Rising Above Transactional Education to Transformational Education

Join us in transforming higher education by promoting student well-being through the Gallup Big Six Experiences! This second cohort of our Faculty Learning Community (FLC) brings together educators from member institutions of the LearningWell Coalition and the SEC who are committed to enhancing the quality of human connections in college, ultimately fostering life-long well-being and career success for students. The work of the FLC is grounded in the Gallup Big Six Experiences.

Overview

Since 2014, the Gallup Foundation has conducted surveys to understand alumni engagement, well-being, and attachment to their alma mater. Consistently, students who say they had all (or even some) of the Big Six Student Experiences report greater career and personal well-being. These experiences highlight the importance of supportive faculty-student relationships and experiential learning.

The Gallup Big Six Student Experiences:

1. Support Experiences:

  • My professors care about me as a person.
  • I have at least one professor who makes me excited about learning.
  • I have a mentor who encourages me to pursue my goals and dreams.

2. Experiential Learning:

  • I had an internship or job that allowed me to apply classroom learning.
  • I worked on a long-term project.
  • I was active in extracurricular activities and organizations.

This FLC represents an exciting opportunity to shape the way the Gallup Big Six Student Experiences are understood and implemented, not only at LearningWell Coalition member institutions and SEC partner institutions, but also across the globe.

FLC Activities and Outcome
Building upon the open-source deliverable created by the participants of last year’s inaugural FLC, this next cohort will create deliverables that expand the practice of fomenting a relationship-rich and experience-rich education for our students. To jumpstart our time together, we will select a book to serve as our common reader to frame our initial sessions, and guest speakers will inspire and motivate our work throughout the year. We will work remotely in groups and connect with fellow participants from institutions of higher learning across the country, as well as have the opportunity to meet in person at the annual LearningWell Coalition Conference (www.learningwell.org) in Spring 2026.

Deadline:

Applications are due by Monday, September 8, 2025.

Faculty Learning Community Details and Logistics

Goals
  • Investigate the impact of the Big Six on student well-being
  • Implement practical strategies for integrating these experiences into educational settings
  • Collaborate with peers across institutions in a community of practice
  • Contribute to an open-access resource hub for educators

Featured Guest Speakers Include:

  • Mary C. Murphy, award-winning social psychologist and author of Cultures of Growth
  • Cammy Abernathy, Professor Emeritus and former Dean, UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
  • Zachary Hrynowski, Senior Education Researcher at Gallup
  • Richard K. Miller, Founding Chair of the LearningWell Coalition and President Emeritus of Olin College
  • Joe Tranquillo, Associate Provost for Transformative Teaching & Learning and Professor at Bucknell University
    and more to be announced!

Program Details:

  • Sessions held via Zoom every other Wednesday, 9:45–11:15 am ET
  • Fall: Sept 17–Dec 10, 2025 | Spring: Jan 14–Apr 8, 2026
  • Includes shared reading, group projects, plus free registration and an opportunity to present at the LearningWell Coalition National Conference (March 4–6, 2026, in Nashville, TN)

FLC Schedule

Fall Semester: The Gallup Big Six and Cultures of Growth

All sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 9:45 AM to 11:15 AM EST.

  • September 17: Rick Miller & Zach Hrynowski: Learning the Data and the Power Behind the Gallup Big Six Experiences
  • October 1: Previous Cohort Presentation; Preview of Coalition Project; Community Building
  • October 15: Working Session 1: Connecting Data & Practice to Shape Our Work
  • October 29:  Mary C. Murphy: Cultures of Growth
  • November 12: Joe Tranquillo: Mentorship
  • December 3: Working Session 2: Focused Project Development

Spring Semester: Developing the Open-Source Resource

All sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 9:45 AM to 11:15 AM EST.

  • January 14: Show and Tell About Your Institution; Storytelling
  • January 28: Cammy Abernathy: Courage; Group Reflection
  • February 11: Working Session 3: Focused Project Development
  • February 25: Working Session 4: Focused Project Development
  • March 4–6: LearningWell Coalition National Conference at Belmont University, Nashville, TN
  • March 11: Conference Debrief and Focused Project Development
  • March 25: Working Session 5
  • April 8: Working Session 6
  • April 22: Final Review and Presentation Preparation
  • April 29: Special Concluding Presentation and Celebration

For more information, please contact us at leydetucker@ufl.edu

Logos for UF Center for Teaching Excellence and LearningWell Coalition.