Seven VCU faculty members were selected to participate in the fall cohort of the Faculty Success Program from the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity. The Faculty Success Program helps faculty members learn the secrets to increasing research productivity, getting control of their time, and living a full and healthy life beyond their campus.
In addition to the Faculty Success Program, the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity offers webinars, writing challenges, discussion forums, and additional resources for faculty members to access online. VCU faculty members can sign up for a free Institutional Membership to participate in the online trainings and resources by visiting facultydiversity.org/join.
Meet the fall 2019 cohort
Mariam F. Alkazemi, Ph.D.
Assistant professor, Robertson School of Media and Culture, College of Humanities and Sciences
"I applied to the Faculty Success Program because I am trying to get support in terms of developing materials for evaluation as I approach tenure while acclimating to Richmond. I appreciate the opportunity to be coached by a mentor and a team of encouraging scholars, all the while being taught to think of time differently and making space to develop a work-life balance. It's been interesting to talk about various topics, including empowerment, persistence, procrastination, and perfectionism on a weekly basis in a group setting because sometimes you don't realize you can approach a situation differently until you see others talk about how they approach similar situations."
Ashlee Barnes, Ph.D.
Assistant professor, Criminal Justice, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs
"It was challenging to survive my first two years on the tenure track as I struggled to achieve a work-life balance. I am thrilled to participate in the Faculty Success Program (FSP) because of the built-in supports centered on navigating academia as a member of a traditionally underrepresented community. As my interim review quickly approaches, I am convinced FSP will place me in a position to better balance work demands and thrive as an interdisciplinary scholar!"
Kim A. Case, Ph.D.
Director of Faculty Success, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Office of the Provost
"Being part of the Faculty Success Program has already transformed my approach to time management, writing productivity, reclaiming my weekends, and developing skills for success. Although I had already incorporated many NCFDD strategies and tips into my toolkit previously, the FSP model provided me with a team, coach, and structure that elevated my work to a higher level."
Soma Dhakal, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Humanities and Sciences
"I am delighted to be a part of the Faculty Success Program (FSP). It has been a highly positive experience in terms of managing my time to enhance the research productivity and to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The element I liked the most about FSP is that, via peer coaching and time tracking, it helps prioritize long-term goals and spurs a consistent writing habit. I am enjoying it!"
Xiaojin Liu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics, School of Business
"I am excited about participating in the Faculty Success Program, as it provides excellent mentoring support to enable me to master time management skills. The program is well structured with abundant resources, and I received incredible support from the coaches and peer colleagues. The experience is invaluable, and the program helps me to improve my academic productivity and organize daily life, by tracking and managing my time in writing, teaching, research, services, and personal life."
Joshua Sieber, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Humanities and Sciences
"I'm excited to participate in the Faculty Success Program to learn new strategies to maximize productivity and balance in my second year as a faculty member."
Indira Sultanić, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Spanish Translation and Interpreting Studies, School of World Studies
"I am excited to participate in the Faculty Success Program because it is a wonderful community of peer and faculty mentors who not only hold you accountable for your daily writing, celebrate the successes with you, but also coach you to succeed in every aspect of academia. Before joining FSP, I struggled with prioritizing my writing over teaching and service. This program has taught me that writing for just 30 minutes every day leads to a healthy writing habit and is key to longterm success."