Informed and Inspired

Baylor is renowned for world-class faculty, and invests in their continued growth and development in teaching, research and more. Among development opportunities, Baylor's Summer Faculty Institute (SFI) stands out. Held each summer by Baylor's Academy for Teaching and Learning, SFI is a holistic, immersive annual experience that inspires and equips faculty with tools and practices for classroom and career success.

"One consistent outcome of the Summer Faculty Institute is that participants fall in love with their professions more deeply," Lenore Wright, Ph.D., Director of the Academy for Teaching and Learning, says. "Faculty learn to reframe their academic experiences. They revisit the challenges and demands of research and teaching and barriers to professional growth with colleagues who listen and respond with sensitivity. They leave with new, contextual insights and teaching strategies, all of which translates into a deeper passion for student success."

The most recent Summer Faculty Institute ended July 1 for the 20 attendees participating with this year's co-facilitators—Keith Schubert, Ph.D., graduate program director and professor of electrical & computer engineering, and Anne-Marie Schultz, Ph.D., a Baylor Master Teacher and undergraduate program director and professor of philosophy. The five-week class featured hallmarks of the SFI experience: insightful curriculum and conversations characterized by depth and vulnerability, microteaching experiences that demonstrate new teaching perspectives, deliverables that teachers can utilize for their own advancement and more.

"As we work with our faculty, we're illustrating three different areas that are beneficial for any faculty member at any level to take away," Andy Arterbury, Ph.D., professor of Christian scriptures in Baylor's George W. Truett Theological Seminary and a longtime SFI facilitator, says. "We help faculty connect to best practices, career growth/preparation for promotion and academic community bonding. It's informative, but it's about more than information—we help faculty link arms and build relationships that move them forward individually and move us forward as a University."

Each area described by Arterbury features a variety of categories and conversations designed to mine the insights of experienced faculty and discuss the challenges faced by all faculty members. Faculty attendees discover best practices in teaching, writing, preparation, research, service, collegiality, productivity and more. Discussions surrounding career insights and preparation for promotion connect attendees with the breadth of resources at Baylor, ranging from writing groups and funding opportunities to professional development networks. In community bonding, attendees meet with Baylor leaders who connect them further to the Baylor mission and culture.

Participants typically include faculty members across the spectrum of age and experience, with backgrounds varying from STEM to the humanities. Facilitators recall numerous instances of faculty research collaborations sparked by relationships built in SFI, and creative approaches to teaching in their own discipline after gaining insights into teaching from other disciplines. The transfer of information taking place benefits not only individual faculty members, but the University as well. Baylor offers attendees a stipend of $10,000 for attending.  

"SFI is a huge investment on Baylor's part," Wright says, "and records show it is a wise investment. If you look back at participant lists, you will notice that a vast majority of SFI Fellows have navigated promotion successfully and stayed at Baylor. Many are now academic leaders at the University. In short, a significant number of SFI Fellows are recognized as trusted and wise colleagues."

The five-week course runs each summer, with 20 slots available. Classes run Monday through Thursday with Friday as an independent workday for completing SFI activities. Registration for the 2023 SFI will open later this fall.

"SFI participants leave with new professional habits and tools as well as concrete deliverables like a five-year research and teaching plan. They are also equipped for big moments in their careers like promotion reviews," Wright says. "Finally, they express greater clarity about how to plan, prepare, and meet students where they are. When faculty are happy, confident, and passionate about their subjects, they seek to create increasingly rich educational experiences for the students they engage."