Welcome and Opening Session (10:00 AM – 10:30 AM)
Welcome (10:00-10:10 AM)
Welcome to the Inaugural Borderlands Open Access Virtual Symposium
Dr. Bernie Cantens, Executive Vice President and Provost, Sul Ross State University
Betsy Helesic Evans, Director of Library and Archives, Sul Ross State University
Opening Keynote: (10:10-10:30 AM)
Open Pathways: Dual Credit, OER, and Student Success
Dr. Sandra Mohr, Dean of Digital Learning & Instruction, Angelo State University,
Kendra Morton, Faculty Training Specialist, Angelo State University, and
Brooke Flores, Director of Dual Credit Opportunities, Angelo State University
Breakout Session 1 (10:35 AM – 10:55 AM)
Choose to attend Session 1A, 1B, or 1C from 10:35 AM to 10:55 AM:
Session 1A: (10:35-10:55 AM)
Open Leadership: Driving Institutional Transformation Through OER
Dr. Remya Mohanraj, Professor of Biology, Open Education Advocate, Houston City College
Session 1B: (10:35-10:55 AM)
Advancing Innovation and Student Successes with OER
DeeAnn Ivie, Open Education Coordinator and Communication Librarian, UTSA Libraries
Session 1C: (10:35-10:55 AM)
OER a Lifesaver for Spanish Students
Dr. Verónica Méndez Maqueo, Professor of Spanish, Sul Ross State University
Breakout Session 2 (11:00 AM – 11:25 AM)
Choose to attend Session 2A, 2B, 2C, or 2D from 11:00 – 11:25 AM:
Session 2A: (11:00-11:25 AM)
OER at Texas State University
Isabelle Antes, OER Librarian, Texas State University
Session 2B: (11:00-11:25 AM)
Bridging Open Education and AI: Tools, Resources, Access, and Innovation
Dr. Jennifer Miller-Ray, Associate Professor of Education, Sul Ross State University and
Ajay Vaidya, Research Analyst, Sul Ross State University
Session 2C: (11:00-11:25 AM)
Training the Next Generation of Archaeologists in Open: GIS, Digital Image Processing, 3D Modeling, Data Management, and Analysis
Dr. Devin Pettigrew, Center for Big Bend Studies, Sul Ross State University
Session 2D: (11:00-11:25 AM)
Open Data, Open Research, and Open Classrooms: Integrating OER into Social Science Research and Language Teaching
Dr. Rachel Sangster Garza, Visiting Professor of Spanish, Sul Ross State University
Closing Keynote, Remarks, and Survey (10:00 AM – 10:30 AM)
Closing Keynote: (11:30-11:50 AM)
From Vision to Practice: The Path to Open
Megan Zara, OER Librarian, University of Texas at Arlington
Closing Remarks and Survey (11:50 AM – 12:00 NOON)
Dr. Jennifer Miller-Ray, Associate Professor of Education, Sul Ross State University
This initiative is made possible in part by Dr. Jennifer Miller-Ray’s participation in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) OER Fellowship Program, whose vision is “to support mentor relationships for OER use, creation, and capacity building at institutions and statewide.”
last updated: March 20, 2026