The 2017 SPE (Society for Photographic Education) southeast chapter retreat, supported and hosted by the Lamar Dodd School of Art, was organized by Associate Professor Marni Shindelman with assistance from recent Dodd MFA graduate Ally Christmas. The SPE fall 2017 retreat, held at the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina, addressed questions around pedagogy and revitalizing curriculum in the format of a think tank, partnering with Integrative Teaching International, which facilitates such workshops to identify innovative approaches in higher education in the arts and creative practices. Additionally, Professor Micheal Marshall served as the keynote speaker at the event as 2017’s honored educator.

Exposure magazine, the publication of the Society for Photographic Education, recently published articles in which attendees respond positively to the retreat and its updated format.

Recent Dodd MFA graduates and current MFA candidates also contributed to this article, Photographic Education Think Tank 20/20: Building a Photography Curriculum for the Future, in which attendees share highlights from breakout sessions that  included topics such as Integrating New Technologies and Service Learning.