»CETL Leadership

Mission

Chapman University’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) promotes a culture that inspires faculty to create high-quality learning environments that cultivate creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking in all modalities. Through the exploration and implementation of innovative, evidence-based teaching practices, the Chapman faculty advances a personalized educational experience that ensures the holistic development and success of lifelong learners and global citizens.

Vision

Chapman University’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is recognized as a hub for critical reflection, meaningful dialog, and pedagogical resources to support faculty development, as well as being a leader for advancing academic excellence on campus. At Chapman, all decisions related to curriculum and instruction are driven by consideration of student attributes, real-time institutional data, and educational research. Innovation, authenticity, and flexibility in classrooms will result in higher rates of student satisfaction, autonomy, persistence, achievement, retention, and graduation.

At the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, we strive to:

1. Foster and support a culture of teaching excellence that leads to student engagement, innovation, curiosity, and meaningful learning.

2. Create a safe and collaborative space for faculty to explore new methodologies and strategies to enhance the student learning experience.

3. Support program-specific needs for faculty development, course design and ongoing improvement efforts, and the assessment of student learning.

4. Support the development and delivery of high-quality distance education courses that align with Quality Matters standards for higher education.

5. Promote and support the scholarly works of faculty; Advance the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Discipline-Based Educational Research (DBER).

photo of Cathy Pohan

Cathy Pohan

Executive Director
Memorial Hall 212L
714-516-5815
Dr. Cathy Pohan is a passionate educator who brings with her more than 30 years of experience working with students and faculty in higher education. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychological and Cultural Studies with an emphasis in Cognition and Learning from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Cathy joins us from UC Merced where for the past four years she served as Associate Director of their Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning. Preceding this position, Cathy was a Professor in Colleges of Education at the University of Northern Colorado, San Diego State University, Texas A & M University- Corpus Christi and National University. For 10 years Dr. Pohan served as the Center Lead for National University’s School of Education at the Fresno Campus, supporting PK-12 educators and educational institutions throughout the Central Valley in California. As a Fulbright Scholar in 2015, Cathy had the honor of providing professional development to University and PK-12 Educators working with vulnerable populations throughout Chile, South America. She is highly committed to helping Chapman continue to increase its reach and success with underrepresented and first-generation students. Dr. Pohan has extensive experience teaching and developing curriculum for in-person, hybrid, and online instruction. She is co-author of UC Merced’s Faculty Guide for the Development of Online/Hybrid Courses (2022) and collaborated to offer the Faculty Institute for Emergency Remote Instruction for two years during the pandemic. Over the years, Cathy has conducted a myriad of workshops designed to help faculty and graduate teaching assistants increase student success.
photo of Kevin J. Nguyen-Stockbridge

Kevin J. Nguyen-Stockbridge

Director
Hashinger Hall 120

Dr. Kevin J. Nguyen-Stockbridge is passionate about fostering a culture of reflective teaching, interdisciplinary collaboration, and student-centered learning. He works closely with faculty, staff, and students to cultivate pedagogical excellence that is responsive to the diverse needs of Chapman’s academic community. His academic and professional journey spans over 15 years in higher education, where he has held roles as an instructor, researcher, and diversity leader. His teaching portfolio includes courses in teacher education, LGBTQ studies, social justice in education, and curriculum theory. With a Ph.D. in Education and a scholarly emphasis on culture and curriculum studies, Dr. Nguyen-Stockbridge brings a deep commitment to equity, critical pedagogy, and faculty development. He is a published scholar whose work explores the intersections of queer theory, spirituality, community partnership, and educational transformation. He has co-edited multiple academic volumes, contributed to national conferences, and received recognition for his scholarship, including awards from the Society of Professors of Education and CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles. In his role at the Center, he continues to champion transformative teaching and inclusive excellence as cornerstones of a thriving academic community.

photo of Melissa Samaniego

Melissa Samaniego

Associate Director and Instructional Designer
Memorial Hall 212K
714-516-5814
Dr. Samaniego holds an Ed.D. in Higher and Postsecondary Education, and has been working in higher education for almost 20 years. She has a wide range of experience and specializes in faculty development and training, online and blended instruction, instructional design, and learning management systems. She has initiated and led faculty development programs at various institutions, including onboarding and mentorship programs for new faculty, and faculty conferences and workshops on a range of topics related to pedagogy and educational technology. At a previous institution, she authored a Faculty Mentorship Program Guide and a New Faculty Onboarding Guide, and has written faculty development courses on blended learning, mentorship, and assessment. Her research interests lie in the areas of instructional design for student success and the impact of faculty development on faculty and student satisfaction and success.

Have a question or need assistance?

Email: CETL@chapman.edu

Please feel free to contact any of the CETL staff for assistance. We're here to help! Our general mailbox is CETL@chapman.edu and all messages received will be routed appropriately.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is located in Memorial Hall 212L on the Orange Campus.