BHCC Institute Agenda: AI in Higher Ed

Reimagining AI in Education: From Bias to Belonging
Rachael Salguero, Karen Hunt, Cassandra Mombrun  |  G-140

Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers substantial promise for advancing inclusivity in nursing education by creating diverse, representative teaching materials. This presentation will critically examine AI’s role both as an enhancer of equity and a potential source of systemic inequities within nursing education. We will discuss AI’s biases and ethical implications, particularly in relation to racial, gender, and disability biases that affect learning outcomes. Our focus will include strategies to utilize AI for developing culturally-responsive and disciplinespecific educational content that enhances community cultural wealth. Nurse educators are encouraged to develop AI literacy, ensuring AI complements authentic educational content. This balanced approach aims to prepare nursing students for compassionate, competent care in a diverse world, aligning with efforts toward social justice and curricular revision. The session will foster critical consciousness about AI’s dual nature and promote cross-disciplinary collaborations to address equity in educational settings.

Empowering Voices: AI-Assisted Writing in Community Colleges
Ed Cuoco, Tony Li  |  D-217

This session emphasizes core principles and methods used in the BHCC writing course HUM 120-12, “Introduction to AI-assisted Writing,” completed in Spring 2025. The session focuses on the use of Gen AI for writing students, discussing its benefits and drawbacks, and how it equips them to thoughtfully evaluate ethical issues, risks, and limitations in its use. Three course writing assignments introduce students to workflows and conceptual frameworks that they can adapt on their own to refine their research and written work. The session also includes AI prompts, examples of scaffolding sessions, and results from student questionnaires. Instead of prescribing specific methods, the session demonstrates techniques, models, and templates that might inspire individual innovation for faculty in response to the advent of generative AI tools.

Breaking Bad AI
Dan DiPaolo, Jordan Reanier  |  N-112B

“Breaking Bad AI” examines roles in the critical area of first-year writing programs. We have recognized that AI is being implemented in many majors, but what happens when AI creeps into the writing space where critical thinking meets academic, collaborative, and personal writing? There is no call for the rejection of AI in writing programs; but we are seeking to channel it into areas where critical thinking and writing development can still occur. We look to find a space for how to use AI effectively in programs while focusing on stopping “AI creep” into areas like peer review/writing spaces, where it can do more harm than good. The session is centered on recognizing AI use that is both intentional (instructor-directed) and unintentional (student-driven) in these programs by sharing anecdotes, prompts, AI markers, and outcomes. Then we collaboratively develop “Channeling Strategies,” a series of writing/exercise prompts designed to guide AI use in classrooms.

AI in an Introductory Class
Kathryn Mapstone, Sondra Mason  |  B-224

This session will allow faculty to explore one way to successfully introduce both subject matter and AI to beginning college students. Participants will consider how to carefully craft assignments during the semester, building up to an AI project as the final assignment. Participants will practice fine-tuning their final paper/exam AI prompt to give both a wide range and boundaries for the students’ work. Phone/tablet/laptop and access to a syllabus/reading list will be necessary.

Unlocking AI’s Potential in Math Education: Conversations & Applications
Swati Kelkar, Eric Gorenstein  |  N-112A

This interactive session explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence in mathematics education. Participants will engage in discussions on current research, hands-on demonstrations, and collaborative conversations around the promises and pitfalls of AI in teaching. From designing culturally-responsive math problems to identifying the limitations of generative AI tools, this session offers practical strategies and real world examples. Join us to discover how AI can support learner-centered, inclusive, and innovative practices in your classroom.

AI Meets Cultural Wealth: Tools for Equitable Resume & Cover Letter Guidance
Evelyn González-Otañez, Justyn Santiago-Agudo  |  G-139

This session will introduce a checklist for advisors on how to help students use AI in writing resumes and cover letters. Additionally, we will provide a toolkit to support integrating AI into your advising sessions. We will ensure there is time for participants to give feedback and collaboratively contribute to building this toolkit. As AI continues to grow, it is important that we explore how to thoughtfully incorporate it into our advising practices. Through guided examples and hands-on discussion, you will gain practical strategies to enhance your support for students. Our goal is to empower both advisors and students to use AI as a complement to critical thinking and personalized career development.

AI on Your Side: Smarter Studying for Busy Students
Tracy Nguyen  |  D-218

Today’s students are juggling jobs, family, and full course loads – often with little time to spare. In this session, we will explore how faculty and staff can help students use AI as a personal assistant, tutor, and study planner to manage their academic lives more efficiently. From creating study schedules to summarizing dense readings and prepping for exams, AI offers powerful (and free) support – if used wisely. But it’s not all upside: we will also dive into the risks, including overdependence, misinformation, and the blurry lines around academic integrity. Through real-life demos and hands-on activities, you will get to experience the tools your students are already experimenting with – and learn how to guide them in using AI effectively and ethically. Walk away with practical, easy-to-implement strategies that empower your students to study smarter, not longer.

