Administration & Staff

Peggy Semingson, Ph.D.

Interim Director of the UTA Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE)

Dr. Peggy Semingson serves as Interim Director of the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE) at The University of Texas at Arlington. In this role, Peggy leads strategic initiatives to advance faculty development for teaching and foster innovative teaching practices across campus. She oversees signature programs such as the Technology Test Kitchen which provide hands-on opportunities for educators to explore emerging technologies, share best practices, and enhance student engagement. She also serves as campus lead for Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) certification. She directs CRTLE’s efforts to integrate generative AI literacy, teaching strategies, and digital pedagogy into faculty development offerings. She collaborates with campus partners and UT System to ensure alignment with institutional goals. Under her leadership, CRTLE has expanded programming to include AI Course Redesign Institutes and resources that support faculty in transforming their courses for evolving educational landscapes.

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Susan Dequeant, M.Ed.

Associate Director of the Center for Service Learning

Ms. Susan Dequeant directs the Center for Service Learning (CSL), which works with faculty to help them incorporate a service component into their coursework. She educates and guides faculty/staff on the benefits of service learning through outreach, programs, workshops, events, mentoring, and personal consultations, and is the liaison between UTA and the nonprofit community, creating collaborative relationships to enhance the student experience. In her role, she leads the Service Learning Faculty Fellows Program, Community Partner Breakfast, ACE Student Service Learning Ambassador Program, ACE Faculty Liaisons, Engage With UTA, and Service Learning Faculty/community partner networking events, and the institution’s Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement application process. CSL is the hub for UTA’s community-engagement data collection and the overseer for the university-wide Are YOU Community Engaged initiative. In addition, she leads the Maverick Advantage Faculty Engagement (MAFE) Program.

Beth Fleener, Ph.D.

Senior Teaching Innovation Research Associate

Dr. Beth Fleener serves in a wide range of leadership support for faculty and graduate students in teaching and learning across the university. Fleener develops and presents relevant teaching and learning programming within the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE). She also provides mentoring for faculty and graduate students to improve their teaching and learning practices and regularly contributes to innovative teaching and learning programming for the UT System Curriculum Developers. Her responsibilities also include combining teaching and learning efforts with the Graduate School where she provides cross-collaboration leadership through the Graduate School to various colleges and departments about the Graduate School’s partnership with the CIRTL-Network (Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning). Dr. Fleener oversees the CIRTL-UTA Teaching Certificate program, a multiple level teaching certificate program available to all levels of UTA graduate students to prepare them for teaching roles and she is the UTA campus liaison to the CIRTL-Network.

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NaKesha Brown, M.Ed.

Coordinator II

Mrs. NaKesha Brown provides professional and administrative coordination for assigned ongoing special projects in the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence (CRTLE) within the Division of Faculty Success (DFS). She directly supports the Assistant Vice Provost as well as assists with programing initiatives within the Center for Service Learning (CSL) for the Associate Director and the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) Director. She assists in the successful execution of all event details and timelines within CRTLE and CSL to ensure the achievement of goals and objectives. She also serves as campus lead for Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) certification. She maintains all budget accounts under CRTLE and CSL and coordinates travel arrangements for all team members in CRTLE and CSL.