Carol Roach (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
I learned about different learning preferences that people may have such as visual, reading, auditory, and kinesthetic. I try to incorporate these preferences into my professional and poster talks so I can communicate my research effectively. I was also encouraged to ask faculty (besides my advisor) for teaching advice which led to me asking about career advice as well. Little did I know that these conversations would land me my current position. Because of my interactions with another professor in the department I was invited to present my research at a different conference. My presentation was attended by my future postdoc advisor; when I applied to her position I was immediately her first choice.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
I interact with undergraduates, as well as graduate students in a teaching capacity. I learned in HETC to walk students through my thinking process, and I will often do this in the lab as I explain to students how I am resolving an issue that we have encountered. I never directly answer questions that any of the students pose to me about their research, and I remain patient as I wait for them to find the answer on their own. Sometimes I guide the students to the answer with a phrase like "well, where I would start with that problem is..." if they need assistance. This process helps students problem-solve and think about the issues involved.
Advice?
As a physical science major I really wasn't sure to what extent the teaching practices addressed in HETC were applicable to my field. Having completed the program, and working in a research department, I must say that the educational techniques I learned in HETC are invaluable! I can communicate with different types of learners because I learned to incorporate other learning styles into my communication, I have made several professional contacts within my department and outside because as this was purposefully required in the program. Sometimes we, as learners ourselves, compartmentalize information too much including what we learn in HETC. I have found that the HETC content is applicable to my current professional interactions, and I plan on continuing to use it throughout my career.
Kurt Williamson (Plant & Soil Sciences)Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, VA
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
I believe that the HETC program made me a much more competitive applicant for the position. I had a reasonably strong research record at the time I was applying, but my teaching record showed only teaching assistantships; the position is about 50% teaching, 50% research. HETC helped me to assemble a complete teaching portfolio, including a statement of teaching philosophy that I really worked hard to develop and refine! I submitted this portfolio with my application for the position at W&M. It definitely made the point that I took my teaching responsibilities seriously, thought carefully about my approaches, and was able to clearly articulate - and document - my teaching methods and progress as an instructor.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
I use the material on developing course syllabi about twice a year - I am constantly revising and updating my approach, and I think about the goals I am aiming for, how I will accomplish those goals, and how I will know that they have been accomplished (assessment). I also use the material on "Getting students to do the reading" frequently - this is a perennial problem, unfortunately!
Advice?
I have this quote from E. O. Wilson painted on the wall of my research lab, in 18-inch letters:
"You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give."
Amy Cass (Sociology & Criminal Justice)
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
Although scary to complete, the video-recorded practice job interview was very helpful in preparing me for my campus visit. It’s important to really see yourself and how you appear to others before you go out on the job market.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
If I had to pick just two things I use the most, they would have to be grading rubrics and active learning activities. The former makes assessment more objective, while the latter makes learning more fun and engaging.
Advice: Don’t let a mentor, an advisor, or a favorite professor pick your future. Although you might admire them or their advice, you must live everyday with whatever choice is made. Pick something that will make you happy - at least most of the time.
Heather Griffiths (Sociology & Criminal Justice)
I wanted a position in a university that emphasized quality teaching. Including HETC on my CV was a great talking point on my job talk, and demonstrated my commitment to teaching and learning. Having a portfolio of prepared assignments gave me a head start on active learning activities, and has given me a niche at my professional meetings - I am an active member of the Teaching and Learning Section in the American Sociological Association, I have published in a teaching workbook, and I have been invited to prepare an article for Teaching Sociology.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
The portfolio was a big help, but the format here is different, since we prepared a teaching portfolio and what I submit here is only part teaching, and includes some very specific style guidelines.
Advice: The job search process is exhausting and overwhelming for everyone. Remember that you are not just taking a job, you are being interviewed to join a community. The people you meet are your future colleagues and potential friends, so present yourself accordingly.
Mike Jochen (Computer Science)
Assistant Professor, Computer Science
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania E Stroudsburg, PA 18301
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
I feel the HETC assisted me on many levels. The first (and most practical) was creation of supporting documents within my portfolio. The exercises that we went through preparing teaching philosophy statements and CV helped me get my dossier in order for the interview process. I think this made me a stronger candidate. I certainly had no difficulty landing the tenure-track faculty position that I wanted.
