Center for Teaching Excellence Executive Director Stacy Grooters has been elected as incoming president of the Professional and Organizational DevelopmentĀ Network in Higher Education, a national organization for educational developers such as those working in university teaching centers.
Stacy Grooters (Caitlin Cunningham)
Grooters was chosen by the organizationās Core Committee to serve a three-year termāas president-elect, president, and then pastĀ presidentābeginning in June.
The POD Network is North AmericaāsĀ largest educational development community, supporting more than 1,500Ā members representing several hundred colleges and universitiesĀ throughout the United States and more than 30 countries.
āThe POD Network has been invaluable to me as I have come to understand theĀ field, to do my own work, and to connect with others,ā said Grooters,Ā who became CTE executive director in 2020. āIts culture of collaborative leadership has really helped inform my own development as a leader.ā
Since joining the POD Network in 2006, Grooters has presented at the organizationās annual conferences, received two grants, and held leadership roles such as chair of the diversity committee.
AsĀ Grooters prepares to step into her new role, she identifies promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the organization as one of her top priorities.
āOne of the reasons I chose to put myself up for this leadership position at this point is because right now, POD is having a lot of really important conversations around diversity, equity, andĀ inclusion in the organization,ā said Grooters. āPOD has always seenĀ questions of inclusion, access, and diversity as core to its identity,Ā but like a lot of organizations, itās still figuring out how to do that. Iām really excited to be able to step in and help make sure that weĀ follow through on that effort and that we make meaningful change from it.ā
Woods College of Advancing Studies Dean Karen MuncasterĀ praised Grooters on her appointment. āItās so impressive that StacyĀ Grooters has been appointed as the new president of the POD Network,Ā which is one of the largest and oldest organizations dedicated toĀ educational development in the world. It not only reflects well on Stacy and the esteem in which she is held by the members who representĀ hundreds of colleges and universities, but it highlights the importanceĀ of quality, evidence-based teaching at 51²č¹Ż.ā
Christine Balquist | University Communications | February 2022