Assets in Action Workshops
Started in Spring 2023, SHIFT in Signature Courses offers a workshop series called “Assets in Action” to strengthen connections amongst SHIFT and Wellbeing in Learning Environments faculty and to amplify well-being across campus by prompting discussion and collaboration in intentional hour-long workshops. Each hour-long gathering centers on sharing research and best practices for implementing one of the protective factors/assets from the 40 Assets for 40 Acres SHIFT framework that faculty, staff, and students are currently using to cultivate a caring community across campus.
The Assets in Action workshop series will resume in the spring of 2024. We will post events and registration on this page once they are scheduled.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Lauren Gulbas
Dr. Lauren Gulbas is an Associate Professor at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. She was one of the faculty mentors who led an Assets in Action workshop in Spring 2023.
Can you tell us about how your work with SHIFT led you to pursue the development of a more in-depth well-being curriculum for your students?
I have to be honest—I had never considered building a well-being curriculum for my students prior to my introduction and involvement in SHIFT. The idea that I could play a formative role in helping students develop their well-being wasn’t how pedagogy was taught when I was a graduate student.
My first draft of developing a well-being curriculum came out of being a part of SHIFT’s pilot program; I started by helping students develop and implement a self-care plan in my class. The response was overwhelmingly positive, but I was uneasy with (at least what seemed to me) the haphazard way I did this.
Moreover, despite the self-care plan, I noticed that many students continued grappling with unseen struggles. I knew there had to be a better solution. I immersed myself in research, talking to students, colleagues, and experts from diverse disciplines. My quest was to identify how I, as a professor, could contribute to alleviating some of the pressures students were facing. The answer gradually crystallized largely due to my collaborative work with the Center for Resiliency at Dell Children’s: empowering students with practical tools to build resiliency, allowing them to face challenges with adaptability.
A few years later, with the help of funding from SHIFT’s SHIFTovation fund, and my collaborators at Dell Children’s, “Shifting Resiliency in the Classroom” was born. It is a manualized, evidence-based curriculum that empowers students to navigate the complexities of academic life and equips them with the skills to confront daily challenges with self-compassion and flexibility. It also encourages students to set boundaries in both their personal and academic lives in ways that align with their value system. The curriculum incorporates techniques like mindfulness exercises, cognitive reframing, and fostering social connections to promote self-awareness and compassion among students.
I must admit the development of the curriculum hasn’t been without its challenges. Balancing the academic rigors with comprehensive well-being instruction requires creativity, dedication, and collaboration with my students. And I wouldn’t have been able to do this work without SHIFT, my collaborators at Dell, or my fabulous research interns in my lab. It takes a village!
What is most the compelling reason(s)/what makes you passionate about integrating your new curriculum into your teaching?
I am driven by the belief that education is not confined to disseminating facts and figures but should support nurturing essential life skills. By weaving resiliency-building practices into my class, I can empower my students to flourish academically and personally. Witnessing my students develop their strengths and resilience motivates me every single day.
Moreover, the pressing need for improved mental health awareness and support in today’s society fuels my drive. As mental health challenges continue to rise, equipping students with the tools to manage stress, anxiety, and adversity is becoming increasingly critical. I am passionate about creating an environment where students feel seen, heard, and supported, fostering a culture that normalizes discussions around mental well-being.
How do you hope this will impact your students and/or the larger university community?
Of course, my sincerest hope is that it will not only transform the lives of my students but also create a ripple effect throughout the larger university community. At its core, “Shifting Resiliency in the Classroom” aims to empower students to navigate both life and academic challenges in ways that support their wellbeing. As students cultivate these essential skills, I envision them excelling academically and experiencing personal growth that will positively shape their future endeavors. Armed with evidence-based coping mechanisms, they will be better equipped to pursue their goals and overcome barriers within and beyond the academic realm.
Moreover, I believe fostering a well-being culture within the university community will lead to a stronger sense of connectedness and support. The best feedback I received from a student after participating in “Shifting Resiliency in the Classroom,” was the story she told me about how she shared her newfound skills with her father, and together, they used these skills to have difficult conversations about the world today. Ultimately, sharing can serve as a catalyst for open dialogues on mental health, reducing the stigma associated with seeking help and support.
As the program gains momentum, I hope it will pique fellow professors’ interest. Collaborating with other faculty members to train and implement the curriculum in their courses could create a university-wide movement toward prioritizing student well-being. This collaboration would foster an environment where students experience continuity in their well-being education throughout their academic journey, reinforcing the importance of mental health as an integral part of their lives.
How do I get involved with your curriculum, “Shifting Resiliency in the Classroom?”
I would love to collaborate with other faculty interested in implementing Shifting Resiliency in the Classroom. The following qualities can help to support effective implementation:
- Willingness to embrace change and being open to implementing innovative approaches in the classrooms in ways that deviate from traditional teaching methods.
- Dedication to student wellbeing and commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment that fosters resilience and personal growth.
- Openness to undergoing training to become familiar with the curriculum’s core concepts, strategies, and research-based techniques.
- Willingness to adhere to the curriculum manual as consistency in the program’s implementation will allow for ongoing assessment and evaluation of its effectiveness in different classroom settings.
- Commitment to research and willingness to engage their students in studies related to the effectiveness of the curriculum.
Interested collaborators can reach out to me directly to learn more about implementing Shifting Resiliency in the Classroom into their course structure.