Mission in Motion: A Showcase of Strategic Impact

Wednesday, September 24 | 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Hemmingson Ballroom

During this event, Gonzaga’s Centers, Institutes, and Offices will share how their work is advancing key priorities through research, education and community engagement.

Each presentation highlights a distinct area of impact—whether fostering student success, cultivating innovative partnerships or addressing pressing societal needs—all reflecting efforts in support of the University's Strategic Plan. Together, the presenters in the Mission in Motion showcase offer a window into the diverse ways Gonzaga is activating its mission, commitments and actions to create meaningful change.

Participating areas:

• Institute for Climate, Water and the Environment: Engage with the Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment to explore how Gonzaga is helping the Inland Northwest understand and respond to the rapidly changing climate. Explore current projects related to climate literacy and climate resilience and learn about the annual For Our Common Home Lecture Series.
• Center for Teaching and Advising: Meet with faculty and staff who have partnered with the Center for Teaching and Advising on scholarship of teaching and learning projects. Learn how CTA research and collaborations are advancing effective teaching and student success across disciplines. Hear from the CTA Director about upcoming events, how micro-credential courses are enhancing faculty teaching and where to find resources to support your teaching and advising.
• Instructional Design and Delivery: The Instructional Design and Delivery (IDD) team will highlight its impact on faculty development, student engagement and digital learning excellence. Through hands-on faculty training, expert support for the Canvas LMS, and high-quality course media production, IDD helps bring Gonzaga’s mission to life in every online, hybrid and in-person classroom. IDD's work ensures that courses are accessible, innovative, and aligned with the principles of Ignatian Pedagogy. By empowering faculty and enhancing learning environments, IDD directly supports student success and the University’s strategic commitment to academic innovation.
• Career and Professional Development: Connect with Career & Professional Development to learn more about how CPD helps students and alumni clarify and attain their educational and career goals. This work advances University-wide commitments by developing a collaborative network of career educators, offering relevant and meaningful services that foster student success, and teaching students to navigate lifelong career development. Explore post-graduate outcomes through the interactive First Destination Survey Power BI Report, available for the entire University as well as individual academic departments. Discover signature CPD engagement opportunities, including the Trek programs, the award-winning Career Kindler training and faculty funding opportunities that enhance student career readiness.
• Global Engagement: Global engagement is a shared journey. Connect with the CGE to explore how Gonzaga’s Jesuit mission calls students, faculty and staff to engage with the world for the common good. Learn about transformative student experiences through Study Abroad, International Student & Scholar Services, and the English Language Center, and discover how faculty can advance global learning through grants, partnerships and internationally focused research. See how CGE fosters solidarity across cultures by supporting international students and scholars and by creating opportunities for shared learning across borders. Hear what’s next, including International Education Week, faculty-led initiatives, and campus-wide events that encourage global engagement for all.
• Center for Community Engagement: Connect with the Center for Community Engagement staff to learn more about Community Engaged Learning (CEL) pedagogy, view community engagement student posters and discuss ways that our campus can engage in the University’s place-based initiative, Opportunity Northeast. Learn how this work is making an impact in our community and addressing community-identified needs with the dedicated and innovative support of students, staff, and faculty. Discover the projects, programs, and partnerships the CCE is stewarding in alignment with our shared mission towards service for the common good. Look ahead to upcoming opportunities such as the Center’s 30th anniversary, CEL Micro-Credential offerings, the Community Engagement Institute and the CEL community of practice events.
• Office of a Pedagogy of Hope: Come talk to Dr. Monica Bartlett, Faculty Director of The Office of a Pedagogy of Hope through Research and Practice (PoH), and the PoH’s Hope Scholars about opportunities to collaborate. The PoH is supported by generous benefaction and works in community with faculty, staff and students, as well as members of the Spokane community, to understand and address issues of marginalization in learning spaces. The PoH does this through financial and collaborative support of the great work that you are doing, including financial support of scholarly projects that align with the mission (e.g., Hope Scholars, annual funding of Gonzaga projects), hosting Lunch and Learn community meals and bringing a national speaker to campus once a year. Come share your ideas!
• Institute for Informatics and Applied Technology: The Institute for Informatics and Applied Technology (IIAT) at Gonzaga University advances responsible innovation at the intersection of data, AI and the human experience. Guided by the University's Jesuit mission, IIAT brings together faculty, students and partners to explore emerging technologies, confront societal challenges and shape an ethical, human-centered and information-rich future. Visit the IIAT table to discover faculty and student research, explore collaborative projects with community and industry, and see how Gonzaga is preparing students, staff and faculty for a rapidly evolving technological world.
