Individuals at NISOD member colleges can register for this event by logging in or creating an account.
Total Credits: 0.1 CEUs
The Rhythm of the Semester is a student-developed framework that maps the recurring emotional, academic, and behavioral patterns students experience across a standard 16-week college term. Developed at Austin Community College and currently undergoing formalization through institutional research, the model reveals five distinct phases—Optimistic, Relaxed, Vulnerable, Burnout, and Determined—and the six systemic factors that shape them.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Note: Webinars are only available to individuals at NISOD member colleges.
Certificate and CEUs for WebinarsLearners will have the option to earn a certificate of attendance or a certificate with Continuing Education Units (CEU) upon completion of the webinar. To earn a certificate with CEUs, the learner must successfully pass the learning assessment with a score of 80% or higher. All learners must complete the post-event evaluation to earn credentials.
The duration of this webinar is one hour, which is equal to 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Kristen Nemain is a student, researcher, and systems-minded creative relentlessly pursuing ideas. Currently studying Undergraduate Industrial Engineering at both Texas State University and Austin Community College, she applies systems-thinking to human problems—particularly how institutional structures can empower, rather than exhaust, students. Driven by what she calls “idealistic faith in the human capacity for progress,” Kristen continues to explore how design, communication, and compassion intersect to build more resilient systems for students, institutions, and for society. As the Special Project Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of College Relations and Marketing, Kristen researches actionable ways student-directed communications can be a force for good. In her Strategic Events role, she thrives on optimizing processes and building efficient, humane organizational systems. Her work with the Rhythm of the Semester has become the basis for the student communications strategy for the Austin Community College District, as well as events scheduling for multiple departments. A Human Resources professional development module was released at the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester to train student-facing employees on this resource in perpetuity. The model is now in the process of formalization, moving from college internal stakeholder report to an IRRC-approved Academic Study titled "Exploring Burnout and Resilience Through the Rhythm of the Semester." Kristen is the first ACC student to conduct a formal study on the ACC student experience, as well as the first Independent researcher studying ACC who is not affiliated with a graduate program or external institution. She hopes her work will demonstrate how student-led research can bridge the gap between institutional insight and lived experience, shaping the future of higher education from within.
Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege serves as Vice Chancellor of Institutional Research & Analytics at Austin Community College (ACC), where she leads the college’s data strategy to advance institutional effectiveness and the success of all students. In this role, she oversees the collection, analysis, and strategic use of data to support a culture of inquiry, data literacy, and informed decision-making across the institution. In addition to her vice chancellor role, she contributes to state and regional initiatives that align finance with student outcomes. She is a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Community College Finance Committee, where she chairs a subcommittee on performance funding outcomes. Locally, she serves as Vice Chair of the Central Texas College Attainment Network and as a Board Member for Austin Partners in Education.
