2: Building Intentional Community and Support

Faculty development often focuses on the individual level, noting the steps that faculty members can take to advance themselves. One component of professional development that is often missing is the role that community plays in advancing our careers. We benefit from testing new ideas with others, support and guidance from those we trust, and solidarity with people who share our circumstances. While community is important, not all groups are helpful as we progress through our careers. A group might not fit our needs, a group may contain members that are not supportive, or we might outgrow a group that once worked well for us. So, as we look for communities to help advance our professional growth, it is important to be intentional in finding groups that align with our needs and futures. This chapter emphasizes the importance of intentionally developing communities as a component of professional development. Such groups include Professional Learning Networks (PLNs), affinity groups, and book groups. These groups are a useful way to connect with others around various professional issues and can help us develop a sense of community with others in our profession. The main purpose of this chapter is to help faculty intentionally build community groups as a component of professional development.