Facilitating Mid-Career Faculty Programs

Book excerpt: This resource-rich guidebook supports faculty developers through the process of planning, facilitating, and assessing programs for mid-career faculty. Framing chapters draw from existing scholarship, national surveys, and the authors’ pilot program to prepare faculty developers to launch their own initiatives. The heart of the book details program modules, including their focus (e.g., identifying values, envisioning a meaningful career, claiming agency, advocating for oneself, planning to thrive), instructions for preparing and facilitating a workshop and a faculty learning community, and facilitator reflection questions. Resisting the message that faculty developers should do more, this book eases their workload by providing evidence-based resources that allow for flexibility and creativity. This guidance, supplemented by ready-to-use online materials, equips facilitators to lead their mid-career faculty participants through critical self-reflection, meaningful conversations, and practical activities to plan for their own version of thriving.