Panels from JMU and Kimyo International University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (KIUT) will seek to identify common ground for collaboration by collectively exploring 3 areas: 1. Identify specific teaching/research projects and institutional resources and priorities. 2. Explore expected impact at the levels of student learning, faculty’s professional development, and institutional capacity. 3. Discuss perspectives and practices to promote sustainable and inclusive intercultural learning and collaboration. Audience will be invited to ask questions, propose ideas, and share experiences.

This presentation describes a collaborative project developed by an interdisciplinary group of JMU faculty within Academic Affairs to learn about Día de los Muertos in the Shenandoah Valley. By combining the expertise of educators, artists, and community organizations, the initiative demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can foster cultural awareness, inclusivity, and engaged learning. Attendees will gain valuable insights into creating culturally responsive programs that amplify marginalized voices, bridge disciplines, and promote inclusive educational practices in the classroom.

"Motherhood is often portrayed as an empowering experience, yet the post-birth transition remains under-explored, leaving mothers to navigate the balancing act of work, family, and self-care on their own. This often places mothers at the intersection of multiple pressures: societal expectations, work demands, and the relentless cycle of ""grind culture." Rooted in capitalist and white supremacist structures, grind culture disproportionately affects Black women, leading to burnout, sleep deprivation, and significant mental, emotional, and physical health disparities. This study examined the lived experiences of Black mothers as they balance mothering with these systemic pressures. Drawing on the work of Dr. Tricia Hersey, Anna Cohen Miller, and others, the study identifies four key themes: the health impacts of grind culture, the importance of self-care, the role of social support and institutional policies, and rest as resistance. It explores how capitalism and grind culture exacerbate challenges for Black mothers, who face the compounded stress of racial trauma and systemic racism. Additionally, it highlights how rest and sleep can serve as forms of resistance, challenging oppressive structures and the devaluation of Black women's bodies and minds.This session will use a self-reflexive approach to identifying how grind culture shows up in the life of the participants, examine the role of rest and sleep in the health and well-being of Black mothers, equip and empower participants with practical strategies for self-care, and educate and advocate for systemic change. After the session the participants will reflect on their experiences as Black women and mothers navigating grind culture at home, work, and community spheres, exploring its impact on their lives; explore how rest resists grind culture and supports the mental, emotional, and physical health of Black mothers; earn strategies to prioritize self-care, rest, and mental health, identify barriers to rest, and create actionable steps to reclaim their well-being; and leave with tools to challenge societal norms in their institutions contributing to burnout and stress, leaving with actionable steps to promote their well-being and create healthier, more sustainable routines."

The Professor in Residence Program (PIR) was the original JMU Presidential Initiative purposefully established in 2004 to encouraged underserved students to consider postsecondary education. Among other things, PIR faculty members who were assigned schools worked with K-12 school teachers and administrators to demystify the access process. Most importantly, our faculty have actively contributed to the improvement of the academic contents of courses in various ways. At this presentation, select PIR faculty members will share some of the individual innovative programs for which they have been responsible and discuss the impact on their teachers and students.