Second, all the discussion and activities on learning theory & pedagogy while I was going through the program made me (I feel) a stronger member of faculty. I believe I am a better teacher because of the insight these activities gave me. I have even offered up suggestions to other members of faculty (which have now been adopted in their classrooms). As a junior member of faculty, I am getting senior faculty members approaching me for advice on teaching techniques & new forms of classroom activities.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
Believe it or not, simple things like the one-minute paper -- something I picked up during one of our classes & that I use quite frequently.
Also, our department is currently undergoing a first-time review towards ABET accreditation (Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology) -- a very rigorous accreditation process. The many discussions on assessment that we had in HETC have helped me greatly. I am a member of the department ABET committee & we are the ones designing the assessment metrics, instruments, & criteria.
Advice: As the old saying goes, "You get out of the program that which you put into it." Even if you are swamped in your own research, dissertation writing, . . . active participation in program can (and did) translate into real benefit, both during job search and after accepting the position.
Jessica Hodge (Sociology and Criminal Justice)
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
I feel that the HETC program was a huge help in securing my position at UMKC. Not only was I better prepared for the job market (e.g. had a teaching portfolio ready to go), but I had also learned how to speak the “job market language,” knew what questions to ask when on the interview, and knew how to negotiate when offered the position.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
I am definitely much more aware of using a variety of learning techniques within the classroom. I knew that people learned in different ways, but I was not able to articulate the importance of using various methods. I am also much more concerned with moving beyond the PowerPoint lecture and having active learning tools ready to go.
Advice:
Pay attention!! Although some of the busy work may seem just that – busy work – it serves a purpose and it is definitely helpful when on the market and during those first few years on the job.
Bonnie Wu (Sociology and Criminal Justice)
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
The HETC program greatly aided me in obtaining my current position. 1. The "Job market" component of this program provided comprehensive information about the whole process of searching for positions, preparing application documents, getting ready for phone interview and campus visit, presenting best-self during campus visit, and negotiating an offer. Being fully prepared in each step of the process is a key to success. 2. I especially liked the session when department chairs are brought in to talk about their expectations of job candidates. Getting to know the "buyer" side of the market is always nice. I also loved the session when students who already got offers to come to class and talked about their experience.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
The components about teaching and student learning overall are helpful. There is no particular program/activity that I utilize regularly, but I think the most important thing we learn from HETC teaching and learning courses is less about particular skills or activities, but a broader issue of teaching philosophy and goals.
Maria Capursi (Mathematics)
Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Central Florida, Orlando Florida
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining
your current position?
The part of the program about job search was definitely the most useful. By the time I started applying for jobs I knew how to write a cover letter, what to look for in an ad, and my teaching statement and resume had already gone through five or six revisions. Also, the program made me rethink the way I present a lecture and suggested me ways to increase student partecipation in the classroom. When I was looking for jobs, I implemented this in the teaching presentations I prepared for interviews. When I interviewed at UCF, I had the committee answer questions and work out a problem that I then solved at the board, just like I would with my students. I guess they liked it :)
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
The work in pairs in the classroom is definitely what I use the most. What I have learned about assessment during the HETC program will soon come particularly useful, as I will be preparing an assessment plan for the redesigned Precalculus course together with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (UCF's CTE).
Advice:
The Program might feel a bit overwhelming at times, but it is definitely worth it, so stick with it! You never know when something you've learned there will turn out to be useful in your career.
Nicole Ruggiano (Social Work)
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
The HETC program gave me the skills and knowledge needed to be competitive during a constrained job market. I believe that the greatest job-hunting skill that I developed through the program was learning to articulate how my skills, abilities, and knowledge were a good fit for open positions and prospective universities. For instance, when writing my application cover letters (which is essentially your first contact with a potential employer), I learned to personalize each letter to reflect the curriculum, research needs, and mission statement of each position. For conference and telephone calls, I researched the faculty bios, current research projects, and the student population at each university so that I demonstrate my ability to work effectively as an academic within that department. For instance, I applied to work at universities in California, Texas, and Florida where I knew that a large proportion of students and local populations are Hispanic. I anticipated answering questions related to teaching Hispanic students, particularly large numbers of students who have English as a second language, and/or are the first in their family to go to college. Because I anticipated these questions, I was prepared to talk about my experiences working with minority students, my interests in multi-cultural learning environments, my desire to further master the Spanish language, and how working with students will help further my research agenda, because they may be able to help me gain access to communities that I may not otherwise be able to do, being a white, non-Hispanic researcher.