Research in the Age of AI
Sara Kelley-Mudie  |  D-216

We will examine artificial intelligence through the lens of the Association of College and Research Librarians’ Framework for Information Literacy: Authority Is Constructed and Contextual, Information Creation as a Process, Information Has Value, Research as Inquiry, Scholarship as Conversation, and Searching as Strategic Exploration. AI has the potential to increase the “efficiency” of the research process, but at the potential cost of students’ developing the skills and dispositions necessary for scholarly research and critical thinking. We can engage students in a critical evaluation of AI tools, the way they are created and trained, and the biases inherent in the process. With a more nuanced understanding of how AI tools work, students will be better equipped to evaluate AI platforms, describe the ethical concerns with how AI models are trained, and understand that the shortcomings in AI output reflect biases that already exist within our systems of information.

Generative AI to Align Course Learning Goals and Activities for Every Student!
Edward Neil Morgan  |  G-227

This session will focus on utilizing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles for developing assignments to ensure a wide range of learners can successfully achieve the essential learning goals. We will explore how Microsoft Copilot and other education-oriented generative AI tools can support the alignment of learning goals with classroom assignments and learning activities to ensure students are learning what we intend for them to learn. Bring your laptop and a digital copy of your Course Syllabus or Course Form from Curriculog, and we will work together to craft prompts, develop assignments integrating UDL, and assess student learning outcomes so that your course elements are aligned.

Crucial Collaborations: Effective and Practical Use of AI to Address the Complex Needs of Students in the Classroom and in the Campus Community
Neal E. Lipsitz, Eileen Connell Berger, Michael Berger  |  N-117

Collaboration amongst stakeholders – students (especially students with disabilities), faculty, student services, and senior administrators – is an essential component for ensuring inclusive educational experiences for all students. The presenters introduce a Framework from their newly published book Crucial Collaborations: A Practical Framework to Ensure Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Students With Disabilities (2024) that facilitates the creation of meaningful partnerships among key stakeholders and effective and practical use of AI to address the complex needs of all students. Potential benefits, limitations, concerns, ethical considerations, and biases of AI will be addressed. Using case studies, the presenters show how the Collaborative Framework can be used to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of AI-driven accessibility initiatives. Practical examples and case studies will illustrate how this integration can lead to more inclusive and equitable learning environments.

Advanced AI Literacy for Students: Beyond the Basics
Aleksandra Kasztalska, Christina Michaud, Sheila Cordner, Max White  |  N-112B

What do college students need to know about AI in order to use it more effectively? How can we ensure that students (particularly English language learners) develop a critical understanding of generative AI tools, recognizing its use, cases and capabilities while being aware of its limitations and pitfalls? Come hear from five faculty who have participated in an innovative pilot program at Boston University and collaborated with undergraduate students to teach AI-intensive sections of research writing classes. Incorporating brief pedagogical presentations with discussions and hands-on activities, we reflect on our experiences embedding AI in the framework of existing learning outcomes and teaching students how to use and be critical of AI. We offer participants a practical approach to teaching about AI as well as teaching with AI in order to guide students toward a deeper understanding of AI.

Reconceptualizing Reasons for Problematic AI Use for First-Generation Students
Kashmeel D. McKoena, Ian Drinkwater  |  G-140

What is behind the problematic use of generative AI in first-generation college student experiences? As a faculty instructor of first-year seminars and an academic coach (who responds to student academic integrity violations by providing culturally-responsive, skill-developing support), we seek to address the underlying barriers or challenges that lead to suspected or problematic use of generative AI. In participatory analysis of various student case studies, participants will reframe conduct violations and consider the holistic and multidimensional components that go behind inappropriate uses of AI and take a closer look at the ethical, cultural, and situational considerations writing faculty and academic support staff must address when responding to AI use by first-generation college students of color. We also address challenges with the tools and standards used to catch AI use in writing, particularly as it pertains to multilingual learners and other underrepresented college student groups.

Thriving in the Age of AI: Balancing Learning, Productivity, and Future Skills in Higher Ed
Tyler Brenard  |  D-218

This presentation tackles the complex and often debated role of AI in higher education from a student’s perspective. Through interactive group activities – one with AI and one without – participants will explore the differences in cognitive skills and academic productivity attained when AI is and isn’t used. Drawing on realworld anecdotes, we will analyze what fundamental AI skills students need to prepare them for the use of AI in different professional fields to ensure students thrive in an AI-integrated world.

Hands-On AI: Crafting Prompts for Inclusive Classrooms
Julio Stanly Flores, Genesis Gonzales  |  N-117

This hands-on workshop is designed for faculty and staff to explore how AI prompting can be effectively integrated into teaching and learning. With a focus on pragmatic approaches, the session will provide practical strategies for using AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance instruction across disciplines while maintaining responsible and ethical utilization.

Navigating the AI Paradox: Practical Applications Across Disciplines
Ella Howard, Juval Racelis, Nadine Stecher, Brian Ernst  |  G-227

This interdisciplinary workshop brings together faculty experts from humanities and STEM fields to explore practical approaches to the AI paradox in higher education. Our session addresses how educators can leverage AI tools while fostering critical thinking skills that help students identify and navigate AI’s limitations. Each presenter will share discipline-specific insights and lead interactive activities that demonstrate how to integrate AI meaningfully into curriculum design and assessment. Participants will leave with templates for “AI-proof” and “AI-enhanced” assignments across disciplines; strategies for using AI to support diverse student needs while maintaining rigor; practical understanding of AI’s disciplinary limitations and how to teach students to recognize them; as well as action plans for developing community-centered AI-integrated learning experiences. Participants will also use AI tools to design assignments and lesson plans, understand the fallibility of AI detectors, and learn to create “hacking assignments” in light of this new technology.

