Success Stories
“I spent my first few years as an academic administrator wondering if I was ever going to find the time to continue my scholarship. Participating in the Faculty Success Program not only provided me with the tools, strategies, and support necessary for rekindling my scholarly writing (and a joy and satisfaction in the writing process that was previously missing) but also ignited my desire to pursue full professor. The transformation I experienced during the FSP is by far the best professional gift that I have received since entering the academy.”
Michelle Bryan, PhD
Associate Professor, Leadership, Learning Design, and Inquiry
Associate Vice President, Office of Access and Opportunity
University of South Carolina
Trusted by Higher Education Institutions and Faculty
“FSP helped me to think particularly about mentoring and mentorship in a new way, as a much broader network with very specific functions for specific people. This really took a burden off of me feeling like I needed the “one mentor” like the “one ring to rule them all.” As a result, I have now been able to think more strategically. I was struggling with putting together a book proposal and reaching out for help on the book proposal. I have now been able to put together a couple of drafts of the book proposal and have gotten substantive feedback on them, which has been immensely helpful. I took away new frameworks for thinking about mentorship and my own academic labor which will support me particularly next year during my sabbatical, when I will be writing my book.”
Melissa Miller, PhD
Assistant Professor
Colby College
“My institution support was invaluable for my professional development. This program allowed me to gain the necessary tools to as I adjusted to my new position on the tenure track. Furthermore, I gained a new set of colleagues after taking FSP. Before FSP, I had a challenging time adjusting to the tenure track. More specifically, I noticed that I was spending more time working on course prep than research. However, after completing the FSP program, I can say that I now have the skills and insight needed to balance teaching and research. Furthermore, FSP emphasized self-care and I now ensure that I treat myself at least once a week! I am working on two articles and drafting the outline for my book proposal. One of the key things that I will take from the FSP program is to emphasize my self care. I realized throughout the semester that I became a better teacher and researcher by simply putting focusing on my self-care.”
Donovan Watts, PhD
Assistant Professor
Auburn University
Thinking about FSP? Start with the Guide
Do you feel like you’re constantly working but rarely moving forward? Whether you’re buried under deadlines, struggling to write consistently, or just trying to reclaim some work-life balance, the Faculty Success Program is here to help. This 10-week virtual program equips faculty with the structure, strategies, and support needed to thrive—both personally and professionally.
- Build Sustainable Writing Habits: Create a daily writing practice that fits your schedule and helps you publish more consistently.
- Gain Control of Your Time: Learn research-backed planning and productivity techniques to reduce stress and meet your goals.
- Stay Accountable and Supported: Work with expert coaches and a community of peers who keep you motivated and on track.
Over 15,000 faculty members have transformed the way they work through FSP. Now it’s your turn.
“The NCFDD site is a treasure trove that I so wish I’d had when I was an Assistant Professor at a small liberal arts college. If I had, I might be a tenured prof now. As a young woman of color, I made basically every mistake: was asked to do and accepted too much service;didn’t allocate daily or regular time for my own research and writing;was asked to do and took on “housekeeping” tasks that didn’t serve my professional goals;was disconnected from a supportive community and didn’t get any advice to help set me back on track. As a result, I became burned out, discouraged, and left the tenure track. Now as an administrator working to support instructors including early career faculty, I read all of NCFDD’s wisdom and practical tips and pass it on as much as I can as well as encouraging faculty to create their own account and learn from all of the webinars and online resources. I can’t thank the creators enough for this gold and wish all universities and colleges had an institutional membership and could better support their incoming faculty (as well as learning what to do, and not to do, themselves).”
Kritika Yegnashankaran, PhD
Senior Associate Director, Faculty and Lecturer Programs
Stanford University
“I feel I have been set up for success. The tips and learning I gleaned from FSP have supported my productivity and my future planning at Auburn. I’m also spending more time present with my family instead of worrying about deadlines. Some challenges I was facing prior to FSP were time management and writing — I was teaching so much and prepping materials that I didn’t have time for much else. During FSP I was working on 4 research papers and 2 manuscripts. I learned about the importance of writing every day — when I write every day, stuff gets done! I don’t have to spend four hours working on one piece, I can chip away at it which feels more sustainable. I also learned the importance of future planning. The strategic planning and weekly meetings were the most helpful for me. I needed to see what I was working on so I could make my goals concrete.”
Assistant Professor
Auburn University