History of CTTL

The Reinert Center was formally established as the Center for Teaching Excellence in 1997, at the request of a small but dedicated group of Saint Louis University faculty. The Center grew out of the successes of the Graduate School Teaching Resource Room, which was created in 1992 by then-graduate dean, Don Brennan, to provide graduate teaching assistants with pedagogical resources and assistance.

In 2001, the Center was officially named in honor of Paul C. Reinert, S.J., long-time president of the University and a staunch advocate for educational equality. In July 2012, we officially changed our name to the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning; the new name better communicates our ongoing commitment to reflective and innovative teaching that transforms students, so they can better transform their worlds.

To learn more about the history of the Center, check out this blog post on the Center's 15th anniversary from the director, Dr. Lohe, or listen to the podcasts below. 

Jim Korn Interview: Part One

The first part of an extended interview with Dr. Jim Korn, professor emeritus of Psychology and one of the Center's founding faculty members. (These interviews were conducted by Dr. Bob Krizek, associate professor of Communication, who interviewed Dr. Korn about his career and the history of the Center.) In this podcast, Dr. Korn reflects on his own relationship to teaching and describes the moment he first knew he wanted to be an educator. Jim Korn Interview, part one.

Jim Korn Interview: Part Two

In part two of this extended interview, Dr. Korn discusses the creation of the Graduate School Teaching Resource Room and the eventual establishment of the Center (formerly the Reinert Center for Teaching Excellence), and key figures who were essential to its development. Jim Korn Interview, part two.

Jim Korn Interview: Part Three

In the third and final segment of this extended interview, Dr. Korn discusses what it takes to be an effective teacher. Jim Korn Interview, part three.