"Moving the Needle: The Power of Relational Pedagogy in Promoting Belonging and Equity in Higher Education"

Abstract: In a time of social and institutional uncertainty, higher education faculty are navigating classrooms shaped by exposure to trauma, complex identities, and shifting norms of professionalism. Yet traditional academic models for teaching often prioritize emotional neutrality and content delivery over relational engagement. When faculty approach teaching as a relational, human-centered endeavor, they create conditions in which students—particularly those from historically marginalized communities—can take intellectual risks, engage authentically, and exercise agency. This interactive workshop draws on trauma-informed pedagogy and reimagines teaching as a human-centered, equity-focused practice in which relational presence and ethical engagement with vulnerability cultivates belonging and student agency. Additionally this workshop emphasizes that equity-focused teaching is not an add-on but a daily practice embedded in how educators respond to uncertainty, difference, and emotion. Through guided reflection, applied vignettes, and collaborative dialogue, participants will leave with practical strategies to move from practice to impact in their own teaching contexts.