• Inclusive Excellence: At the heart of Action Six in Gonzaga’s Strategic Plan is a commitment to Inclusive Excellence. The Inclusive Excellence Division is leading the charge, showcasing the initiatives, progress and partnerships that are shaping a more equitable, welcoming and mission-driven University. Through the Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan, Gonzaga is turning aspiration into action, laying out clear goals and strategies across six key priority areas: building and sustaining a diverse community; cultivating a campus culture of inclusion and belonging; integrating inclusive practices into teaching, research, and service; empowering faculty and staff through development; deepening community partnerships; and strengthening accountability through assessment and transparency. These efforts reflect Gonzaga’s unwavering dedication to ensuring that every community member—student, faculty, and staff—can thrive fully, aligned with Gonzaga's Jesuit values and vision for academic and human excellence.
• The Office of the Core: Now in its tenth year, the Core provides the foundation of the Catholic, Jesuit, humanistic education that Gonzaga promises its students. Come to the Office of the Core's table to learn more about the Core curriculum, the range of innovative Core courses offered by Gonzaga faculty, the integrative student projects that emerge from Core learning, and the new AI outcomes that will help prepare students for their future both at and beyond Gonzaga.
• Integrative Jesuit Education: Gonzaga University exists to guide, challenge and support its students in the Jesuit tradition, from the beginning of the relationship with the University through a course of study and experiences that leads to the completion of the educational program and the granting of a degree or credential. Gonzaga University is bold, reflective and deliberate in supporting students as they secure their academic credentials while learning in an integrative process that prepares them both for the immediate future and for a life of service and leadership in a constantly changing global society. Connect with Dr. Kathleen Jeffs to explore Integrative Jesuit Education. Discover the projects, programs and partnerships being advanced through this strategic initiative.
• Office of Tribal Relations: Learn about the Office of Tribal Relations and how it supports Gonzaga in understanding and acknowledging itself not just as having a mission, but being a mission, one with a unique history and relationship with tribal communities. Find out about current initiatives, upcoming events and ways you can be involved.
• Office of Sponsored Research: Connect with the Sponsored Research and Programs (SRP) team to explore potential funding opportunities, collaborative tools, proposal submission timelines and navigating IRB and grant compliance processes. The SRP goal is to support faculty-staff research and creative scholarship, while at the same time creating a culture of stewardship that ensures a continuation of external funding to enhance academic excellence, student engagement, service for the common good and institutional innovation. The SRP team aims to promote those who make an impact at Gonzaga every day by elevating scientific and humanistic research, faculty professional development and expanded student research opportunities. Check out the upcoming opportunities to learn more about PIVOT, navigating SRP resources and the next Summer Grant Workshop!
• Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry: Come visit with CURCI to learn about the many ways we facilitate and encourage experiential learning and student transformation by supporting undergraduate research and creative activities at Gonzaga. Meet some of Gonzaga’s undergraduate researchers and creators; we will have representatives from research programs and partnerships under the CURCI umbrella: Gonzaga Science Research Program (GSRP), McKinstry Fellowship, Morris Fellowship, GRO-MECS, and the UW-GU Summer Biomedical Research Program (in Seattle), as well as student researchers from GU’s Economics Summer Research Fellowship and GU’s Human Physiology Department. See creative work from student artists, plus explore the 30-year legacy of Gonzaga’s GSRP program. Learn about CURCI’s Undergraduate Travel Awards and URCAS showcase, plus pilot programs for this year such as Research Slams, expansion of the McKinstry Fellowship, and creation of the CURCI Travel Award for Research. Ask about our future plans for CURCI, including rebuilding the Jesuit Mission Fellowship and CURCI Scholars programs.
• Digital Scholarship LabThis innovative space will provide dedicated access to specialized hardware and software not widely available elsewhere on campus. More than just technology, the lab will offer peer guidance through our knowledgeable student employees and act as a hub for digital exploration by supporting the use of digital tools and methods across all disciplines and providing resources, training, and consultation to help you explore and utilize digital technologies for your scholarly activities. Major technology currently available in the DSL includes 3D printers and a Glowforge for laser cutting and engraving in addition to software and applications for digital mapping, data visualization, coding, and computation text analysis while plans for future expansion look toward providing dedicated space for audiovisual recording and instructional space for class engagement digital methodologies on a larger scale.