NC State SPARK: Summer Programs: Aspire, Renew, Kindle
NC State SPARK: Summer Programs: Aspire, Renew, Kindle is an asynchronous professional development offering for faculty, staff, and graduate students.
These summer programs are a series of email blasts, delivered weekly during the month of July, designed to advance the professional development of our faculty, staff and graduate students during the summer months. Each week is designed to help the reader/listener to work through a different aspect of getting ready to go back in the fall by offering original content, journaling prompts, mini-podcasts with subject matter experts, and curated resources such as videos and readings that support the central theme of the week.
Materials are developed to be accessed at your own pace, in your own time, and using your favorite device.
July 2025: Building You Network
Building your Network: Mentors, Coaches, and Sponsors for Faculty Success
Academic success in higher education is all about relationships, from research collaborations and learning from teaching experts to connecting with students; building a robust network throughout your career is crucial for scholarly and instructional development. The SPARK 2025 program, Building Your Network: Mentors, Coaches and Sponsors for Faculty Success, is designed to help faculty, staff and graduate students discern their current needs and strategically cultivate a powerful network of mentors, coaches and sponsors to achieve career goals at every stage. Over four dynamic weeks, you’ll receive a podcast, printable resources and a blog post each week, covering topics like understanding your support needs, the nuances of mentoring and coaching, and the power of sponsorship, while also gaining tips on how to be a better mentor, coach or sponsor yourself. You can also engage in conversation around these topics with other participants using social media channels, fostering a collaborative learning environment. By the end of July, you’ll walk away with a solid plan to enhance your existing network to meet your future aspirations. Our program this year is a collaboration between NC State and Georgia Tech. Enroll today!
July 2024: The Paper Trail
July 2023: Summer of What If?
Week 1: What if Research Was Your Main Focus?
Week 2: What if Leadership Was Your Main Focus?
Week 3: What if Service Was Your Main Focus?
Week 4: What if Teaching Was Your Main Focus?
July 2022: Idea Camp
Week 1: Idea generation
Week 2: Idea refinement
Week 3: Idea planning
Week 4: Idea implementation
July 2021: #Unplugged
Week 1: We are not OK, and that’s OK
Week 2: We are in the moment
Week 3: We can move forward
Week 4: We are ready