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

Crafting the Next, a new career development cohort program for mid-career tenured faculty members, will launch its first session in Spring 2025. Cohort members will build on their current strengths and successes and explore ways to thrive at mid-career 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 resilience.

“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 pilot cohort, associate and full professors who consider themselves mid-career are invited to apply. Participants should be established in their roles at Tech and looking for additional career development support as they consider the paths forward.

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

• Learn and use the Appreciative Inquiry 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 goals
• Practice skills essential for collegiality and coaching in a cohort environment 
• Learn concepts and strategies associated with career development 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, Appreciative Inquiry 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 Friday afternoons from 1-3pm in-person.

Coaching Participants in the program receive four one-on-one career development coaching sessions with Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark, program coordinator 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 the next semester to support implementing the personal development plan.

Application Process Please complete this application form by Wednesday, October 23 at 5pm. Faculty will be notified of the results of the selection process by mid-November.

Questions? Please reach out to Rebecca Pope-Ruark, rpoperuark3@gatech.edu.