcia | Lecturer, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Auburn University.
• Dr. Sam James | Assistant Professor, Communication and Journalism, Auburn University.

• Dr. Melissa Vito | Vice Provost of Academic Innovation, University of Texas at San Antonio.
• Dr. Todd Taylor | Adobe Pedagogical Evangelist & Professor of English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.