How do you design a long and meaningful career at Georgia Tech as professor? What career goals do you have now and in the future? How will you achieve your goals?

Ascend, a career development cohort program, will launch its first virtual series for tenure-track assistant professors at or nearing their third-year review in Fall 2025. Cohort members will build on their current strengths and successes and explore ways to thrive at your probationary period mid-point and in the future. Using a faculty learning community model and the Appreciative Inquiry framework, participants will explore their interests, values, and goals, and create an actionable individual strategic plan while developing skills for career growth and collegiality. 

“Appreciative Inquiry is commonly called an ‘asset-based’ or ‘strengths-based’ approach to systems change because it emphasizes positive idea generation over negative problem identification (the latter is often framed as a ‘deficit-based’ approach). The model utilizes questions and dialogue to help participants uncover existing assets, strengths, advantages, or opportunities in their communities, organizations, or teams, and then collectively work toward developing and implementing strategies for improvement.” Source.

Eligibility In this cohort, tenure-track assistant professors at or near the third-year review are eligible to join.

Objectives of the Program
Participants in this application-based cohort program can expect to 

• Learn and use the Appreciative Inquiry (AI)* model to develop a personal development plan that includes a personal vision and mission; goals for personal learning, professional development, and career momentum; and an action plan for achieving five-year goals.
• Practice skills essential for collegiality and career growth in a cohort environment
• Learn concepts and strategies associated with career development, leadership, and resilience
• Explore opportunities for growth and career vitality at Georgia Tech.

Program Calendar
The calendar will be organized around the five-step process of the Appreciative Inquiry framework. With its asset-based rather than deficit-based approach to change, AI is a useful framework for thinking about career and leadership development and to achieving the goals for this program. All meetings will take place on Mondays from 12-1pm via Zoom. Dates for the program are August 25 through December 1 (with two weeks off in October). 

Coaching
Participants in the program receive four one-on-one career development coaching sessions with Rebecca Pope-Ruark, PhD, program facilitator and certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, to discuss the personal development plan and career opportunities. Two sessions would happen during the cohort semester and two in Spring 2026 to support implementing the personal development plan.

Registration Process 
Please complete this interest form to register for the program. Questions can be directed to Rebecca Pope-Ruark, Director of the Office of Faculty Professional Development.