New Faculty Teaching & Mentoring Program
Welcome to the New Faculty Teaching & Mentoring Program (NFTMP)! This program was designed to support our new Kent State faculty from across our eight-campus system as they transition into their new roles. Through this program, we will connect you with faculty mentors, provide opportunities to develop and refine your teaching practices, and offer insights into how to navigate the Kent State system and the RTP (reappointment, tenure, promotion) and renewal processes.
All new faculty are encouraged to participate in this program, as well as any faculty member in their first three years at Kent State. All full-time faculty will find usefulness in the Fall retreat program that covers teaching-focused strategies as well as professional development and navigating Kent State University information. Both days of the retreat include dedicated time with mentors who have navigated the role new faculty are just beginning. Completion of this program will result in documentation, shared with your unit administrator, that shows your commitment to your professional development.
Program Structure
To better build community and fit into everyone’s busy schedules, we will hold the program as a retreat over two days that coincide with Fall Break on October 2-3, 2025. The program is divided into two parts:
Day 1 will allow us to dive deeply into evidence-based teaching practices
Day 2 will examine topics related to the Kent State systems and structure, how to prepare for RTP and Renewal, and general strategies for developing healthy and productive habits as a new faculty member
Throughout both days, time will be provided for new faculty to work with a variety of experienced faculty mentors who will offer insights, expertise, and personalized support. Faculty who are in their first three years at Kent State as full-time faculty members are encouraged to participate in either or both days.
Click here to register for the Fall NFTMP Program!
Reflections from Past Participants
“This was wonderful and I'm so glad Kent offers it.”
“I really enjoyed the consistency of meeting . . . .I also liked that it was a mix of CTL [staff], mentors, and new faculty. [The program] brought a lot of great perspectives. Thank you!”
“[F]eeling confident that if I need something, I know either where to find the information/where to look for the information, and if I don't know where to look, I know who to ask.”
“Finding the resources that I could use in my classroom and discussing my hardships with people who could give suggestions and help.”
“Learning about a variety of topics that would have taken much more time for me to try to seek out on my own. Instead of searching for information when I need it, I feel prepared for when I need it.”
“As a regional campus faculty member, sometimes I feel disconnected from main campus/the community as a whole. I may not have been the most vocal of participants, but I think the entire CTL staff and the various faculty mentors ended up feeling like a true work family to me, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could reach out to any one of them about anything at all, and they would truly be delighted to help me however they could. That alone is an invaluable resource, not to mention everything I learned along the way!”