The Waynesburg University Professional Development Committee (PDC) supports faculty members by providing funding for conference attendance and other scholarly opportunities. During the 2025-26 academic year, Camilo Jauregui, Lauren Werner and Melissa Wood were among the faculty members who utilized this support to expand their expertise, engage with colleagues in their fields and bring new knowledge back to their students.
Two faculty members from Waynesburg University's Department of Education benefited from the program during the academic year. In October 2025, Lauren Werner, assistant professor of education, attended the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (PAC-TE) conference alongside colleagues Melissa Wood, certification officer and field placement coordinator; and Dr. Kelley Solomon, department chair and professor of education. The conference provided opportunities to collaborate with fellow educators from across the Commonwealth and explore new approaches to preparing future teachers.
"Overall, the greatest benefit of the conference was having the opportunity to talk with peers in the same role as myself and share resources," Werner said. "I left the conference with tools on how to effectively utilize AI in my courses, knowledge on how to incorporate children's literature to teach multicultural awareness and cultural sensitivity, and new technology strategies such as video modeling to foster prompting and scaffolding skills for special education pre-service teachers."
Wood echoed the value of the experience, noting that the conference sessions addressed important developments shaping teacher preparation programs in Pennsylvania.
"The sessions provided meaningful insight into current statewide trends in teacher education, including updates related to Chapter 49 changes, Common Ground competencies, and the evolving expectations for clinical experiences," Wood said. "I especially appreciated the discussions on strengthening university and school partnerships, as well as sessions centered on high-quality supervision practices and strategies for supporting preservice teachers in today's classrooms."
Wood also emphasized the value of networking with professionals and institutions from across Pennsylvania at the event, saying that it has already influenced how she continues to shape her education program.
In November, Camilo Jauregui, instructor of music, attended the joint annual meeting of the American Musicological Society (AMS) and the Society for Music Theory (SMT), one of the premier gatherings for music scholars in North America. The conference allowed Jauregui to engage with fellow music scholars and bring fresh perspectives back to his students.
"Having the experience of learning at any time of your life is a great opportunity to refresh your knowledge and update your information," Jauregui said. "This opportunity, to be in the most important meeting as a musicologist in North America, gave me the insights to share the most updated research to my students and help me to understand the music behind the music."
Through initiatives like the Professional Development Committee, Waynesburg University continues to invest in faculty development, ensuring that students benefit from educators who remain engaged in their fields and committed to lifelong learning.
