Research consistently shows that adult learners (those typically aged 25 and older who juggle work, family, and educational goals) face three distinct categories of barriers that impede persistence and completion: Situational, Institutional, and Dispositional (Psychological).

This session will move beyond simply identifying these challenges to equip coaches, advisors, and navigators with evidence-based strategies and resource mapping techniques for direct intervention.

Facilitated by Casey Michaels and Tally Botzer, System Office

Join us for a Flashpoint Forum, one of the new session types at New Horizons 2026! These shorter sessions from different facilitators will be 15 - 30 minutes each, brought to you in one zoom for your convenience.

Session One: The Spark That Launched Transfer Virginia

Discover the pivotal moment that ignited the development of Transfer Virginia. This flashpoint forum explores the collaborative energy that created a unified transfer system for students across the Commonwealth. Learn how a single spark of innovation grew into a statewide effort to improve clarity, consistency, and opportunity for all learners.

Facilitated by Emily Jones-Green, System Office

Session Two: ExpressFest: A Cross-College Showcase That Ignites Student Success

ExpressFest is a dynamic, cross-college creative showcase designed to ignite student success through experiential learning and authentic performance opportunities. This Flashpoint session highlights how Brightpoint brought together faculty coordinators, Creative Services, Student Activities, the Foundation, and alumni judges to produce the college’s first event featuring student films, spoken word, and public speaking in a single high-impact showcase.

Attendees will learn how ExpressFest centers the learner, strengthens a sense of belonging, and promotes persistence by creating real-world spaces where students can express their voices and talents publicly. The session will share practical strategies—including planning templates, judging processes, collaboration models, and timeline structures—that institutions can easily replicate.

Participants will walk away with actionable ideas to design bold, student-centered experiences that foster confidence, creativity, and community.

Facilitated by Amanda Carpenter and Daveta Saunders White, Brightpoint Community College

This presentation explores cognitive load theory to help faculty design assignments and shape classroom dynamics for the adult learner. Cognitive load theory speaks directly to the benefits of creating appropriate classroom dynamics and course assignments, thus promoting an optimal learning experience for the adult learner. This presentation meets Accelerate Opportunity, Objective 3: Delivering Education to Today’s Learners, by sharing high-impact instructional practices that support educational excellence in adult student learners.

Facilitated by Andréa Palmisano and Reneé Hosang-Alleyne, Tidewater Community College

What does rigor actually mean—and how do we cultivate it without conflating challenge with excessive workload? How does rigor look in each modality (face-to-face, hyflex, midflex, hybrid, asynchronous)? This panel brings together instructors from business, history, nursing, and English to explore how rigor is applied differently across disciplines while serving a unified purpose: preparing students for an unpredictable future. Through concrete classroom examples and supporting data, panelists will demonstrate that rigorous instruction isn't about piling on assignments but about fostering deep thinking, transferable skills, and intellectual resilience. Attendees will engage in live polling, small-group discussions, and work through a case study examining rigor in their own disciplines. This session addresses a critical challenge many educators face: maintaining high academic standards while supporting diverse learners. Whether you teach anatomy or anthropology, composition or coding, you'll leave with practical strategies to assess and enhance rigor in your courses—and the clarity to distinguish meaningful challenge from arbitrary difficulty.

Facilitated by Julie Eng, Mary Ann Howell, Wendy Miller-Edwards, Laurel Pope, Camp Community College

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming education, offering innovative ways to enhance teaching, streamline workflows, and improve student engagement. This session introduces faculty and staff to VCCS-approved AI tools—including Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, NotebookLM, and Google AI Studio—and explores how these platforms can support instructional design, research, and administrative tasks.

Participants will gain practical insights into the capabilities of each tool, learn strategies for integrating AI into their teaching practices, and review ethical and pedagogical best practices to ensure responsible and effective use. By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with actionable ideas to leverage AI while maintaining academic integrity and fostering student success.

Facilitated by Will Moore, Virginia Peninsula Community College

This session will detail the successful integration of High-Impact Practices (HIPs), specifically capstone experiences, into the curricula of Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC) beginning in 2023 as a key component of its strategic plan. Committed to enhancing student success and transfer readiness, ESCC implemented mandatory, 3-credit capstone courses across all transfer and many career and technical education programs. These capstones offer students flexible, experiential learning opportunities, including internships, supervised studies, and fieldwork. The program's design is guided by a core rationale: to create tangible projects for resume building and transfer applications; demonstrate general and program-specific skills (e.g., communication, technology, critical thinking); reinforce and integrate learning; provide hands-on, real-world experience; and prepare students for rigorous academic and workforce transition.

Facilitated by Emily Moore and Alex Foxworthy, Eastern Shore Community College

Faculty burnout is real. Job crafting is a research-backed, bottom-up process for employees to proactively redefine their work for greater engagement and meaning. This interactive workshop will equip VCCS faculty with the self-directed tools of Semester Crafting to redesign aspects of their role for the future. We will move beyond theory into tangible, peer-supported practice. Participants will start by mapping how their time, energy, and attention are currently spent, then use task, relational, and cognitive crafting techniques to create a personalized action plan. You will leave with a small, concrete plan for a future semester experiment aligned with your personal strengths and institutional priorities like student success. 

Facilitated by Megan Reynolds, Northern Virginia Community College

Creating a sense of belonging is essential for student success in today’s diverse and evolving educational landscape. This interactive workshop will explore inclusive pedagogy as a powerful tool to ignite engagement and foster community in the classroom. Participants will examine strategies that promote respect, appreciation for difference, and equitable learning environments where all students feel valued. Through discussion and practical activities, attendees will gain insights into reducing bias, enhancing cultural awareness, and building authentic connections with learners. By the end of the session, participants will leave with actionable techniques to integrate inclusive practices into their teaching, empowering them to light the path toward future-ready education for every student.

Facilitated by Charm Bullard, Senior Advisor to the CEO, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities

This session takes a practical look at the physical toll of a sedentary workday. Faculty and staff who spend extended periods sitting often develop predictable patterns of strain — this session will cover the joints most commonly affected, along with targeted exercise ideas to build strength and mobility where it's needed most. We'll also touch on practical considerations like apparel and footwear choices that support movement throughout the day. Relaxation techniques will be woven throughout as a core part of maintaining a healthy, resilient body. The final 10 minutes will be reserved for open Q&A and brief, complimentary one-on-one consultation for anyone with specific concerns. 

Facilitated by Rekha Parameswaran, Laurel Ridge Community College

**Please note, this session WILL NOT BE RECORDED**