Faculty find new opportunities for networking, productivity in writing retreats
Virginia Tech faculty, representing eight colleges and more than 30 academic departments, gathered this summer at the Inn at Virginia Tech for a series of faculty writing retreats sponsored by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.
The retreats provided an opportunity for faculty to focus on specific productivity goals in a supportive environment and to develop a network of peers outside of their departments or colleges.
Nearly 60 faculty came together for this first series of day-long retreats that began with brief goal setting and were followed by opportunities for discussion and collaboration over lunch in addition to designated writing time. Going forward, these sessions will be held on a biannual basis with the next series of retreats scheduled for January 2019.
“I’m so pleased with the response we received to these retreats,” said Rachel Gabriele, assistant provost for faculty initiatives and policies and organizer of these retreat program. “Not only were the participants incredibly productive, but I was excited to see the connections being made. In fact, the retreats were so successful that faculty who attended planned additional writing days to continue to work with some of the scholars they met at the retreats.”
Gabriele said she had one faculty participant tell her that in the two days of the writing retreat that she attended, the faculty member was able to submit a paper she’d been struggling with for a month. “This participant said the timing of the retreats was great, too, since there was still time left during the summer, and she felt reinvigorated to finish even more research.”
Faculty who are interested in participating in a future writing retreat may contact Rachel Gabriele in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at rachelvg@vt.edu. The retreat sessions are free, but space is limited and registration is required. Faculty are able to register for any or all sessions.
All Virginia Tech faculty (tenured or tenure-track, collegiate, continued appointment or continued appointment-track, research, extension, clinical, instructors, and adjuncts) are invited to attend.
