Mary Baldwin University

Abby Wightman

As a cultural anthropologist, I didn’t enter academia with formal pedagogical training. But like many anthropologists, I carry an ethnographer’s instinct—a drive to observe, listen, and understand people in context. That instinct naturally extended to my students. I came to see them not just as learners, but as members of a unique and evolving community. Their classroom experiences became my new fieldsite.

When I joined Mary Baldwin University as an anthropology professor, I encountered a far more diverse student body than I’d worked with before. It was a turning point. I realized I had to rethink how I presented anthropology—how to make it relevant, engaging, and accessible to all students. That shift began with a hard look at my own discipline: where were the diverse voices in the curriculum? What were the limits of ethnographic authority? How had my own interpretations excluded or overlooked different perspectives?

This reflection pushed me to explore more experiential, applied, and community-based learning strategies. My involvement with the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement deepened this journey. There, I encountered colleagues deeply engaged in community-based learning (CBL), and I began to understand how such experiences, while powerful, could also be complicated for students navigating issues of race, class, and identity. As Faculty-in-Residence at the Spencer Center, I facilitated faculty training in CBL—work that eventually led to my current role as Director of Mary Baldwin’s Center for Teaching and Learning.

Listening First: Grounding Innovation in Data and Lived Experience

In my current role, one of the most common questions I’m asked is: how can universities better align their teaching with the diverse needs of today’s students?

Before we can even begin to answer that, we need to ask ourselves: what are those needs and preferences? And how do we know? We must ground our decisions in real data—qualitative and quantitative—gathered from students and faculty. That means more than surveys. It means deep, mixed-methods research that gives voice to the lived experiences of our campus community.

From that foundation, we can develop strategies that truly support student success. But alignment doesn't mean giving in to every preference—it means balancing student needs with the integrity of academic programs. It’s about building support structures that ensure all students have the tools, environment, and encouragement they need to thrive.

Expanding the Scope of Learning—For Students and Faculty Alike

At Mary Baldwin, our Center for Teaching and Learning is primarily focused on faculty support. But as the landscape of higher education shifts, our role is evolving. With the increasing focus on lifelong learning and professional upskilling, we have the opportunity to rethink what academic development means—not just for students, but for faculty as well.

“Our greatest strength as educators is not that we know everything, but that we are always learning—with and from each other.”

Faculty today face uncertainty. The traditional career path in academia is no longer guaranteed. That’s why I believe teaching centers must collaborate with career services to offer training, upskilling, and guidance for faculty navigating transitions—whether within academia or beyond it. We can also help translate academic skills into language that resonates in corporate, nonprofit, and public-sector contexts.

Moreover, we can support faculty as they design non-traditional learning experiences—micro-credentials, certificates, and flexible programs that serve a broader range of learners in our communities.

Fostering a Culture of Teaching Excellence—One Step at a Time

When it comes to supporting teaching development, I think we often focus too much on what’s lacking. Instead, we should celebrate the excellence that already exists. At Mary Baldwin, we have incredible teacher-scholars doing meaningful, innovative work in the classroom. Our first task should be to recognize and amplify those efforts.

Of course, recognition alone isn’t enough. Institutions need to ensure faculty have the resources and time to evolve their teaching. That may mean rethinking tenure and promotion criteria to prioritize teaching excellence. It may mean providing stipends, course releases, or reduced service loads so that faculty have the capacity to redesign courses or adopt new methods. Innovation should be achievable—not aspirational.

And for those wondering where to start, I return to advice I learned from Tom Tobin, a Universal Design for Learning expert who joined us for a webinar: just do one thing. Start small. Identify one aspect of your course that’s not working as well as you’d like. Explore the research, talk to colleagues, consult your teaching and learning center. There are so many free, high-quality resources available—take that first step.

Curiosity as Compass

My journey from anthropology professor to teaching center director has been anything but linear. But the one thing that’s guided me all along is curiosity—the same curiosity I brought to fieldwork, I now bring to teaching, and to the incredible colleagues I work alongside.

Higher education is changing. Our students are changing. And so too must we. As educators, our greatest strength is not that we know everything, but that we are always learning—with and from each other.