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Professional Development

Early Career Faculty Cohort 2026-2027

Friday, August 28, 2026 to Friday, April 30, 2027

* Registration open until 8/24/26 at 11:59 AM (PDT)

The ASHE 2026-2027 Early Career Faculty Cohort will offer a supportive, community-centered series designed for faculty members in their pre-promotion years, including tenure-track, clinical, and adjunct faculty as well as administrators who have recently joined the faculty at any rank. Through six sessions, participants engage in facilitated learning and networking focused on integrating identity in academia, mentoring, teaching, advising, and navigating promotion. In addition to virtual sessions, the cohort will gather during the ASHE General Conference for a session and a networking lunch. Each session combines structured facilitation with intentional community-building, fostering connections, reflection, and strategies for thriving across various faculty roles.

Learning/Event Outcomes

After the workshop, attendees will be able to:

  • Develop strategies to align their research, teaching, and service activities with individual values and institutional expectations.
  • Expand their professional network by engaging with senior and early career scholars. 
  • Create the beginnings of a personalized career development plan that reflects their unique aspirations and circumstances. 

Funding Support

Potential attendees are encouraged to seek support from their program/department/college. We encourage institutional leaders to support new faculty members with this specialized professional development opportunity. If more information is needed, please reach out to ASHE Executive Director Jason Guilbeau at jason@ashe.ws.

Credits Price
Current ASHE Member Registration
Registration includes 5 virtual sessions and 1 in-person session with lunch. Registration Ends 8/27/26 at 12:00 PM PDT
$200.00
Non-Member Registration
Registration includes 5 virtual sessions and 1 in-person session with lunch. Registration Ends 8/27/26 at 12:00 PM PDT
$250.00

Participants are expected to attend all sessions of the cohort. Once you register, we will follow up with calendar invites.

Session 1: Welcome, Introductions, ASHE Overview, Community Building 

Friday, August 28, 2026
12:00pm-2:30pm Pacific Time
Virtual via Zoom

  • 1 hour facilitated
  • 15 minute break
  • 1.25 hour community/networking

Session 2: Integrating your whole self in teaching, research, & service 

Friday, September 25, 2026
12:00pm-2:30pm  Pacific Time
Virtual via Zoom

  • 1 hour facilitated
  • 15 minute break
  • 1.25 hour community/networking

Session 3: Joint Session with Mid-Career Faculty Group

Wednesday, November 4, 2026
11:30am-2:30pm Atlantic Time
In-Person in San Juan 

  • Includes lunch

Session 4: Balancing Self and Centering Students in Teaching and Advising

Friday, January 22, 2027
12:00pm-2:30pm Pacific Time
Virtual via Zoom

  • 1 hour facilitated
  • 15 minute break
  • 1.25 hour community/networking

Session 5: Navigating Productivity, Promotion, and Politics 

Friday, March 5, 2027
12:00pm-2:30pm Pacific Time
Virtual via Zoom

  • 1 hour facilitated
  • 15 minute break
  • 1.25 hour community/networking

Session 6: Crafting Your Success Plan 

Friday, April 30, 2027
12:00pm-2:30pm Pacific Time
Virtual via Zoom

  • 1 hour facilitated
  • 15 minute break
  • 1.25 hour community/networking

For questions about this event, please reach out to the ASHE Staff.

Thank you to our event leader.

Jesse R. Ford, PhD
he/him 
Event Chair
Assistant Professor of Higher Education
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

For More Information:

Alicia Castillo Shrestha
Alicia Castillo Shrestha
Director for Conference and Professional Development Association for the Study of Higher Education (202)925-5935

Event Information

  • Virtual events are live captioned through Zoom. An opportunity to share how the event can be more accessible for you is provided in the registration form. For questions about accessibility, please reach out to the ASHE Staff.
  • All ASHE Professional Development events encourage participants to engage throughout the event in various ways. To provide an environment that is conducive to learning and engagement and to provide a safe space (to the extent possible), Professional Development events are not recorded.
  • Attendees will review and agree to the ASHE Events Code of Conduct (https://www.ashe.ws/code-of-conduct) and Payment Policies (https://www.ashe.ws/payment-policies) during registration.