Student-Centered Feedback in College Writing: The Prompt Rubric
Jason Bellipanni  |  G-139

This presentation introduces a structured approach for developing student-led writing assessment using AI tools. Our method progresses from guided evaluation to independent creation, recognizing that students need essential knowledge before creating effective assessment tools. Students begin with teacher-provided evaluation criteria and direct instruction on writing elements. They then examine how assessment design affects feedback quality before modifying existing tools and developing new assessment components that focus on specific writing elements. Based on our work in first-year writing courses, we will demonstrate each developmental stage, share examples of student progress, and provide practical implementation strategies that maintain high academic standards while developing analytical thinking skills.

Using AI to Personalize Student Experiences
John Jagtiani, Maxwell Splain  |  B-224

Past research has unequivocally shown that individualized instruction far surpasses traditional mass education methods in achieving mastery of learning outcomes. However, community colleges face significant challenges in delivering truly student-centric, personalized learning experiences. AI has the potential to revolutionize this landscape, equipping faculty across disciplines with powerful tools to tailor instruction and assessment to individual needs. In this session, we will showcase practical AI-driven strategies that transform learning by adapting to students’ unique preferences. Using the VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic) learning model across diverse subjects, we will demonstrate how AI can seamlessly personalize content, making education more accessible, engaging, and effective – without adding extra workload for educators.

Reimagining the One-Room Schoolhouse: AI and the Experiential Learning Cycle
Stacy Seward, James Santo Moore  |  D-216

This session will explore how our students are navigating the digital divide and discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in education. Our conversation will center on the needs of marginalized students using adaptive teaching methodologies. Educators will examine how AI tools can be effectively integrated into classroom instruction, group activities, and homework assignments, while maintaining core expectations for students to create and produce original work. The session will facilitate a dialogue about the complexities of AI technologies and provide strategies for educators to help bridge accessibility gaps to foster a more equitable learning environment. Participants will reflect on their own teaching experiences, engage in discussions about the role of generative AI in enhancing learning, and participate in a hands-on exercise designed to increase familiarity with AI tools in the classroom.

Staff-Oriented Approaches to Working with AI in Higher Ed
John Brittingham, Tomy Pierre, Sara Kelley-Mudie  |  D-217

This session proposes to approach the benefits, limitations, possibilities, and concerns regarding the use of LLMs and generative AI from the perspective of staff usage. The concerns of staff members vary depending on their roles, but the pressure to adopt AI tools without having a clear framework for examining the limitations, tradeoffs, and potential benefits remains a constant. This session seeks to offer an opportunity for staff members to present a framework for making decisions regarding the adoption and use of AI tools for our work. In the process, we will speak to the general concerns and potential benefits of AI for staff-oriented work before providing examples of specific case studies conducted by members of various offices throughout campus.

Demystifying Artificial Intelligence: What It Means for You
Paul Kasili, Torna Omar Soro  |  N-112A

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the world, yet many people remain unsure about what AI actually is, how it works, and what it means for their daily lives. This session aims to provide a clear, accessible introduction to AI, while critically examining the ethical considerations, risks, and gaps inherent in its use, including embedded biases related to race, gender, and disabilities. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of AI concepts, practical applications, and how AI is shaping industries, job markets, and society as a whole. We will also enhance critical consciousness on AI’s potential benefits and drawbacks, evaluating its impact on specific outcomes. Furthermore, this session will explore how individuals can engage with AI in a meaningful way, including developing AI-driven strategies to foster discipline-specific, culturally-responsive experiences that enhance community cultural wealth.

Pam Eddinger, Ph.D.
Pam Eddinger is the president of Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), the largest of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges, serving approximately 16,000 students. Dr. Eddinger began her tenure at BHCC in 2013 and previously served as president of Moorpark College in Southern California from 2008. Dr. Eddinger’s service in the Community College movement spans 30 years, with senior posts in academics and student affairs, communications and policy, and executive leadership.

Kathryn M. Silva, Ph.D.
Dr. Kathryn M. Silva is the Interim Dean of Behavioral, Social Sciences, and Global Learning at Bunker Hill Community College. Her scholarship focuses on African American women and labor history, and she is the lead scholar on Slavery for George Washington’s Teacher Institute at Mount Vernon. She has numerous publications and is a co-editor on an edited volume on AI and pedagogy under contract with Cambridge Scholars. Dr. Silva holds a B.A. in Africana Studies and history from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in U.S. History from the University of South Carolina.

Gordon Curry, M.A.
Gordon M. Curry is a passionate educator and communication professional who has a love for service, creativity and sharing a good laugh. Originally from Virginia, Curry is a professor of communication at BHCC and resides in the Boston metro region with his wife and son. Through teaching he engages with students and colleagues to think deeper about the diverse connections of life as a way to effect change.

