{"186221":{"#nid":"186221","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faculty Invited to Host \u2018Hot Topic\u2019 Dinners","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECindy Zapata first learned about the Hot Topic Dinners that Residence Life sponsors from a student who invited her to host one. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese dinners allow faculty to interact with amazing students in a much more intimate setting,\u201d said Zapata, who is an assistant professor in the College of Business. \u201cAnd I had complete flexibility in choosing the topic I discussed, which focused on success and how to achieve it.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZapata is just one faculty member who has hosted one of the dinners, which are held throughout the semester in Georgia Tech\u2019s residence halls.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAbout five years ago, we started offering the dinners to give both faculty and students the opportunity to talk about topics that are interesting to them, in an informal setting,\u201d said Brett Hulst, assistant director of Housing and the Freshman Experience. \u201cThe whole goal is for our students to feel more comfortable talking with faculty, and the dinners are just one way we address the component of the strategic plan that encourages increased faculty and student interaction.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe time commitment is minimal for those interested in participating. For example, Zapata said that it only took about two hours of her time to prepare.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s up to the faculty member to think of a topic he or she is passionate about \u2014 whether it\u2019s a hobby or a current event \u2014 and come up with a few discussion questions,\u201d said Holly Shikano, coordinator of residential academic initiatives for staff and community development in Residence Life. \u201cAfter that\u2019s done, all you have to do is navigate to the building the night of the dinner and hang out with our students.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECharles Liotta, a Regents\u2019 Professor and chair in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has also hosted a dinner. He spoke about his experience with students over 49 years at Tech and his love for chemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELiotta\u2019s advice to any colleagues interested in participating in the program?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDon\u2019t do all of the talking,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cBe sure you engage in give-and-take\u0026nbsp;conversations.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty members interested in doing more with residence life or hosting a dinner this semester should email \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:holly.shikano@housing.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EShikano\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;by Feb. 1. Those interested in hosting a fall semester dinner should express interest by June 30.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECindy Zapata first learned about the Hot Topic Dinners that Residence Life sponsors from a student who invited her to host one.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Cindy Zapata first learned about the Hot Topic Dinners that Residence Life sponsors from a student who invited her to host one."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-01-23 16:16:18","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:13:29","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-01-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-01-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1506","name":"faculty"},{"id":"11762","name":"faculty-student interaction"},{"id":"56211","name":"Hot Topic Dinners"},{"id":"7747","name":"residence life"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shikano@housing.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHolly Shikano\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResidence Life\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}