More than ever, I identify the importance of authentic connection as an educator. How we interact, challenge, present information and relate overall with students will determine how they learn in the classroom. By focusing on trust, presence, awareness, and empathy, faculty can connect with students in excellent and inspiring ways.

As an educator, I believe it is essential to humanize our online courses to meet our students "where they are." I seek to cultivate a strong student community in the distance courses I teach, and I enjoy sharing about this powerful transformative teaching pedagogy as we learn more about its powerful potential. Michelle Pacansky-Brock states, "Humanizing leverages learning science and culturally responsive teaching to create an inclusive, equitable online class climate for today's diverse students. When (we) teach online, it is easy to relate to your students simply as names on a screen. But (our) students are much more than that. They are capable, resilient humans who bring an array of perspectives and knowledge to your class. They also bring life experiences shaped by racism, poverty, and social marginalization. In humanized online courses, positive instructor-student relationships are prioritized and serve "as the connective tissue between students, engagement, and rigor" (Pacansky-Brock et al., 2020, p. 2). In any learning modality, human connection is the antidote for the emotional disruption that prevents many students from performing to their full potential and in online courses, creating that connection is even more important (Jaggars & Xu, 2016)." Now, more than ever, I identify the importance of authentic connection as educators. Furthermore, how we interact, challenge, lecture, present general information, and handle ourselves overall with our students will set the course for how they grow and respond in the classroom. I wholeheartedly believe that the tone, sincerity, and language we bring to our written and spoken messages resonate positively or negatively with our students based on how we seek to connect. By focusing on trust, presence, awareness, and empathy, faculty can connect with students in meaningful ways. Pacansky-Brock specifically suggests 8 elements of learning to incorporate into distance teaching, including--- 1) a liquid syllabus, humanized homepage, getting to know you survey, warm/wise feedback, self-affirming ice breaker, wisdom wall, bumper video, and the use of micro lectures. This presentation seeks to uncover the most effective elements for teaching a business writing course based on my experiences to date, as well as anticipated outcomes for various approaches. I strive to share realistic expectations, specific scenarios, and lessons learned as a collection of my findings. I have seen the difference this approach can make, and I want to offer vivid and impactful connections with session attendees regarding the powerful importance of doing so. I will also suggest connections and future implications for the present. Ultimately, I believe this topic is relevant to the conference objectives, appealing for various learners, and promotes alignment to the Online Learning Consortium's intended use of the Digital Learning Design and Effectiveness track. At Mississippi State University, I was recently invited to participate in the Online Course and Tools Showcase, a unique event designed with online MSU faculty experiences. This event was similar to a science fair---- whereas invited faculty presenters conversed with guests to share their approach. I was invited to share about my success with humanizing MGT 3213: Organizational Communications, a junior level Business writing course. The presenting faculty members spoke with faculty peers and other online experts at MSU about thriving in the online environment. Through this event, I shared my perspectives about this important topic and will be even more eager than ever to potentially share with additional colleagues at OLC Accelerate. I would be honored to share the outcomes and lessons learned at OLC Accelerate in November. Thank you for your consideration. Jaggars, S. S. & Xu, D. (2016). How do online course design features influence student performance? Computers & Education, (95), 270-284. Pacansky-Brock, M., Smedshammer, M., & Vincent-Layton, K. (2020). Humanizing Online Teaching to Equitize Higher Education. Current Issues in Education, 21(2 ), 1-21.