Jason Bellipanni M.A., M.F.A.
Since November 2022, Jason Bellipanni has pioneered the integration of AI in college writing instruction at UMass Lowell. As an educator focused on practical applications, Bellipanni has developed and tested numerous AI exercises specifically for writing courses. His work helps students create their assessment tools rather than relying solely on instructor feedback. At AAC&U’s Digital Innovation Conference in San Juan this past April, he presented a six-step method for teaching students to create AI-assisted writing assessments. This approach balances technological innovation with sound teaching practices, preparing students to develop and critically evaluate AI-generated content while refining their essential writing skills.

Michael Berger, M.B.A., Ph.D.
Michael Berger, M.B.A., Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Simmons University. Building on his industrial experience as a Polaroid scientist, Berger engaged students for over 20 years by using a variety of high-impact pedagogies and by demonstrating real-world applications. Berger was the faculty voice on a Simmons task force that developed guidelines for enhanced ADA compliance. He is the co-editor/author of Crucial Collaborations: A Practical Framework to Ensure Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Students With Disabilities (NASPA, 2024). Dr. Berger publishes, edits books and articles, and advocates for the inclusion of women in science and equal access for all students.

Tyler Brenard, BHCC Student
Tyler Brenard is a first-generation college student raised in Boston and the UK. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management and economics from De Montfort University in the UK and will complete an A.S. in computer science in December 2025. Brenard has served in BHCC’s Student Government and Student Activities. He also serves as a Second Lieutenant in the Massachusetts Army National Guard. He is completing an internship at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, contributing to research that employs deep learning computer vision models. Brenard uses AI as a tutor and to advance his academic and career success.

John Brittingham, Ph.D.
Dr. John Brittingham has over 15 years of experience working in higher education as a professor, program director, and now as the Associate Director of Teaching, Learning, and Instructional Design at Bunker Hill Community College. His background is in philosophy, where he focused primarily on the phenomenology of the body and ethics, areas of study that continue to inform his approach to the teaching and learning work
he does now.

Eileen Connell Berger, M.S. Ed.
Eileen Connell Berger, M.S. Ed., retired Assistant Director of Student Affairs and Access & Disability Services Administrator at Harvard GSE and former Director at SSU and BHCC, is committed to access, opportunity, and belonging in higher education. Her K-12 SPED background informs the development of impactful programming and disability services in her work. An experienced administrator, consultant, writer, and presenter, Berger received HGSE, Alumnae of Color Association’s inclusive leadership award. She holds leadership roles in nonprofits and is national vice-chair for NASPA’s DKC. Berger co-edited and authored Crucial Collaborations: A Practical Framework to Ensure Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Students With Disabilities (NASPA, 2024).

Sheila Cordner, Ph.D.
Dr. Sheila Cordner teaches at Boston University in the College of Arts and Sciences Writing Program, the College of General Studies, and Kilachand Honors College. She studies the educational ideas and practices we have inherited from the nineteenth century and is the author of the book Education in Nineteenth-Century British Literature: Exclusion as Innovation (Routledge 2016) as well as many academic articles and a children’s book introducing young readers to classic authors. In her classes, students have collaborated with numerous organizations through community-engaged learning projects, most recently with We Need Diverse Books, Hale House nursing home, and WBUR’s children’s podcast festival.

Ed Cuoco, M.S.
Ed Cuoco has over thirty years’ experience in technology-related business. He has a B.A. in English and an M.S. in Management. He was a founding member of a start-up team that developed the first WYSIWYG web authoring tool. As a program manager at Microsoft Research, his team explored chat systems and metaverse applications. Cuoco has taught writing part-time at Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology (where he also taught first-year English, management communication, and entrepreneurialism), and currently teaches ENG 111 and 112 at BHCC. Cuoco has co-authored Introduction to AI Assisted Writing in 2024.

Dan DiPaolo, M.F.A.
Dan DiPaolo has been working in the higher education industry for more than a decade. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Emerson College and Boston University. He is skilled in working with ELL/international students, diversity and inclusion curricula, engagement practices, and community writing. He has an M.F.A. focused on fiction from Emerson College and a B.A. in Creative Writing/Journalism from the University of Pittsburgh. Before academia, he spent years living “The Bear” life (it really is just like TV) and then a decade in journalism as an investigative reporter and editor. He is originally from Pittsburgh, PA.

Ian Drinkwater, M.A.
Ian Drinkwater is a senior lecturer in English at UMass Boston, where he teaches Critical Reading & Writing and first-year seminars designed for students who benefit from additional scaffolding, structure, and space to grow. His classrooms are built around the belief that writing is a tool for thinking – and that helping students slow down, reflect, and question the world around them can lead to real agency. Drinkwater’s courses blend recursive writing sequences with content rooted in systemic injustice, digital life, and personal voice. He is currently exploring how generative AI intersects with cultural conditioning, meaning-making, and educational equity.

Brian Ernst, Ph.D.
Dr. Brian Ernst is an assistant professor of chemistry at Wentworth Institute of Technology. His research focuses on advancing computational chemistry, particularly through data-driven and machine learning approaches.

Julio Stanly Flores, M.F.A.
Julio Stanly Flores is a Guatemala-born artist, professor at Bunker Hill Community College, and critic in the Illustration department at Rhode Island School of Design. Dedicated to integrating AI into art education, Flores focuses on fostering creative engagement through innovative teaching methods, including the use of gamification and personalized feedback systems. He has been actively involved in curriculum development and is currently working on AI-assisted art critique tools.

