Gillian Rodriguez vividly remembers her first day teaching at Texas A&M University-San Antonio — not just because it was new, but because it was deeply personal.
Recruited by her mentor, the late Dr. Patrick McDaniel, Rodriguez stepped into the classroom just weeks after his death and not long after serving as a traumatic grief counselor in Uvalde following the Robb Elementary School tragedy.
Carrying her own grief and uncertainty, she found unexpected healing and purpose when her students embraced her with open hearts and eager minds.
“I left the classroom feeling inspired, moved that I had this incredible privilege to carry Dr. McDaniel’s torch forward, that the torch was passed down to me, and that now it would belong to these students,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez is one of 23 faculty members in the New Faculty Academy, launched at A&M-San Antonio in August 2024, which is a year-long professional development program to support new faculty members as they integrate into the university community.
The new program, coordinated by the Center for Academic Innovation, replaces the traditional one-week orientation with an extended onboarding experience that emphasizes mentorship networking and institutional understanding.
These include sessions on grant opportunities with A&M-San Antonio representatives, teaching-focused workshops such as one led by Dr. Leo Lambert, Elon University president, and guidance on preparing for their first annual review with insights from university leadership and deans.
According to Dr. Diane Gavin, the center’s executive director, the New Faculty Academy was created in response to the vision of Dr. Salvador Hector Ochoa, A&M-San Antonio president, and Dr. Mohamed Abdelrahman, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, who recognized the need for a more extensive introduction to the university.
“Most larger institutions have a one- to two-week period, kind of like a boot camp, to see what the institution is about,” Gavin said. “Well, Dr. Ochoa has asked for it to be a one-year program.”
“A number of our new faculty come from institutions all over the U.S. and they’re very different, and San Antonio is a unique city,” Gavin said.
One unique aspect of the academy is a bus tour of the area where many of the students reside, which provides faculty with a better understanding of what backgrounds and challenges their students may face.
“We take a bus around South San Antonio—not Southtown, but really South San Antonio—where we can say, ‘These are where your students are coming from,'” Gavin said. “So if they tell you that they are having an issue trying to get to campus because there is no vehicle, please understand.”
The first cohort, which consists of faculty members across various departments, will continue to develop their skills throughout the year by building confidence, expanding professional networks and gaining a deeper understanding of their institution and field.
Rodriguez, 39, is no stranger to the campus, an alumna of A&M-San Antonio, class of 2020 with a master’s in clinical mental health counseling. Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in criminal justice, graduating cum laude from the University of Texas at Dallas in May 2007.
“It’s been interesting to move through this institution as a student, and then come through as an adjunct and then come through as a lecturer, and being a part of the new faculty program is such an evolution to see,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, a member of the 2024 cohort, says she has experienced personal and professional support while attending the academy.
Rodriguez found encouragement and support from colleagues in her department. “Some of them were familiar faces, and I was a little worried they would forever see me as a student,” Rodriguez said. “Instead, I felt their pride in my success in re-joining them in this new role, kind of a “student becomes the teacher” thing.”
Other colleagues were new to the department since her graduation, and over time, they developed strong professional partnerships. These colleagues have supported her not only in her academic pursuits — research, teaching, and publication — but also through personal challenges, including her battles with ovarian and thyroid cancer.
“Developing the confidence to go for it, as a new faculty member you’re just finding your way,” said Rodriguez, a lecturer in the department of counseling, health, and kinesiology. “New (faculty) really helped develop our confidence to be able to put ourselves in those authorship circles and say, ‘Hey, I want to be a part of this project. ‘Can you put me in this project?’ So the confidence piece is what I’ve really taken away.”
Rodriguez was recently published as the author of Chapter Fourteen, “Virtual Reality Approaches to Trauma-Based Mental Healthcare,” in Mental Health Virtual Reality: The Power of Immersive Worlds, edited by Jessica Stone and published by Wiley in January 2025.
In the spring, the academy’s focus shifts toward academic publishing, recognizing the importance of scholarship and grants for faculty success. New faculty meet weekly to explore the publication process and receive guidance on developing their work for submission.
Rodriguez recognizes the support and dedication behind the New Faculty Academy, acknowledging the time and resources invested in the program’s success. She has personally felt the impact, gaining confidence and growing as a higher-level educator.
“I just hope to see it continue,” Rodriguez said of the academy. “The way that they do it is so comprehensive that I imagine it takes quite a bit of investment of time and resources to put something like this on, but again for me it’s been worth it and more because of the opportunities its given, the confidence it’s given, the interdisciplinary relationships it’s given.”
A weekly pedagogy discussion is also held, with this year’s theme centered on fostering student connections through relationship-rich education. She added how these experiences align with the university’s values.
“These things that are part of the pillars of our institution, whether it’s connectivity with students or each other, I really hope to see it continue,” Rodriguez said.
Although Rodriguez says her full-time position was not renewed because the department is seeking a faculty member with a Ph.D., she still has nothing but good wishes for the New Faculty Academy’s future. In the meantime, Rodriguez plans to begin working on her own doctorate degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio in the counselor education and supervision program.
“My love for this program is something I take with me, and these opportunities I have experienced are truly the stuff dreams are made of,” Rodriguez said. “It is extremely difficult to leave…and…my new chapter awaits.”
The next New Faculty Academy, which is mandatory for all new faculty members, will be held August 2025, according to https://www.tamusa.edu/center-for-academic-innovation/institutional-initiative/new-faculty-academy.html
