NetVUE Summer Seminar: Teaching Vocational Exploration

The NetVUE Summer Seminar: Teaching Vocational Exploration is a multidisciplinary seminar organized by the CIC for full-time faculty members at colleges and universities that are members of the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE). Specifically designed for early- to mid-career faculty members, particularly those at the rank of assistant or associate professor, this seminar emphasizes the importance of vocational exploration in undergraduate education.

Participants will explore various understandings of vocation and their relevance in teaching, develop new courses or modify existing ones, and network with peers who share a commitment to vocational exploration.

Held at the Alexander Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana, the seminar will focus on several key areas: examining diverse meanings of vocation, refining course content and teaching methods related to vocational exploration, and reflecting on the academic vocation's shape and experience. Participants will engage in discussions regarding mentoring students for ongoing vocational exploration and understanding the characteristics of emerging adults, alongside the social, cultural, and institutional dynamics that may affect living out one's vocation.

In preparation, participants are required to read selected materials on vocation and submit a brief reflection. Following the seminar, they will be expected to develop or redesign a course that emphasizes vocational exploration, with opportunities to share their experiences in a reunion the following summer. The seminar aims to foster a deeper understanding of the privilege and responsibility associated with teaching vocation.

Faculty members are encouraged to apply through their institutions, with nominations from chief academic officers highlighting the nominees’ qualifications and potential impact on campus culture. Thanks to a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the CIC will cover most of the costs associated with the seminar, including materials, lodging, meals, and travel reimbursement of up to $900 per participant.

This initiative opens doors for faculty members and staff who wish to contribute to the national conversation on vocation and calling, particularly those in administrative roles or those who wish to integrate vocational exploration into their academic fields, including theology and religious studies as well as life and health sciences.