Genesis Gonzáles, M.F.A.
Genesis Gonzalez is a graphic designer and social media marketer focused on storytelling and purposeful visual communication. She blends creativity with strategy to create impactful, community-driven work. Gonzáles is a recent graduate of MassArt in Communication Design.

Evelyn González-Otañez, M.A.
Evelyn González-Otañez is the Associate Director of the PACE program at UMass Boston. A Salvadorian American from Los Angeles, she was raised in California’s Central Valley and has experience working in community colleges and public universities. She is committed to supporting first-generation students in career exploration. González-Otañez earned a B.A. in Sociology from CSU Fresno, an M.Ed. in Education Policy from Boston University, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Higher Education at UMass Boston. She is also a certified Career Launch Administrator, trained to help students access the hidden job market and secure internships and jobs aligned with their academic and career interests.

Eric Gorenstein, M.S.
Eric Gorenstein is an adjunct professor of mathematics at Bunker Hill Community College and Roxbury Community College. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics with graduate-level expertise in data security and cryptography, with his early research focused on these areas. More recently, his academic interests have expanded to include the development of open educational resources (OER) and pedagogical approaches for integrating artificial intelligence into the classroom. Gorenstein has taught mathematics since 2001 at several institutions, including Northeastern University, San Diego State University, and the University of Massachusetts.

Ella Howard, Ph.D.
Dr. Ella Howard earned a doctorate in American and New England Studies at Boston University. She teaches U.S. urban and digital history through courses such as Computer Science and Society Studio, Boston History, and Responsible Uses of Generative AI.

Karen Hunt, Ph.D., RN, RD, CNE
Dr. Karen Hunt is a faculty member in the prelicensure nursing programs within the School of Nursing at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Prior to coming to the Institute, Hunt worked as a full-time nurse educator with a focus on medical-surgical nursing, pathophysiology, and pharmacology within didactic and clinical learning environments. Her previous nursing experience includes adult telemetry and homecare. Hunt is also a registered dietitian. She recently completed her Ph.D. in nursing with a focus on education. Her doctoral dissertation explored the lived experience of individuals with underrepresented identities in their learning environments.

John Jagtiani, Ph.D.
Dr. Jagtiani is an experienced educator and technology leader. His professional experience includes 25+ years of work in business strategy, management consulting, and technology management. He currently serves as professor and department chair at CT State Community College’s Northwestern campus where he is deeply involved with developing and teaching undergraduate coursework in computing, technology, data science and business across CT State. In his current role, Dr. Jagtiani has also been privileged to serve on several statewide and national governance initiatives that guide and shape computing and technology education for future students and eventual industry adoption. In addition to undergraduate work, Dr. Jagtiani develops and teaches graduate courses at the University of Bridgeport and Fairfield University.

Paul Kasili, Ph.D.
Dr. Paul Kasili is a professor of biology and genetics at Bunker Hill Community College. Inspired by his parents in the medical field, his passion for science and education is reflected in his research, including NSF-funded work on cardiac tissue engineering at Boston University and two research appointments at Tufts School of Medicine focused on streamlining scFv engineering. A committed student mentor, Dr. Kasili serves as session chair and sponsor for the Commonwealth Honors Program, guiding BHCC students in presenting AI-related research at the Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference. His dedication to both academic advancement and student success makes him a valuable asset to the BHCC community.

Aleksandra Kasztalska, Ph.D.
Dr. Aleksandra Kasztalska is a senior lecturer in the CAS Writing Program at Boston University, where she teaches courses on writing, professional communication, and research for multilingual students. Her research explores the intersections of language, identity, and ideology in teaching English. She has conducted studies on teacher identity of non-native English-speaking teachers of writing in U.S. colleges, and on writing assessment and language ideology in English classrooms in Poland. Her current research and pedagogical projects examine the role of AI in teaching writing and supporting multilingual learners.

Swati Kelkar, M.S., M.A.T.
Swati Kelkar is a professor of mathematics at Bunker Hill Community College with over a decade of experience teaching a wide range of college-level and developmental math courses. She serves as the Developmental Math Faculty Lead and has contributed to statewide curriculum alignment and assessment initiatives. Kelkar is deeply engaged in faculty development, learner-centered pedagogy, and the integration of technology and culturally-responsive practices in math education. She holds a master’s degree in both Mathematics and Mathematics Teaching.

Sara Kelley-Mudie, M.L.I.S., M.Ed.
Sara Kelley-Mudie is an instructional librarian with 18 years of experience teaching people how to be savvy consumers of information. She earned her Master of Information and Library Science at Kent State University, and a Master of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her areas of research interest include media literacy, biases in information systems, and research instruction. Outside of work, she volunteers with QT Library, a Boston-based collective working to build an LGBTQIA+ lending library and community space.

Tony Li, BHCC Student
Tony Li served as an ACE mentor in Professor Cuoco’s general education course “Self, Culture and Society,” during the Spring 2024 semester and is a Computer Science major. Li was born in Belize where he completed primary and secondary school. He enjoys playing around with computer parts and building computers.

