Dear ,
It’s been a while! I’ve thought about reaching out many times—and I even drafted a few messages in my head—but I decided to hold off until I had more to share. Now it seems that I waited too long because my mind is overflowing!
Rather than trying to cram everything into a single message, I’m going to choose a few highlights and
commit to sending another email later this month.
Here’s what made the cut today.
First, I want to explicitly acknowledge that this is a tough time for many in higher ed. If you’re vacillating between hope and despair, you’re not alone. I’ve created a guide to help us honor our experience and rise to the challenges we face. Resourced & Ready: The Ultimate R&R outlines 10 keys to thriving in an uncertain—and unsettling—environment. I hope it meets you wherever you are.
Speaking of meeting… it’s Confab time! You may know that I’ve been running the STANDOUT Professor Confab for over a year now. It’s a wonderful opportunity for academic researchers from postdocs through senior scholars to come together for enhanced productivity and support. And there’s no better time to participate than summer, when structure tends to be lacking and we falsely believe we can accomplish 3 years’ worth of work in 3 months (plus have the vacation of our dreams and spend every afternoon lounging by the pool).
Please join us starting on May 13th, and spread the word! There’s strength in numbers, and that’s more important now than ever.
Finally, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how, for some of us, the academic environment is not merely challenging, but traumatizing. Exploring Pathways to Peace is a narrated slideshow that reviews common sources of trauma in academia (Preview: it’s not only catastrophic events), describes some of the symptoms, and offers tools for healing. I hope the presentation provides a path forward, whether you’ve experienced academic trauma
yourself or you’re seeking to help others.
Alright, I think that’s enough for now. I’ll be in touch again before long. Please take good care until then.
As always, thanks for being here, and thanks for being you.
Hope to see you soon!
