Shaping the Future of Academic Technology
When Sherisse Brown first walked through the doors of Touro University Graduate School of Technology (GST) in 2015 to pursue her M.S. in Instructional Technology degree, she had no formal background in instructional technology. What she did have was a growing curiosity for learning and a drive to help others use technology with confidence. That quest for knowledge has propelled this alumna into a rewarding career in higher education, and she will soon begin a new role as IT Academic Technology Manager at CUNY York College. We spoke with Brown about her personal mission to make technology an empowering force in the overall academic experience and how GST prepared her to advance her career.
Congrats on being hired as IT Academic Technology Manager at CUNY York College! What are you most excited about in this role?
I’m looking forward to providing key training and support to faculty, students and staff to make the best use of available educational technologies. Additionally, I’m excited to address the shifting needs of faculty and learners and helping them find the right tools to do their jobs more efficiently. I can’t wait to be a Learning Management System (LMS) administrator that’s ready to help troubleshoot technical issues in real time as well.
What first sparked your interest in the IT field?
My initial interest in the IT field came about after assisting a former colleague who was an instructional designer. Conversations about the many facets of academic tech including instructional design and adult learning principles left me wanting to learn everything I could find about these topics. As I continued to learn about the instructional design field, I discovered my passion for providing IT instruction. I’ve always had an interest in learning about and mastering innovative technologies and after I use a new tool, I really enjoy teaching others about how to use it efficiently. I love making a difference in how others interact with technology!
Can you talk about your past positions and some of the more rewarding or challenging projects you worked on?
As an Education and Outreach Coordinator at Weill Cornell Medicine, I had the opportunity to lead a project redesigning the library’s main computer lab. Being part of a collaborative team where everyone shared their strengths was just as rewarding as seeing the successful end results of everyone’s arduous work. In project management, working seamlessly with your team and stakeholders is essential to a project's continuous success.
Also, as a former Research and Instructional Technology Librarian at Marymount Manhattan College, I incorporated the idea of gaming into a three-part lecture on plagiarism, the Modern Language Association (MLA) writing style, and ChatGPT for undergraduate first-year students. Students were taught how to use ChatGPT as a resource summary guide for English assignments and played the game “Yea or Nay,” which was created to identify plagiarism. The goal was to increase student engagement, which is key for deeper comprehension of complex topics, and it was successful.
How has your academic background and experience at Touro GST prepared you to advance your career in higher education and technology?
After becoming a GST student, I completed various required courses on instructional design, distance learning, computer networking, as well as LMS and project management. These areas of learning helped to build my foundational knowledge needed to further my career in the field of higher education and technology. Besides the vital skills gained from completing the IT program including learning about ways to seamlessly communicate with a diverse team and networking, having GST professors still active in the field take a special interest in my success story was incredible. Due to the small class sizes, students like me benefit from one-on-one attention, enabling us to ask any questions we may have or receive assistance in overcoming both personal and professional challenges. Also, the career development events at GST were amazing! There’s no better way to have students ace an interview than setting up mock interviews with IT recruiters and companies to practice selling themselves as a potential employee. Having a second pair of eyes to help with updating my resume was extremely helpful too.
Looking back, what has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned through your career journey so far?
Reflecting on my career journey, the most significant lesson I’ve learned is the importance of adaptability. Throughout my various professional roles, I’ve encountered numerous obstacles and changes, each requiring a different approach and mindset. Embracing flexibility and adapting on the fly as needed has enabled me to not only navigate these situations effectively but learn from them. This adaptability has also enabled me to seize new opportunities such as becoming a technology manager, making it a cornerstone of my career development.
How do you stay current with emerging technologies and trends in academic IT and instructional design?
To remain up to date, I like to speak regularly with other colleagues in the field to hear about their experiences. I also regularly attend educational technology conferences to learn about what cool new apps are going to be released soon. It’s also a good idea to regularly read about what’s going on in the IT and higher education space as you learn about innovative technologies that can be leveraged to boost your career.