Neal E. Lipsitz, Ph.D.
Dr. Neal E. Lipsitz is Associate Dean for Student Wellbeing and Director of Student Accessibility Services at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Dr. Lipsitz has been presenting at local and national conferences on many aspects of service provision to students with disabilities. As a distinguished visiting professor, he has taught a number of different courses in psychology and as a licensed psychologist, he maintains a small private practice in Newton Center, MA. He is co-editor of two books and co-author of a variety of published articles. Dr. Lipsitz is a current co-chair of the NASPA Disability Knowledge Community.

Kathryn Mapstone, Ph.D.
Dr. Kathryn Mapstone is a professor of history, with a lifelong love of the subject. Her graduate work was in Early Medieval and Early Modern Britain, but her interests span the globe. The connections between historical and current events make the discipline rewarding. In the waves of immigrants who become our students, one can draw upon world events in the classroom and learn directly from students’ experiences and perspectives. Every semester is a chance to share this excitement with a new group of people. In addition to history and ideas, she enjoys spending time with her kids, and adventures large and small.

Sondra Mason, M.A.
Sondra Mason began her career in law enforcement with the New Hampshire State Marine Patrol Unit before deciding to further her education in the criminal justice field. Prior to her current role as a professor in the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Department at Bunker Hill Community College, she taught criminal justice courses at Temple University in Philadelphia where she developed her passion for teaching. Her professional interests include criminal justice education and curriculum, law enforcement training, and student engagement. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her young children.

Kashmeel D. McKoena, Ph.D. candidate
Kashmeel D. McKoena is an Academic Coach in the Center for Academic Excellence at UMass Boston, where he works with students to develop a strengths-based approach to their academic goals through skill development (time management, study strategies) and resource navigation. He also co-instructs peer educator training courses. He is also a student in the Urban Education Leadership and Policy Studies Ph.D. program at UMass Boston. His research focuses on the aftermath of experiences of academic disinvestment for first-generation Black and Brown student leaders.

Christina Michaud, M.Ed.
Dr. Christina Michaud began her career teaching English as a second language to students at Bunker Hill Community College and in intensive English programs and has been teaching writing to Boston University undergraduate students (both native speakers of English and second language/multilingual students alike) since 2003. She has co-authored an ESL textbook, a TESOL pedagogy book, and several chapters in edited volumes in linguistics, and has delivered over 70 scholarly presentations in TESOL, composition and rhetoric, and pedagogy. Her current research interests include antiracist teaching, experiential and place-based learning, AI-mediated writing, and critical language awareness in college composition.

Cassandra Mombrun, M.S.N., R.N., CPNP-PC
Cassandra Mombrun has been a nurse for 15 years. Her experiences encompass clinical nursing, mentoring, leadership, and advocacy. An alumna of Northeastern University, Mombrun obtained a Master of Science in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Regis College. Her passion for pediatrics naturally led her to Boston Children’s Hospital where she held several positions ranging from staff nurse to clinical instructor & clinical informatics specialist. She is no stranger to academia and has experience teaching clinical/didactic courses ranging from pediatrics to health assessment, informatics, and community health. Mombrun’s areas of research include the effects of institutional racism on the health and well-being of BIPOC nurse leaders and antiracism pedagogy in nursing education.

Edward Neil Morgan, M.Ed., Ph.D.
Dr. Ed Morgan serves as the Associate Dean for Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning at BHCC. He is a long-time teacher and administrator. He earned a Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in the Center for the Study of Higher Education. The degree program focused on social justice; examining stratified student access, experience, and outcomes to illuminate student equity and inclusion problems. He also learned cultural, economic, and educational anthropology because anthropological work aims to study humanity, and considers culture, and power. Morgan’s dissertation research was on curriculum change in professional degree programs, tools, and experiences he uses every day.

Tracy Nguyen, BHCC Student
Tracy Nguyen is a Data Analytics student at Bunker Hill Community College. When she’s not wrangling spreadsheets at her internship, she is exploring how AI can save time, boost productivity, and maybe even rescue students from all-nighters. With a background in business and tech that actually makes life easier, Nguyen brings both heart and hustle to her work.

Tomy Pierre, M.S.
Tomy Pierre is passionate about student success and serves as an ELL Success Coach at Advising & LifeMap where he is supporting diverse learners in achieving their academic goals. He holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and a bachelor’s in management from Bentley University. He is fluent in Haitian Creole and proficient in French, and he brings a multicultural and multilingual approach to his advising.

Juval Racelis, Ph.D.
Dr. Juval V. Racelis earned his Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics with a concentration in Second Language Writing and TESOL from Arizona State University. He holds an M.A. in TESOL from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In his teaching, he focuses on the writing development needs of students from multilingual and diverse backgrounds. His research focuses on writing curriculum development, pedagogical innovations in composition courses, and multilingual research methods.

Jordan Reanier, M.F.A.
Jordan Reanier is an affiliated faculty member in the First Year Writing Program at Emerson College in Boston, where she received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2023. She has also taught as an Adjunct Writing Lecturer at UMass Boston and Boston College. She is originally from Belgrade, Montana.

Rachael Salguero, Ph.D., RN-BC, CNEcl
Dr. Rachael Salguero is an Assistant Professor and the Nursing Education Department of Labor Grant Track Coordinator at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. As a certified academic clinical nurse educator, she teaches medical-surgical nursing to prelicensure students and also practices as a clinical staff nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. Salguero’s clinical expertise includes medical-surgical and respiratory acute care nursing. Her research focuses on inclusive language in nursing education and developing clinical judgment in the clinical setting. Passionate about student learning, Rachael aims to inspire future nurses to learn to think like a nurse!

