November 2014

Panelists in the inaugural new member discussion series conversation are, from left in the front row, Misty Curreli, Nick Giordano, and Jason Ramirez. In the back row are FA president Kevin Peterman and new member coordinator Sarah Gutowski.

Two of the best points of advice I received from a mentor while I was a grad student at the University of Massachusetts, Amherest, were these:

1. Always make friends with the support staff; they can be your best allies.
2. Listen to and learn from your fellow grad students. Yes, they're new, but they're also smart.

That second point really resonated with me during the inaugural event of the new member discussion series, developed by our college-wide new member coordinator, Sarah Gutowski.

The September 12, 2014, conversation titled "Hindsight: What You Can Learn From My First Year" featured reflections by three relatively new hires at the college. The fact that the room became so crowded we had to scramble to set up extra tables and chairs tells me that our colleagues are eager for advice and information.

I hope the audience wasn't disappointed, as it seemed quite clear to me that while new to SCCC, these three are also smart. 

Read their comments for yourselves on the FA's new member blog, The Undercurrent, via the following links.

The next conversation in the new member discussion series will be held on Friday, November 14. Titled “The Long View: Anticipating and Planning Your Career at SCCC,” mid-career faculty members will relay their personal approaches to professional development and promotion, citing what has worked and what hasn’t.

Speakers will focus on helping new members develop a practical and moderate approach to balancing the demands of teaching with the demands of committee work and the race toward publication and national conference presentation. This event will be held in the Mildred Green Room, BSC, Ammerman Campus, from 11:00-12:15 p.m.

Watch for a forthcoming email from Dean Gherardi in the Office of Faculty and Professional Advancement to RSVP.

Liz Foley, new member coordinator for the Grant campus, hosts a bagel brunch with new hires and their mentors.

In addition to learning lots from our latest and greatest faculty, new members had an opportunity to enjoy a bagel brunch on their home campus. The FA hosts these annual brunches so new members have an opportunity to socialize with colleagues, ask questions and learn the ropes—or, at least, learn where to go to find out who holds which rope.

If you're interested in learning more about the new member program or in serving as a mentor, contact our collegewide new member program coordinator, Sarah Gutowski.