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Impact of Professional Development Activities in Preparing Scholars to become Future Faculty

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Conference

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Vancouver, BC

Publication Date

June 26, 2011

Start Date

June 26, 2011

End Date

June 29, 2011

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Methods, Techniques, and New Programs in Graduate Education

Tagged Division

Graduate Studies

Page Count

7

Page Numbers

22.800.1 - 22.800.7

DOI

10.18260/1-2--18081

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/18081

Download Count

350

Paper Authors

biography

Cyndi Lynch Purdue University, West Lafayette

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Cyndi Lynch is the Director of Fellowships and Graduate Student Professional Development for the Purdue Graduate School. Cyndi administers the Univeristy fellowship program and directs the professional development program for graduate students.

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Kathy Garza Sears Purdue University, West Lafayette

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Abstract

Impact of Professional Development Activities in Preparing Scholars to become Future FacultyAn alliance was developed among three Midwestern universities to increase the number ofunderrepresented minorities receiving doctoral degrees in the STEM disciplines. To achieve thisgoal, activities focused on three areas that include recruitment, retention, and enrichment. Aprimary goal of the Scholars enrichment program is to encourage Scholars to pursue careers asfaculty members. Graduate students interested in academic careers must be prepared for thediverse faculty opportunities at the various types of institutions. Graduate education plays animportant role in the professional development of graduate students. The enrichment activitiesare based on proven models, including the national Preparing Future Faculty program, that areadapted to align with program goals. To meet programmatic goals and the diverse needs ofgraduate students, a multi-prong approach was developed that includes: (1) a formal graduate-level course, (2) custom workshops and seminars, (3) individual career consultations, and (4)formal and informal mentoring opportunities.The topics covered through the multi-prong approach explores faculty roles and responsibilitiesas they relate to the missions of an institution of higher education, along with the type ofinstitution including community colleges, liberal arts colleges, research universities, andminority-serving institutions.Student learning outcomes focus on assumptions about academic roles, positions, practices,missions, and institutions, construction of an academic portfolio, construction of an institutionalprofile that relates career goals and faculty skill sets with institutional missions and departmentalgoals, and creation of an individual development plan for enhancing and maintaining faculty skillsets and competencies. Additionally, students develop strategies that facilitate the transition fromgraduate student to faculty member.Both formative and summative assessments are conducted to ensure that programmatic goals andstudent learning outcomes are met. Lessons learned from this multi-prong approach will informenrichment activities and refine current models of professional development activities forgraduate students.

Lynch, C., & Sears, K. G. (2011, June), Impact of Professional Development Activities in Preparing Scholars to become Future Faculty Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18081

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