Overview
To flourish as scholars and teachers, new faculty need a strong mentorship network, a sense of community and belonging, and the skills to navigate the early stages of their academic careers through the promotion and tenure process. In addition to department- and college-level mentoring, the Office of Faculty Affairs is pleased to offer a New Faculty Mentoring Program, a campus-wide initiative designed to support these goals.
New faculty (including tenure-track, library-rank, non-tenure track faculty and postdoctoral scholars) at UMBC are invited to participate in this six-session group mentoring program. The program consists of opt-in, in-person workshops; participants may attend as any sessions as they’d like, and those who attend all six will receive a certificate of completion.
Field Trips, Too!
In addition to the workshops, the program includes informal gatherings designed to build community and engage with the broader UMBC community. Stay tuned for more information about this year’s events–details will be shared as plans are finalized. Faculty are welcome to bring family members.
What Participants will Gain
Participants will leave the program with:
- A community of cross-campus faculty and administrative colleagues,
- Additional tools and resources to support their growth
- Greater clarity and confidence about how to align the demands of their professional lives with our core values.
Questions? Contact Ana Oskoz aoskoz@umbc.edu or Walter Parrish walterp1@umbc.edu
Participant list, resources and presentations (access restricted to cohort-only)
New Faculty Mentoring Program Schedule 2025-26
Friday, September 5, 2025, Commons, Room 329
Coffee: 9:00am | Sessions: 9:30am – 12:00pm | Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00pm
Session 1: Identifying and Acting from Your Core Values
Presenter: Dr. Kerri Kephart, Interim Director, Faculty Development Center
Each participant will identify and articulate 3-5 core values that motivate and give meaning to their actions and activities, and will be prepared to reflect on how their professional activities align with their values in a future session.
Session 2: “What I Wish I had Know” – A Panel with Recently Hired Faculty
Panel: Yasmine Kotturi (Information Systems), Shuling Yang (Education)
Friday, October 10, 2025, Retriever Activities Center (RAC), Room 106
Coffee: 9:00am | Sessions: 9:30am – 12:00pm | Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00pm
Aligning Professional Goals with Core Values (Part I)
Presenter: Dr. Felipe Filomeno, Director, Global Studies Program, and Associate Professor, Political Science
Our research, teaching and service are extensions of who we are as individuals, and the choices we make in life both professionally and personally should reflect what matters the most to us. At this workshop faculty will take time to think about what they’ve learned about themselves and their core values, and we will continue to discuss how integrate these values into our working lives with a focus on self-care and self-efficacy.
Recommended Reading: Do Your Career and Work Values Align?
Friday, November 14, 2025, Retriever Activities Center (RAC), Room 106
Coffee: 9:00am | Sessions: 9:30am – 12:00pm | Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00pm
Time Management
Presenter: TBA
One of the challenges of being a new faculty member is the transition from the workload in graduate school and/or postdoctoral research to the workload of a professor. How do you continue to conduct research while teaching and fulfilling your service obligations? How do you set priorities?
Attendees will receive concrete advice for managing time. At this workshop, we will discuss time management tactics, how to prioritize writing and research, and when to say “yes” to work that contributes to your professional development as well as the mission and vision of the university.
Friday, February 13, 2025, Retriever Activities Center (RAC), Room 106
Coffee: 9:00am | Sessions: 9:30am – 12:00pm | Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00pm
Aligning Your Professional Goals with Your Core Values (Part II)
Presenter: TBA
In this workshop, participants will continue to reflect on aligning their professional goals with their core values.
Friday, March 13, 2025, Retriever Activities Center (RAC), Room 106
Coffee: 9:00am | Sessions: 9:30am – 12:00pm | Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00pm
Aligning Your Professional Goals with Your Core Values (Part II)
Presenter: TBA
In this workshop, participants will continue to reflect on aligning their professional goals with their core values.
Friday, April 10, 2025, Retriever Activities Center (RAC), Room 106
Coffee: 9:00am | Sessions: 9:30am – 12:00pm | Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00pm
Session 1:Leadership, Culture, & Your Place in the Institution
Presenter: Dr. Orianne Smith, Associate Professor, English
At this workshop, participants will reflect upon the challenges and opportunities over the academic year. Participants will engage in a conversation on shared governance and service as leadership.
Session 2: End of Program Celebration
We will celebrate the end of the program and have light refreshments.