Faculty Leadership Incubator for Senators (FLI)
The Faculty Leadership Incubator for Senators is designed for current Faculty Senators who want to deepen their leadership capacity within shared governance. The program recognizes that effective faculty leadership emerges not only from formal roles, but also from everyday actions, coalition building, and strategic engagement across the university.
Nomination and Application Process
We invite nominations including self-nominations of current Faculty Senators who demonstrate interest in strengthening their leadership, expanding their impact, and contributing to the ongoing work of shared governance.
Self-nominees will complete the full application when submitting their nomination. Those nominated by someone else will be invited to complete the application before the deadline. Additional program details and session dates will be provided upon acceptance.
Program Format
The Senate Track is intentionally small to encourage open dialogue, peer support, and community‑building among senators. Sessions are held in person to promote deeper interaction and shared learning.
Program Topics
- Leading Self: Foundations of Leadership – developing self-awareness, leadership identity, and personal strengths
- Leading Self: Communication and Influence – navigating difficult conversations, building alliances, and communicating with clarity and purpose
- Leader Others: Skills for Governance – strengthening the ability to operate effectively within structures, committees, rules of order, and shared governance systems
- Leading Others: Vision and Strategic Thinking – shaping long-term perspectives and aligning actions with institutional goals
- Leading Systems: Shaping Culture and Driving Change – understanding how culture evolves and how faculty leaders can positively influence it
- Integration and Impact – putting it all together in a personal development plan
Time Commitment
The program meets once per month Sept-November, and January-March during the 2026–27 academic year. Participants are expected to attend all sessions in full and engage in short readings or reflections that support each topic. All sessions will be held in person with accommodates for senators from outside of Blacksburg.
Program Schedule
Sessions are held on the fourth Friday of each month, except for November where we will be meeting on the second Friday due to Thanksgiving break.
| Date & Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| Friday, September 25, 2026 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
Leading Self: Foundations of Leadership - Developing self-awareness, leadership identity, and personal strengths. |
| Friday, October 23, 2026 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Leading Self: Communication and Influence – Navigating difficult conversations, building alliances, and communicating with clarity and purpose. |
| Friday, November 13, 2026 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Leader Others: Skills for Governance – Strengthening the ability to operate effectively within structures, committees, rules of order, and shared governance systems. |
| Friday, January 22, 2027 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Leading Others: Vision and Strategic Thinking – Shaping long-term perspectives and aligning actions with institutional goals. |
| Friday, February 26, 2027 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Leading Systems: Shaping Culture and Driving Change – Understanding how culture evolves and how faculty leaders can positively influence it. |
| Friday, March 26, 2027 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
Integration and Impact – Putting it all together in a personal development plan. |
Chelsea Thompto, David L. Brunsma, Rebecca Hester, Matthew Eick, Jerald Walz, Kim Loeffert, William Headley, Anna M Duraj-Thatte, Curtis Bower, Nicholas Goedert, Harold McKenzie, Ryan Calder
Let’s celebrate the leaders who help shape our academic community!