Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

University of Mississippi

Graduate Teaching Orientation

Whether you’re a first-time TA or instructor at the University of Mississippi or a more experienced graduate teacher looking to hone your skills before the start of the academic year, Graduate Teaching Orientation is for you!

Hosted by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in collaboration with the Graduate School, Orientation will help you establish your role as TA or instructor, provide an introduction to UM students and university teaching, and give you the tools to teach and assess effectively, no matter your discipline. At the end of the Orientation, we’ll take the time to answer all your questions about teaching here at UM.

Graduate students who attend Orientation leave with…

  • A repertoire of inclusive, evidence-based teaching strategies
  • Awareness of university policies on teaching and learning
  • A variety of tools and resources to support graduate teaching
  • A network of staff and peer support for teaching

For questions about Graduate Teaching Orientation, please contact Emily Pitts Donahoe, Associate Director of Instructional Support, at ejdonaho@olemiss.edu.

2023-24 Graduate Teaching Orientation

This year’s Graduate Teaching Orientation took place on Tuesday, August 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Johnson Commons East Ballroom. Check back next summer for more information about the 2024-25 Orientation.

Please check with your department to ascertain whether attendance at Orientation is required or recommended for its graduate students. The Orientation is open to all graduate students, whether or not it is required by your department.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. We request that attendees bring laptops for use in our interactive workshop sessions.

For questions about Graduate Teaching Orientation or other graduate programming, contact Dr. Emily Pitts Donahoe, Associate Director of Instructional Support, at ejdonaho@olemiss.edu.

Can’t make it to Orientation?

If you’ll be unable to attend Orientation but still want some support for your teaching, there are a few things you can do:

  • You’ll be able to access the Orientation slides, along with a number of other teaching tools, on our Graduate Teaching Resources page.
  • If you’d like additional support, please sign up for Fundamentals of Teaching, a fall learning community for new graduate teachers, or check out our Graduate Reading Group.
  • If you have specific questions about your teaching, set up a consultation by emailing Emily Pitts Donahoe, Associate Director of Instructional Support, at ejdonaho@olemiss.edu.