U of A Hosts 27th Annual Advanced Placement Summer Institute

Enrollment Services at the University of Arkansas welcomed more than 100 teachers and consultants to its 27th annual Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI) in July. 

The summer institute offered professional development opportunities to middle and high school teachers from across the state to enhance their teaching skills for eight different advanced placement courses. 

“AP teachers are enthusiastic learners. It is just one of the reasons they are such great teachers,” said Suzanne McCray, vice provost for Enrollment and dean of Admissions and Nationally Competitive Awards. “We love welcoming them to our campus for that reason, and because we know that if they have a great experience here, they will share that experience with their students.” 

The training included a robust set of workshop sessions and activities for teachers, including a reception hosted by the Honors College in Gearhart Hall and a lunch hosted by the College of Engineering. Suzanne Kucharczyk, department head of curriculum and instruction and associate professor of special education in the College of Education and Health Professions, was also on hand to welcome teachers to the institute.  

“We appreciate the support that our partners on campus provide for this event,” said Emily Voight, senior associate director for the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards and co-director of the Advanced Placement Summer Institute. “We enjoy showcasing what our colleges have to offer and letting teachers from the state and region know that their students will find a wealth of support on our campus.” 

During the week, eight consultants serve as “super” teachers, sharing best teaching practices for instructing high school students who are taking advanced placement courses. The training includes 30 hours of instruction, and participating teachers receive professional development credit for their work.  

Each consultant is endorsed by College Board. This year’s AP consultants will conduct sessions in the following areas:  

• Matt Cone (Plano, Texas), U.S. history 

• Kody Engle (Tulsa, Oklahoma), world history 

• Zachary Jostad (Bentonville), English literature and composition 

• Darin Clifft (Memphis, Tennessee), statistics 

• Katie Stueart (Fayetteville), English language and composition for new teachers  

• Dickie Thomasson (Fayetteville), calculus AB 

• Marshall Welch (Alpena), biology 

• David Wentz (Bella Vista), chemistry  

“We know that entering freshman who bring at least one AP credit with them to college have higher success rates,” said Matt Hargis, director of recruitment and co-director of the Advance Placement Summer Institute. “We want to serve students, teachers and our state alike by offering programs like APSI, which will help increase the number of people in our state with degrees.”