Faculty Mentoring
The College of Humanities and Sciences will host the following mentoring workshops and circles in the Fall 2025 semester. Participants must register via the link below prior to attending a workshop.
For questions, please contact CHS Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner.
Please also see Faculty Affairs Events offered by the Office of the Provost as well as workshops by the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and the Learning Experience Design Studio.
Mentoring Workshops on Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom
Getting Started with Gen AI in the Classroom
Friday, August 22, 2025, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
This introductory workshop is offered for faculty interested in learning about Gen AI for their classes. It is offered and hosted by Dr. Joshua Smith, Founding Fellow of the Media & AI Initiative in the Robertson School of Communication, and John Skaritza, Director of Information Technology in the College of Humanities & Sciences. The workshop will provide an introduction to the licensed Gen AI tools and technologies at VCU as well as strategies on how to get started using them as teaching tools in the classroom.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Prompt Engineering for AI Bootcamp
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Friday, September 5, 2025, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
This introductory, hands-on workshop is designed for faculty interested in exploring how to integrate licensed generative AI tools—such as Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini—into their teaching practice. Offered at two different times, the session invites participants to bring real course materials—such as assignments, rubrics, syllabi, or classroom activities—for collaborative refinement using Gen AI technologies available at VCU. Led by Dr. Joshua Smith, Founding Fellow of the Media & AI Initiative in the Robertson School of Communication, and John Skaritza, Director of Information Technology in the College of Humanities & Sciences, the lab will guide participants through building custom, reusable AI prompts tailored to their instructional needs. Faculty will leave with practical applications they can immediately implement in the classroom.
Format: In person and capacity is limited to 25 participants for each bootcamp on a first-registered basis (location will be sent after registration)
CHS Gen AI Teaching Summit
Friday, October 17, 2025, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
This full-day in-person conference on Fall Reading Day (no classes in session) will provide presentations, panels, hands-on workshops and networking opportunities for CHS faculty and staff around the topic of Teaching with Gen AI in the Classroom. The program will be announced by mid-September 2025. Lunch will be served and prior registration is required.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room 216)
New Faculty Orientation
Monday, August 18, 2025, 1-3 p.m.
This orientation session for newly hired tenure-track and term faculty includes meetings with Dean Catherine Ingrassia and key members of the dean's office team. Guidance will be provided as new faculty prepare for their start in the College of Humanities and Sciences.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room 202)
New Faculty Mentoring Lunches
Meet the Dean
Friday, September 19, 2025, 12-1 p.m.
Meeting with Dean Catherine Ingrassia and Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner for newly hired tenure-track and term faculty about strategy for success as a faculty member in the College of Humanities and Sciences. Lunch will be served and prior registration is required. Restricted to newly hired faculty.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room 503)
Supporting Student Success
Friday, October 3, 2025, 12-1 p.m.
Meeting with Dr. Krista Scott, Associate Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and Special Programs, and Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner for newly hired tenure-track and term faculty about student success support programs at VCU. Lunch will be served and prior registration is required. Restricted to newly hired faculty.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room 503)
Funding Opportunities for Teaching and Research
Friday, November 14, 2025, 12-1 p.m.
Meeting with Dr. Angela Reynolds, Associate Dean for Research, and Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner for newly hired tenure-track and term faculty about external and internal funding opportunities to support teaching and research initiatives. Lunch will be served and prior registration is required. Restricted to newly hired faculty.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room 503)
Reflecting on the First Semester
Thursday, December 11, 2025, 11:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.
Meeting with Dean Catherine Ingrassia and Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner for newly hired tenure-track and term faculty to share stories of success and challenge from the first semester in the College of Humanities and Sciences. Lunch will be served and prior registration is required. Restricted to newly hired faculty.
Format: In person (STEM Building, room 503)
Mentoring Workshops on Faculty Promotions
You Got Tenure, Now What?
Friday, August 29, 2025, 12-1 p.m.
Workshop with Dean Catherine Ingrassia and Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner for recently tenured associate professors to provide guidance on how to stay on track with research and teaching for a future promotion to professor.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Tenure-Track Assistant Professors
Friday, September 5, 2025, 1-2:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for tenure-track faculty members who are currently at the assistant professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to associate professor with tenure in the future.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Panelists:
- Baobao Song, Robertson School of Communication
- Daeha Joung, Department of Physics
- Jessica Nelson, Department of English
Term Instructors and Assistant Professors
Friday, September 19, 2025, 10-11:30 a.m.
Workshop with Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for term faculty members who are currently at the instructor or assistant professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to assistant or associate professor in the future.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Panelists:
- Maribel Moheno, Department of English (Spanish Program)
- Jody Cox, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
- Jessica Brown, Department of Psychology
Term Associate Professors
Friday, October 3, 2025, 1:30-3 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for term faculty members who are currently at the associate professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to professor in the future.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Panelists:
- Gretchen Comba, Department of English
- Jennifer Joy-Gaba, Department of Psychology
- Carmen Rodriguez Hernandez, School of Life Sciences and Sustainability
Tenured Associate Professors
Friday, October 24, 2025, 1-2:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner and recently promoted faculty members to provide guidance on the promotion process for tenured faculty members who are currently at the associate professor level and plan to be reviewed for promotion to professor with tenure in the future.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Panelists:
- Jason Arnold, Department of Political Science
- Ryan Smith, Department of History
- Sarah Seashols-Williams, Department of Forensic Science
Mentoring Workshop on Faculty Leave
Leave Application Process
Friday, September 26, 2025, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Workshop with Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner to describe the process for and answer your questions about faculty study-research and educational leave. This information session occurs before the submission deadline for leave applications, which are due on Oct. 31, 2025. Read more about the leave policy here.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)
Pre-Promotion Training
Q&A Sessions for Spring 2026 Pre-Promotion and Third-Year Review Candidates
Friday, December 5, 2025, 1-2 p.m.
Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 12-1 p.m.
Friday, January 16, 2026, 10-11 a.m.
Friday, February 6, 2026, 1-2 p.m.
Training sessions for term and tenure-track assistant professors who will be undergoing pre-promotion or third-year reviews during the 2026 Spring Semester. A training video will be shared prior to the sessions. Associate Deans Amy Rector and Marcus Messner will then answer questions about the review process in these sessions.
Format: Virtual via Zoom (link will be sent after registration)