Program Policies
Date/Time: Friday, May 1st from 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM ET
Registration: https://www.engagez.net/node/1937548
Cost: FREE; there is no fee to attend
Eligibility: Open to all faculty, administrators, and staff who support applied IT and cybersecurity courses. There is no seat cap on this event.
Platform: The symposium will be held on Engagez, a virtual conference venue. Once registered, attendees will login and be able to join the sessions of their choice listed below.
Cancellation: Please email nitic@cscc.edu for cancellations and questions.
Schedule
Opening Plenary (10:00 – 10:45 AM ET)
Kick off the day with an engaging keynote from Dr. Myra Roldan, a nationally recognized AI and emerging technology leader who helps organizations and educators cut through AI hype and focus on practical, responsible adoption. Her work centers on preparing today’s workforce to effectively work alongside AI in real‑world environments.
Breakout Session #1 (11:00 – 11:45 AM ET)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in IT Environments
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides a proactive framework for creating digital environments that serve all users. In today’s IT ecosystem, embedding UDL supports equitable access, stronger usability, and higher engagement. This session shows IT teams how to apply UDL when selecting, configuring, and supporting tools, using strategies for accessibility, multimodal content, inclusive data, and user-centered system design. Presenter: Renee Blackshear, Texas State Technical College
Impact of AI in the Classroom
This session highlights how AI Foundations concepts and practical AI tools were integrated into BCIS and programming courses. Instead of offering a standalone AI course, AI literacy, prompt engineering, ethical considerations, and productivity tools were embedded directly into existing curriculum. The session explores instructional strategies, classroom activities, challenges, and the resulting impact on student engagement, critical thinking, and coding confidence. Presenter: Deepti Sahu, Lone Star College
From Equation to Object: Modernizing PreCalculus with AI and Python
Traditional math often lacks workforce relevance. This session showcases a redesigned PreCalculus curriculum that integrates Python, Generative AI, and 3D printing. Attendees will see how students move beyond rote drills to “Deep Dive” applications—using Python (Colab) to model physics data and Fusion 360 to turn polynomial functions into physical objects. We will demonstrate how to scaffold AI as a “cognitive coach” rather than an answer generator. Discover a framework for building computational thinking and engineering skills directly into the math foundation. Presenter: Xiaodan Leng, Pasadena City College
Lunch Break (11:45 – 12:30 PM ET)
Breakout Session #2 (12:30 – 1:15 PM ET)
AWS Academy: Using Bedrock and SageMaker in the Classroom
After completing the AWS Academy Cloud Architecting track, AI model training and generative AI labs were implemented in community college cloud courses using Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker. This session examines the transition from professional development to classroom deployment, including curriculum redesign, lab architecture, IAM and security considerations, student projects, challenges encountered, and measurable student outcomes. Attendees will gain a replicable roadmap for integrating applied AI into cloud curricula. Presenter: Shahpar Islam, Northern Virginia Community College
Bridging the Rack: Integrating Server+ into the Network Capstone
In many Networking Capstone courses, “troubleshooting” is often synonymous with a failed ping or a mismatched VLAN ID. While these are essential skills, they don’t reflect the messy reality of modern IT infrastructure. This workshop is a deep dive for educators who want to elevate their final-semester projects by integrating CompTIA Server+ Disaster Recovery and Troubleshooting competencies. Presenter: Nancy Miller, Forsyth Technical Community College
Incorporating AWS cloud architecting content into existing curriculum
This session explores how content from the AWS Academy Cloud Architecting track was incorporated into an existing curriculum. Because adding new modules was not an option, selected courses were updated to include AWS cloud architecting topics, assignments, and labs. The session highlights the challenges encountered, lessons learned, and practical considerations involved in updating curriculum while maintaining alignment with program constraints. Presenter: Hector Garza, University of St. Thomas – Houston
Breakout Session #3 (1:30 – 2:15)
Creating a AI, ML & Data Science Ecosystem at Wharton Co. Jr. College
As industries rapidly pivot toward automation and data-driven decision-making, community colleges face the urgent task of bridging the “AI skills gap.” This symposium session details the strategic development and upcoming Fall 2026 launch of the AI, Machine Learning, Data Analytics, and Data Science Certificates and Associate of Applied Science Degree programs at Wharton County Junior College. This program prepares students for hands-on technical roles in fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Data Science. Presenters: Dr. Muna Saqer and JB Groves III, Wharton County Junior College
Strategic Industry Partnerships Driving AI Workforce Pathways
As artificial intelligence reshapes workforce needs, Forsyth Technical Community College developed an IT–Artificial Intelligence degree through a Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. This session demonstrates how employers co-designed competencies, internships, and hiring pathways to align curriculum with regional demand. Attendees will learn how strategic partnerships clarified career pathways, strengthened employer engagement, and created a replicable framework for workforce-aligned programs. Presenter: Joey Bryant, Forsyth Technical Community College
From Learning to Launch: How WC Powered Development of our AI Program
This session highlights how experiences in the Working Connections classroom directly informed the design, development, and early implementation of an AI Certificate program. The presentation demonstrates how the training translated into meaningful curriculum development, faculty capability building, and student‑centered innovation. Attendees will gain a transparent, practical view of how Working Connections can lead to tangible institutional impact. Presenter: Helen Hall, Gwinnett Technical College
Closing (2:15 – 2:30)
