I worked at RIT 1986-present, mostly teaching. I advised, wrote all of my courses, was involved in the launch of three academic programs, and developed two dozen new courses.

In early days of personal computers, our art students found they needed computer skills for employment. I approached the department chair; the director overheard, and in a blink I was learning SuperPaint software to teach to others.

I continued to develop graphic design courses using various software suites as they arrived on the market. How quickly classes shifted from fine arts and illustration to coding and color management!

Dreamweaver, Flash, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, CorelDraw and PhotoPaint, HTML coding... and when XML hit, I let IT programs handle that content.

A new option arose for provisionally-accepted freshman. I wrote curriculum, team-taught, and counseled to help these students transition into their chosen programs. We covered Meyers-Briggs, learning theories, COPS career screening, study skills, time management, wellness, and accessing campus resources.

What we learn in college propels us into learning for our jobs. Lifelong learning enables faculty to deliver accurate information.

With an MFA in Illustration, I ended up in a technical writing department. I took initiative to learn what my students would need for professional success.

My adult learners initially wanted to build their skills in fine arts and illustration advice; then they wanted jobs and software skills. These were the years of perpetual upgrades, innovations... waking up the lab manager on Saturday mornings after evening wine spills in the printer.

Advisors of hearing-impaired students recommended my courses for transition from NTID into mainstream courses. My labs and  classrooms had a mix of interpreters and notetakers, along with international ESOL students.

Most of my courses fit into concentrations, diplomas, and certificates -- so I welcomed many students from various programs across RIT.

In 2008 I was invited to teach in Kosovo. The region was recovering from war, rebuilding historic sites. Many students were removed from schools during the war, and schools had to rebuild as well.

Courses I'd written for RIT were applied to a new concentration in media and visual communications. While there, I developed courses and taught six sections of 30+ students per term, interviewed potential faculty, negotiated student co-ops, served on committees, wrote documents on policy.

I partnered with a USAID team using tourism to build sustainability, and my students designed posters and assisted in Kosovo's first USAID Tourism Day. Students designed authentic projects for new ventures in tourism-- helping business owners with web design and brochures.

A few of us  took an experimental winery tour, said to be the first in their history. Backyard wineries and multi-hectare operations offered us free bottles (sometimes soda bottles), and tours of their chemistry rooms, lunch with founders and managers.

Life at AUK was frequented with dignitaries, guest speakers, embassy representatives, funding agents... as faculty, we had many gatherings with unexpected guests!

I advised for RIT's evening diplomas in fine arts, crafts, interior design, graphic arts printing; BS in environmental science, University Program to mentor provisionally-accepted first year students, and one of the country's first multidisciplinary degree programs.
 
Two hard-working women launched a groundbreaking multidisciplinary degree program. I served on the program board, recorded and catalogued precedents set, reviewed curricular decisions and each student's custom-made  degree program.

The degrees, certificates, and departments went through name changes (CCE, CMS, SOIS, "Flex degree,"), MS-level programs, and partnerships with other colleges within RIT.

We worked with the Registrar on approval of foreign transcripts, with Office of Veteran's affairs for experiential credit, and consulted sources for ACE/PONSI credit.