Learning to do background research on potential employers also helped me navigate my campus visits. Knowing facutly members' backgrounds and research interests, I was able to point out potential partnerships, similarities in research interests, and ask questions that reflected a genuine interest in working within that environment. This also helps you be more personable with the faculty (and in turn more likable!). In addition, I learned what was expected of me as a faculty member in a research institution, so I was able to articulate how my experience would help me excel in research, teaching, and service within the university community.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
Personally, I feel that networking is the most valuable skill I use regularly. I work at an institution that has demanding teaching AND research requirements. By networking and developing relationships with other scholars and practitioners in my field, I have become more efficient in my work output. For instance, since starting my appointment: I have co-authored several papers with other scholars, to maximize my publications; I have developed positive relationships with many of my fellow faculty members who have gone out of their way to help me write research grants and have advocated for me to teach a summer course that was not previously going to be offered; I gained trust with community members who have provided access to clients and programs for my research; and I reached out to a fellow junior faculty member, who I have lunch with twice each month to talk about the frustrations of being junior faculty members. While these activities have required my skills in research, teaching, and writing to succeed, without networking, I would be doing everything by myself. For instance, a few weeks ago a faculty member from another department contacted me to say that he was working on a large research grant where he needed someone with my expertise to be on the research team. One of my contacts within the community suggested my name to him as a person of interest and he wanted to know if I would like to work on the project. The project was related to my research background, so I agreed to be the Co-PI, which cut my work for writing a large grant proposal in half.
Advice:
My biggest advice to current HETC fellows is to be flexible on the job market. First, you need to be flexible in the positions you apply for. I enjoy teaching and research, so I applied to numerous positions, because I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do. I applied to work at small liberal arts colleges, large research institutions, private sector think tanks, tenure track positions, non-tenure track positions, and positions for the federal government. All of them were interesting, although I am happy where I ultimately ended up working. You also need to be flexible in how you market yourself. I was on the job market for two years. I realize now that during my first year, I was too narrow in how I presented my skills and research. My second year, I was more strategic in how I presented my experience and abilities. In fact, within the variety of positions I applied for, I ended up interviewing at every different type of position I applied for! I even remember during my interview at the Library of Congress' Congressional Research Service explaining how my teaching experience would be especially useful in presenting research information to decision-makers in Washington. Thinking outside of the box when articulating your potential achievement will help you reach a larger audience during your job search.
Stephanie Bolte (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Product Compliance Assistant at Ashland Hercules Water Technologies
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
The interviewing skills I learned in the HETC program served me well when I went on the job market rather suddenly. I felt prepared going into my interviews, even if they weren't traditional academic interviews.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
Although I'm not currently working in a teaching capacity, the HETC program helped me develop my communication skills as well as helped me understand how other people may process information. This is very helpful when I am working with customers.
Advice: Be willing to explore alternate paths! My original path to a teaching career changed suddenly, but I am still finding a way to pursue teaching as I look for adjunct teaching positions.
Julie (Lloyd) Palkendo (Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Assistant Professor, Chemistry, Department of Physical Sciences, Kutztown University, PA
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
I have no doubt that my participation in the HETC program aided in obtaining my current position. Colleges and universities focusing on "teaching" want candidates that 1) have experience teaching; and 2) have a genuine interest in the process of student learning. Especially for hires coming directly from graduate school, these types of schools want to see that the candidate will have a good balance between research and teaching. Without the program, it may be more difficult for research-intensive graduate students to display their interest of teaching witihin their discipline.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
Seeing as I'm building 80% of my courses from scratch, the course material regarding course design, syllabi, matching objectives to assessments has been extremely useful. Also, I often ask for student feedback to improve the course and my instruction. How to develop good tools for feedback as well as active learning tools, I use on a regular basis. Let's just say - I'd be sunk without this knowledge base!
Advice: Be true to yourself, and consider your ideal position. Match your personal goals to the goals, mission, visions of a faculty position, department, university.
Chanele Moore (Sociology & Criminal Justice)
Adjunct faculty at Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA
How has your HETC program participation aided in obtaining your current position?
My experience with HETC helped me prepare a thoughtful and detailed application to HFU. I did not get a tenure-track position (because of the recession) but distinguished myself as an excellent candidate.
What aspects of the HETC program do you utilize regularly?
One thing I rely on regularly is reflexive teaching. At least twice during the semester I think about how the class is going and how it could be improved, either mid semester or the next time I teach it. I talk to other faculty about what works for them and also ask the students what is helping them learn. This has increased my confidence and effectiveness in regard to connecting with students.
Advice: Be confident about what you do well and find confidence boosting ways to improve areas of weakness.
