The Kovener Teaching Fellows Program—named in honor of donors Gary and Sharon Kovener—was launched in 2019 with the objective of supporting excellence in teaching. Its creation has enabled the College to address issues of inclusive pedagogy – critically, experientially, and in applied format.

Uniquely, this program brings together twenty student and faculty fellows for discussion, exploration, and mentorship in a five-person mentor pod structure that includes a senior and a junior faculty member, a graduate student, and two undergraduate students. Through a carefully designed set of readings and discussions, Kovener Fellows explore how best to make College classrooms inclusive spaces where all students—regardless of their identity or background—can participate fully in the learning process.  

Some interrelated questions fellows address include: How do we support all students’ engagement with subject material? How do we situate learning within students’ own contexts while exploring those contexts? With the goal of motivating students to take control of their learning, how do we recognize them, ensure their voices are heard, draw relevant connections to their lives, and respond to their concerns?   

As we look forward to starting our 4th year of the program, together, faculty and student fellows will continue to practice a mixture of intrapersonal and interpersonal teacher/learner awareness; cultivate their knowledge of inclusive practices; and, adopt and implement student-centered pedagogies.

For more information, or if you are interested in becoming a Kovener fellow, please contact Carmen Henne-Ochoa at ochoac@iu.edu.