Overview
To flourish as scholars and teachers at a new institution, new faculty often benefit from a strong mentorship network, a sense of community and belonging, and support as they navigate the institution and their new roles. In addition to department- and college-level mentoring, the Office of Faculty Affairs is pleased to offer the New Faculty Mentoring Program, a campus-wide initiative designed to support faculty during their first year at UMBC.
Incoming UMBC faculty, including tenure-track, library-rank, non-tenure track faculty and postdoctoral scholars, are invited to participate in this six-session group mentoring program. The program consists of opt-in, in-person workshops; participants may attend as many 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.
Interested in joining or have questions?
Please contact Walter Parrish, Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, at walterp1@umbc.edu.
New Faculty Mentoring Program Schedule 2026-27
Friday, September 11, 2026, Commons 331
Coffee: 8:30am | Sessions: 9:00am – 11:30am
Session 1: Identifying and Acting from Your Core Values
Presenter: Dr. Kerrie Kephart, Associate Director, Faculty Development Center
In this opening session, faculty will identify three to five core values that motivate their work and reflect on how these values can guide their goals, commitments, and decisions during their first year.
Session 2: “What I Wish I had Known” – A Panel with Recently Hired Faculty
Panel: Sarah Bass, Chemistry; Corine Jackman Burden, Chemistry, Biochemical, and Electrical Engineering; Jungwon Yeo, Emergency and Disaster Health Systems
Beginning a new faculty role can be exciting, uncertain, and filled with a lot of information to digest. A panel of recently hired faculty will share reflections and practical advice on what they wish they had known when starting at UMBC.
Friday, October 9, 2026, Commons 331
Coffee: 8:30am | Sessions: 9:00am – 11:30am
Aligning Professional Goals with Core Values
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 13, 2026, Commons 331
Coffee: 8:30am | Sessions: 9:00am – 11:30am
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 engage in research or creative works while teaching and fulfilling your service obligations? In this session, faculty will discuss practical strategies and receive concrete advice for setting priorities, protecting time for scholarship or creative work, and making intention decisions on when to say “yes”.
Friday, February 12, 2027, Commons 331
Coffee: 8:30am | Sessions: 9:00am – 11:30am
Navigating Your First Few Years: Mentoring, Chair Relationships, and the Annual Review
Presenter: Dr. Ana Oskoz, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs & Professor, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication
Your early years at UMBC may include adjusting to a new culture and expectations, building relationships, and understanding how annual reviews work. In this session, faculty will discuss practical guidance for navigating mentoring, chair relationships, and the Faculty Annual Report with more clarity.
Friday, March 12, 2027, Commons 331
Coffee: 8:30am | Sessions: 9:00am – 11:30am
Making the Most of the Summer
Presenter: Dr. Matthew Trevett-Smith, Director, UMBC Faculty Development Center
Summer can be a time for making progress on scholarship and creative work, course preparation, rest, and other personal commitments, but it can be difficult without a plan. In this session, we will identify personal and professional priorities for Summer 2027 and develop a practical plan for being intentional.
Friday, April 16, 2027, Commons 331
Coffee: 8:30am | Sessions: 9:00am – 11:30am
Reflecting on Year One: Leadership, Culture, and Shared Governance
Presenters: Dr. Jennifer Mata-McMahon, President, Faculty Senate; Dr. Maria Manni, Teaching Professor, MLLI; Dr. Laila Shishineh, Assistant Vice Provost & Chief of Staff, Provost’s Office
As the academic year concludes, faculty will come together to reflect on the challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned during their first year at UMBC. In this session, we’ll also engage in conversation about faculty life, shared governance, service as leadership, and institutional culture as we think intentionally about year two.
Session 2: End of Program Celebration
We will celebrate the end of the program and have light refreshments.