Justyn Santiago-Agudo
Justyn Santiago-Agudo is the PACE Coordinator at UMass Boston and a proud alum, holding a B.S. in Business Management (Finance) and a B.A. in Sport Leadership Administration. He co-founded the UMass Boston My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) chapter in 2019, focused on boosting graduation rates through mentorship. Recognized with the Beacon Leadership “Unsung Hero” award, Santiago-Agudo also served as a Staff Advisor to MBK and currently serves as a Faculty Advisor to the African Student Union. Now Career Launch certified, he brings strategic thinking and a passion for student success to PACE, aiming to bridge academics and career readiness while empowering students to access the hidden job market and achieve their goals.

James Santo Moore, M.A., M.A.T.
James Santo Moore taught ELA in the Worcester Public Schools for 23 years and is currently an adjunct professor at UMass Lowell. With a strong interest in oral, visual, written and digital storytelling, Moore focuses on teaching current and future teachers to use their own creativity to connect deeply with their students. He has an Associate of Arts degree from Mercer County Community College in Radio and Television, a B.A. in Telecommunications from The College of New Jersey, and an M.A. in Comparative Religion and M.A.T. (Teaching English) from Clark University. Moore’s mantra: Teaching is a creative act.

Stacy Seward, M.A., Doctoral Candidate
Stacy Reid Seward is a Ph.D. candidate and instructor in Psychology at UMass Lowell and Southern New Hampshire University. Her research interests include decolonial and liberation psychology, race, class, politics, and culture. Her work centers the Latine, Black, Indigenous and Afro-Latine experience in Massachusetts, using qualitative and participatory action research strategies. Seward is the Founder and Executive Director of The Dream Network in Lawrence, focusing on transformative justice through the lens of those impacted by the carceral system. Her research examines systemic inequities in courts, education systems, and in the environment. Seward holds a master’s degree from the UNC Chapel Hill, and co-authored “The State Takeover of Public Schools as State Preemption: Evidence from Lawrence, MA.”

Torna Omar Soro, Ph.D.
Dr. Torna Omar Soro is a professor of economics and computer science at BHCC. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from USC, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree in computer science from UMass Boston. Dr. Soro is also a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at UMass Boston and a technical staff member at Medical Information Technology, Inc. (MEDITECH). Dr. Soro’s research interests include Econometrics, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering and Health Information Technology.

Maxwell Splain, CT State CC Student
Maxwell Splain holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Westfield State. He is a music major turned data enthusiast and soon to be a data scientist. Splain’s strong affinity for math and science has guided him to work towards an A.S. in data science from CT State CC. He plans to complete the program in 2025 and pursue a graduate degree in data science specializing in bioinformatics. He wants to be able to help cancer research one day by using AI and computational biology.

Nadine Stecher, Ph.D.
Nadine Stecher, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the Wentworth Institute of Technology. She teaches introductory biology courses such as Anatomy & Physiology and Ecology, and upper-level courses such as Neurobiology and Cell Signaling. Her research interest lies in creative teaching strategies.

Max White, Ph.D.
Max White is a lecturer in the Writing Program at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where he teaches Boston-focused first-year seminars on sports and society, and education and social issues. In addition to generative AI, his teaching interests include experiential learning, oral genres, and public and disciplinary writing. White is currently serving as a Writing in the Disciplines (WID) Faculty Consultant with the World Languages and Literatures Department and facilitating the development of a departmental writing plan. He has also served as a union steward for both full and part-time bargaining units. White holds a Ph.D. from Northeastern, where he specialized in Early American Literature.

Mark Elyon
Mark Elyon is an international student at BHCC, originally from Ghana. He is currently studying Health Science while preparing to enter BHCC’s RN Nursing program. He completed an A.S. in Information Technology at BHCC in 2022. Elyon plans to build a career that integrates health and technology, specifically to find ways that AI and other innovative technologies can advance health outcomes. For Elyon, AI is a broad tool that can enhance civilization in almost every way imaginable. It provides access to the most intelligent artifact in human history; all that is left is your imagination. With AI, your wildest imaginations can become a reality.

Lovepreet Gill
Lovepreet Gill is a Data Analytics and Psychology student at Bunker Hill Community College, where she is an active member of the Honors Society and Leadership Success programs. Passionate about the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, she aspires to leverage AI to uncover causes and effects related to brain function, ultimately advancing mental health support. Born in Worcester, MA, Gill has always been fascinated by science and how research can transform lives. Beyond academics, she enjoys hiking, watercolor painting, and volunteering in her community.

Celia Ho
Celia Ho, a first-generation college student from Boston, holds a B.A. in International Affairs from Northeastern University. Following a career scaling startups and a significant journey of recovery after a work accident, she enrolled in a Computer Science certificate program at BHCC to pivot into software engineering and product management. She will graduate in December 2025. As VP of the Society of Women Engineers at BHCC, Ho champions inclusivity. She is passionate about using AI to improve learning and productivity, particularly for people with ADHD and neurodivergence. Outside of tech, Ho enjoys taste testing her fiancé’s catering recipes, propagating plants, and mental health advocacy.

