Moving Day

As I sit in my office typing up this entry of DevNotes, I can’t help but feel the emptiness, surrounded by what was once a space filled with the sounds of my favorite Pandora station along with my talking out loud some new plans for a program or meeting with a colleague to unpack some training challenge that they needed help with. Needless to say, I can't help but feel a mix of emotions looking at the blank walls where I've spent countless hours brainstorming ideas, collaborating with colleagues, developing initiatives, and running programs to support the growth and success of our CT State community.

With this week serving as my last full week of work before going on a much-needed vacation, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey I've had over the past three years as the Interim Director of Professional Development for CT State Community College. It's been a time of tremendous growth, challenges, and achievements, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have served in this role.

When I first stepped into this position, I knew I was taking on a significant responsibility. Leaving my role as a faculty member to support faculty, staff, and administrators across all twelve community college campuses was a leap of faith to say the least. However, I was driven by a deep desire to make a positive impact and contribute to the success of our educational community. I'd like to think I've been fairly successful in this regard.

Tia McNair (2016) challenges educators to ask "How can we be more student-ready institutions, and I wanted to take that question to the next logical step. From the very beginning, I challenged myself by asking, "How can we make CT State a more colleague-ready institution?" with a goal of not making CT State a more appealing opportunity for the best, brightest, and most diverse array of new faculty and staff but also finding ways to strengthen our current community members to better retain our top talent. This question guided my work and inspired me to develop initiatives that would foster a supportive, inclusive, and growth-oriented environment for all.

Looking back, I'm proud of what we've accomplished together. Over the past two years, we've seen a remarkable doubling of engagement in professional development programs from the Office of Teaching and Learning. This is a testament to the dedication of our colleagues to learn, grow, and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of higher education.

Some of the highlights of our achievements include:

• Being recognized as a National Organization of Student Success Program of Promise for the Leadership Academy.
• Winning the prestigious Terry O'Banion (Gold) Award from the National Council on Student Development for program excellence in our Leadership Academy.
• Receiving recognition as an Emerging Exemplary Program from the National Writing Across the Curriculum Association and Clearinghouse for our innovative Writing Across the Curriculum initiative.
• Implementing a wide range of programs focused on promoting excellence in teaching, prioritizing diversity and inclusion, supporting learning growth, strengthening communication and collaboration, and providing leadership opportunities.

As I prepare to transition back to my primary faculty role, I’d be lying if I said it was an easy choice to shift gears. On one hand, I'm excited to return to the classroom and work directly with students once again. On the other hand, I will miss the daily interactions and collaborations with my colleagues across CT State in my capacity as the Interim Director of Professional Development. All the same, I know that the relationships we've built and the progress we've made will continue to thrive, and I look forward to exploring new ways to contribute to our professional development efforts in the future.

I look forward to returning refreshed and energized, ready to tackle new challenges and opportunities in my primary faculty role while continuing to support our professional development efforts in new and exciting ways. Until then, I wish you all a productive and fulfilling summer. Keep learning, keep growing, and keep making a difference in the lives of our students and our community.