Participants of the 2019-20 cohort have said about the program:
"Connecting with new faculty from other departments has been really wonderful. It has created social connections outside work and a sense of a larger network of people going through the same process."
"The program creates a sense of camaraderie, a community who is with you at the beginning and understands the challenges you face (a feeling you don't always get from the department at large.)"
"The most valuable aspect is the "wide range" of topics covered: the basic institutional "landscape" of Penn, professional/career development, personal life and health. I can't think of any other way to get such a "bird's eye view" of the different aspects that I should think about during the first few years in my career."
"I learned a lot - more than I'd expected. There were a lot of "unknown unknowns" for me. And it was interesting to get more insights into how things work in other departments."
"Annette is fantastic. I can feel her genuine care and kindness for us as well as her enthusiasm in this program."
"I found the program to be very helpful - even after the pandemic moved the sessions online, it was a supportive resource."
Participants of the 2018-19 cohort have said about the program:
"This has been an amazing workshop series which unraveled a lot of “mysteries” that an assistant professor wonders about (tenure, teaching strategies, etc.). Annette was absolutely fantastic."
“It was a really useful format to not only to network, but to think through a range of anticipated and unanticipated themes of being a new person on the tenure track at Penn.”
“The format of the workshop provides a window of relaxation and active listening in the busy schedule of an early career academic.”
“Made me feel more incorporated into the Penn community thanks not only to getting to meet a variety of senior scholars but also through the connections with other new faculty.”
“A great way to connect with other junior faculty across SAS."
“I have found the workshop series to be very helpful in a number of ways: information, networking, building solidarity, feeling normal.”
“It has been great! What an amazing resource. I cannot imagine what it would have been like without it. How are we supposed to learn all these things independently? I am very grateful for it.”
“I have thoroughly enjoyed this workshop. It's forced me to break the daily grind of my normal commitments, and spend time learning about career development and how to be successful.”
“EXTREMELY insightful and informative.”