Love of Teaching Conference
Love of Teaching Conference
The Love of Teaching Half-Day Conference is an annual professional development event hosted each spring by Montgomery College exclusively for its faculty. Designed to celebrate and reignite faculty members’ passion for teaching. It offers a dynamic space for educators to reflect on their practice, connect with colleagues, and explore innovative instructional strategies.
Organized by the Center for Teaching and Learning in collaboration with the Institute for Part-Time Faculty Engagement and Support (IPTFES), the conference welcomes all full- and part-time faculty across disciplines. Through a keynote presentation or panel discussion, breakout sessions, and collaborative discussions, participants gain practical tools and fresh insights to enhance their teaching.
More than a professional development event, the conference is a celebration of the transformative power of education. It reaffirms teaching as a calling rooted in creativity, connection, and care. The conference is held annually on the last Saturday in April from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For Montgomery College faculty, it’s a cherished tradition, an opportunity to step back, reflect, and renew their commitment to student success and academic excellence.
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
What does it mean to teach with heart in today’s classrooms? In this Love of Teaching keynote, Erik Swanson invites faculty to reflect on how the choices we make when designing and teaching our courses shape the student experience. When students feel welcomed before they ever need to ask for support, learning becomes more accessible, expectations become clearer, and opportunities expand for everyone.
Teaching with heart reminds us why many of us chose this profession in the first place. It is about caring and creating learning spaces where students feel ready to learn because they are included, challenged, and supported. With thoughtful effort, we can make a meaningful difference by designing courses that benefit all students. Join this important conversation as we reconnect with our passion for teaching and our commitment to student success.
Register for the Conference new window!
To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Gloria Barron. Requests should be made by at least two weeks in advance of the event.
Erik Swanson, Director of the Institute for Part-Time Faculty Engagement & Support
Professor Erik Swanson began his career at Montgomery College in 2008 when he joined the Media Arts and Technologies department at the Rockville Campus as a part-time faculty member, becoming a full-time faculty member in 2015. He has also taught part-time at the Corcoran College of Art and Design at George Washington University, at the Freer and Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, at the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, and for the McLean Project for the Arts in McLean, Virginia.
He served as the coordinator of the digital animation program at Montgomery College, and in 2018 assumed the role of department chair. As chair, he co-convened the Montgomery County Collaboration Board’s committee on arts, media, and communications programs, and he has been a member of the Montgomery College Academic Services Council.
He has served as chair of the Rockville Chairs’ group since 2020. He received a Part-Time Faculty Exceptional Achievement and Service Award in 2012, as well as a 2021 Outstanding Faculty Award for Excellence in Service. Professor Swanson holds a bachelor of fine arts in painting from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University and a master of fine arts and a master of arts in 3D modeling and animation from The Art Academy University in San Francisco.
How to Register for Conference
- To receive Professional Development credit, you must use Workday to register for the Love of Teaching Conference new window.
Zoom
If you have questions or comments, or want additional information about this event, please contact Gloria Barron.
If you need an accommodation based on a disability, please contact Phil Bonner and/or Gloria Barron by email or by phone at 240-483-2634 at least two weeks prior to the event.