Doctoral students
spent three days, from June 20-23, soaking up knowledge that
will help them successfully navigate their paths in academia.
Fifty-one students
attended the Preparing Future Faculty Summer Institute hosted by
Howard University and The University of Texas at El Paso. The
event was held at the University of Maryland Conference Center.
The PFF program is a national initiative, with partner
institutions such as Howard, aimed at “transforming the way
aspiring faculty members are prepared for their careers.”
PFF participants,
upon registration, received a binder packed with teaching,
researching and writing tips, as well as flash drives and metro
cards. In addition, they received opportunities to network with
other students, faculty and administrators from across the
country, including Massachusetts, Maryland, Miami, New York,
North Carolina and the District. Program sessions included:
Women and the Academy, Creating a Teaching Portfolio & Teaching
as a Scholarly Activity, and Catch 22: Minority Faculty
at Traditionally White Institutions.
Participants selected
for the program were from the Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math (or STEM) fields and the Social, Behavioral, Economic
and Sciences (or SBE) fields. Most recognized the value of the
boot-camp style program, now in its fourth year at Howard. Dr.
Kimberly Moffitt, who organized the institute, is the
coordinator of the Howard University Preparing Future Faculty
Program.
“[The institute] will help me to
make an informed decision about my career,” said Marie Thomas, a
Ph.D. chemistry candidate at City University of New York,
Graduate Center.
Leah Varga, a
third-year student in medical sociology at the University of
Miami, concurred.
“They teach us stuff
we don’t get taught in graduate school,” she said.
Thomas and Varga
reflect the type of students the PFF program attracts, said Dr.
Chastity Bradford, assistant dean for retention at The
University of Texas at El Paso and PFF project director.
“They are motivated,”
Bradford said. “They come ready to receive information and leave
here better prepared for the professoriate.”
Graduate School Dean
Orlando Taylor agreed and said that the PFF program tracks
participants to ensure their success by serving as an “ear,”
especially in the academy. He added: “We take mentoring
seriously.”
For more information, contact
Dr. Moffitt. For photos of the
event, see
www.daredigitals.com.
