2019 Fall Events

What a wonderful season it has been experiencing all the beginning-of-the-year events. This year, we held our annual faculty gathering – and also added some new events to the mix to support our new and emerging faculty members.

FACULTY GATHERING

Our annual faculty gathering was held on August 20-21. The event kicked off with addresses by our President and Provost. They each gave reflections on the verse for the gathering:

Behold, I am doing a new thing;

Now it springs forth,

Do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

– Isiah 43:19

Next, Bob Reno led us in worship, as we sang together songs of God’s faithfulness. Jennifer Russum introduced some videos that celebrate Vanguard’s centennial and introduced our new faculty.

Bill Dogterom gave a powerful devotional about God’s faithfulness and about how now is really the only time we can truly experience it. He gave a moving illustration of how most of us (me very much included) are never really drinking the tea… We are almost always looking back or forward. Sandie Morgan weaved together some powerful stories of God’s faithfulness in various individuals’ experiences at Vanguard.

Bonni Stachowiak wrapped up the day with a workshop on culturally-responsive teaching.

Wednesday morning, the faculty participated in a lockbox activity and lots of discussion on culturally-responsive teaching. We wrapped up the Faculty Gathering with a resource fair and an all-academic house lunch. Thanks to Jennifer Russum for your innovative thinking that led us to host the resource fair and for your work in putting it together. Your leadership as chair of the Faculty Development Committee, again, this year helped to shape a distinct kind of faculty gathering where we could discover, explore, collaborate, and be in community over the course of the two days.

Thanks, also, to the entire 2019-2020 Faculty Development Committee members, who poured into this event and kept the ideas going from very early on… Julie Wilson, Alex Lin, Kristen Lashua, Jackie Parke, Trish Fisher, Terrelle Sales, and Jennifer Russum (chair).

EMERGING FACULTY GATHERING

30 faculty gathered for an exploration of James Lang’s book: Small Teaching Laurie Hatch led us in a LEGO exercise that helped us uncover our teaching philosophies. Bonni Stachowiak facilitated exercises that reinforced the approaches introduced in Small Teaching. Finally, James Lang joined us via Zoom for a Q&A.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Emerging Faculty Gathering.

NEW FACULTY EXPERIENCE

11 individuals joined us for the New Faculty Experience August 12-16. You can view the course material and resources for this event, contained in a publicly visible Canvas course.

Select modules in each of the courses to see the resources associated with each learning outcome.

I am grateful for the Institute for Faculty Development team members for all your tireless work at making these events be successful. Thank you to Shannon Jonsson, David Rhoads, and John Sim. I had such a great time collaborating with each of you on these efforts and witnessing you each get to use your strengths in such powerful ways.

My deep appreciation also goes to everyone who engaged in these events in ways big and small. The best aspects of Vanguard’s culture were exemplified this past couple of weeks, because of you.