On August 11, the Center for Digital Innovation in Learning at Boston College held the 2025 staff retreat at the Waltham Woods Conference Center in Waltham, Massachusetts. This year, the retreat focused on creating a space for collaborative brainstorming about CDIL’s role in the evolving landscape of higher education.

Launching the Conversation 

The day started with opening remarks from Brian Salerno, Executive Director of CDIL. Salerno drew upon the extended metaphor of a sailboat vs. a steamship to envision CDIL’s future direction. Rather than a sailboat that is carried away by the winds of change, Salerno proposed that CDIL act as a steamship, navigating higher education with purpose and confidence.

Highlighting a number of changes in higher education over the past several years, including changing demographics of the student body, federal policy changes, and the disruptive impact of AI. Salerno reflected on CDIL’s evolution from sustaining continuity during the pandemic to fostering learning innovation and becoming a recognized hub for digital learning on Boston College’s campus. 

Accomplishments and Opportunities 

Following the opening remarks, the leadership panel presented each team’s accomplishments, challenges, and opportunities.

• Learning Design: Over the past academic year, the Learning Design team, led by Yuhan Li, expanded BC’s capacity for high-quality digital learning by supporting over 270 courses. They focused on fostering student-centered teaching, while grappling with rising demand and quality control.
• Instructional Media: Jen Walker and the Instructional Media team were proud of their role as the center of excellence for media production on campus. They identified managing complex projects with short timelines as their major challenge and were excited to explore AI as a creative accelerator.
• Learning Technologies: Helen Healy’s Learning Technologies team highlighted their behind-the-scenes support for the BC community regarding learning technologies, such as Canvas and Panopto, amid licensing and integration challenges.
• Project Management: Under the leadership of Shirley Cho, the Project Management team drove every process within CDIL forward, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration while facing resource constraints.
• Innovation/Faculty Development: Finally, the Innovation and Faculty Development team, guided by John FitzGibbon, reflected on their leadership of campus-wide AI conversations and faculty development. 

Breakout Highlights 

After the leadership panel, CDIL staff members transitioned to an afternoon of breakout sessions designed to foster cross-team collaboration and communication.

The first session, titled “Show Our Story,” focused on defining CDIL’s core strengths and articulating a clear narrative of impact. Each group was asked to list CDIL’s core competencies, draft a 30-second elevator pitch, and think about areas where CDIL’s strengths could be amplified in the year ahead.

The second session, “Reconnect + Rebuild,” invited staff to brainstorm ways to strengthen cross-team collaboration. In the final breakout session, each group explored “AI as a Team Utility.” Staff were challenged to identify immediate, testable ways GenAI could improve CDIL’s work internally and externally. 

The retreat concluded with a session where each team met to draft actionable commitments for the upcoming academic year. These commitments included concrete priorities for the fall semester, such as proposing new projects and collaborations that advance CDIL’s mission.

Overall, the retreat renewed CDIL’s focus on navigating shifts in higher education and technology while staying grounded in BC’s unique values and mission.