Santiago Ocampo Fram
Santiago Ocampo Fram is a Political Science major at BHCC. Born and raised in Cartagena, Colombia, he moved to Boston after high school. After earning his associate degree, Ocampo Fram will transfer to a four-year institution in Boston to study International Relations. Ocampo Fram’s dream is to become a diplomat with the United Nations. He is interested in AI’s impact on global markets and how AI reshapes and challenges traditional ideas of globalization. At BHCC, he is an active member of PTK, NSLS, and the Commonwealth Honors Society. He founded the Global Awareness and Diplomacy Club to promote dialogue on global affairs. He also co-hosts the Entrepreneurship Club.

Amisi Omondi
Amisi Omondi is a biology student at Bunker Hill Community College. She expects to graduate in December of 2025 and will continue to study neuroscience at a four-year university. Omondi is interested in how AI can be leveraged in healthcare and the ethical issues that may arise from its use.

Nafee Nur
Nafee Nur is a paralegal student at Bunker Hill Community College. On campus, she serves as the social media ambassador for the Paralegal Club and as an Associate at the Writing Place. Off campus, she sings classical Bengali music and draws. With a dream to open her own law firm in Melrose one day, she shares educational paralegal content on her social media platform.

Naoko Akai-Dennis, Ph.D.
Dr. Naoko Akai-Dennis is an associate professor of composition and literature at BHCC. She earned her Ph.D. in English and Education from Columbia University. She has served on the AANAPISI Proud Design Team 2, the CECW Steering Committee, and the Internationalization Task Force at BHCC. She has published several articles on fiction, poetry, and pedagogy. Her chapter “Walk with rain: An entangled journey “in-the-making” will appear in Light in Bleak Times: Reflections on Janet Miller’s Curriculum Theorizing and Praxis, forthcoming from Emerald Publishing. She credits her students at BHCC with helping her deepen the expertise in identity, difference, language, and linguistic justice. Dr. Akai-Dennis had the distinct honor of introducing speaker Dr. Jamila Lyiscott at the 2024 Institute

Sasha Johnson, M.A. (Erin Reddick Introduction)
Sasha Johnson joined the HOPE Initiative at BHCC in March 2022, where she currently serves as Assistant Director of Training Projects. Johnson started at BHCC in the International Center in April 2017, to support international and domestic students through the study abroad program. She is passionate about international education and connecting students to study abroad opportunities. Johnson graduated from Salve Regina University with a dual degree in International Studies and Spanish. She has a master’s degree in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University. She is also a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership Ph.D. program at Springfield College.

Zainab Salejwala, M.S. (Nettrice Gaskins Introduction)
Zainab Salejwala is the AANAPISI Program Coordinator at BHCC. She has several years of experience with advising, teaching, student programming, and research, with students from marginalized backgrounds, both in the non-profit sector and two- and four-year higher education institutions. She earned her master’s degree in Critical Ethnic and Community Studies and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UMass Boston. Salejwala is passionate about advocacy, college access, youth work, and mental health.

Ashley Paul, M.F.A.
Ashley Paul grew up in a small Alabama town and earned her B.A. in English from the University of Alabama, where she received the Thomas Wolfe Award for Outstanding Creative Writer. She later earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Florida State University, where she was a two-time teaching award nominee and a literary magazine editor. Her fiction has appeared in Southeast Review, Pembroke Magazine, and others. Paul joined
BHCC in 2014 and now serves as English Department Chair and co-chair of the BHCC AI Commission. She coauthored Introduction to AI-Assisted Writing (2024), a book designed to help students and instructors navigate the benefits and challenges of AI in writing.

Divya Anand, Ph.D.
Dr. Divya Anand is the Director of the Center for Equity and Cultural Wealth at BHCC. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Sociology and Literature from La Trobe University, Australia. Her career spans roles as a journalist, editor, consultant and faculty member across higher ed, corporate, and non-profit organizations. Dr. Anand’s monograph Reimagining Nations and Rethinking Nature: Contemporary Eco-Political Controversies in India and Australia was published in 2019. Her co-authored chapter “Framing Whiteness: Asian American Duo Autoethnographic Account of Resistance Scholarship” will be published in Teacher Educators as Scholar Citizens: Activism and Resistance in Uncertain Times (Rowman & Littlefield).

Emily Singer, M.A.
Emily Singer has served as the Program Manager in the Center for Equity and Cultural Wealth at BHCC organizing the annual Institute and coordinating professional development programming. Prior to BHCC, Emily served as the inaugural director of the College Success Initiative in Cambridge, and has over ten years of experience working with BPS students from grades 7-12, and BPS graduates in their preparation and persistence through higher education. She holds a Master of Arts in School Counseling with a concentration in urban schools, and a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language.

Kelly Malone
Kelly Malone serves as an Administrative Assistant at BHCC, providing logistical and administrative support for our programs. She brings extensive administrative experience and a global perspective, having traveled the lower 48, and internationally, as a military spouse. Fun fact: She has traveled to all 50 states. Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, Malone is the proud mother of four grown sons and three grandsons. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, genealogy, photography, studying constitutional law, and spending quality time with friends and family.