A Virtual Workshop for Building Leadership Capacity to Support Two-Year College and Disciplinary Society Collaborations

January 31, February 21, February 28, March 7, 2025, one of two 1.5-hour summer sessions, September 19, 2025

Workshop Description

This virtual workshop (five 3.5-hour sessions held over several months and one 1.5-hour session held in the summer) for 2YC participants and disciplinary society representatives will (a) provide leadership development and experiences, (b) prepare participants for the three outreach activities (see below) that will advance disciplinary team action plans and promote 2YC-disciplinary society collaborations and the benefit of such collaborations, and (c) foster cross-disciplinary engagement, identified as important in the previous workshops, and build community. Leadership development will include sessions such as leadership approaches (using Bolman & Deal, 2017), leading change and bringing others along, building strategic relationships, building your leadership tool kit, and sustaining change.

Workshop Goals

The work of building strong engagement between 2YCs and disciplinary societies must be ongoing, and building leadership capacity of participants working as agents of change is a crucial next step. Specific workshop goals are to:

  • Provide leadership development that supports participants in developing as agents of change in their disciplinary societies/on-campus to promote 2YC-disciplinary society collaborative efforts.
  • Support participants in leading outreach activities that build on discipline-specific action plans and communicate the benefits of 2YC-disciplinary society engagement.
  • Build networks and communities of 2YC faculty and disciplinary society representatives within and across disciplines.
  • Investigate the impact of this leadership development in moving 2YC-disciplinary society collaborations forward.

The workshop is by invitation, and will bring together approximately 44 2YC faculty and disciplinary society leaders from 11 disciplines: biology, chemistry, economics, geography, geoscience, mathematics, meteorology/atmospheric science, physics, political science, psychology, and sociology. It will provide a structured opportunity for disciplinary teams to develop disciplinary plans and lead outreach activities.

Workshop Schedule (workshop will be virtual)

We will provide an introductory informational webinar on Friday, December 13, noon-1pm ET (that will be recorded for those unable to attend). The workshop will:

  • Take place over five 3.5-hour Zoom sessions (12-3:30pm ET): Fridays, January 31, Feb 21, Feb 28, March 7, with the concluding workshop day in September (likely September 19), as well as one 1.5-hour meeting in the summer. Sessions will focus on enhancing capacity for participants to develop as agents of change in their disciplinary societies/campus and including both disciplinary and cross-disciplinary breakouts.
  • Include time to design outreach activities that build on disciplinary action plans and focus on disseminating the value of disciplinary society-2YC collaboration(s). These activities would include (1) a team-developed and led outreach activity, (2) an individual-led outreach activity, and (3) a strategic dialogue with a key administrator.

Additional Information

Disciplinary plans:

The workshop will provide a scaffolded approach for disciplinary teams to work on their discipline-specific action plans to expand collaborations between two-year colleges and disciplinary societies. The workshop will also provide opportunities to share across disciplines and to learn more about other two-year college National Science Foundation (NSF) funding sources.

The workshop:

The virtual workshop will offer multiple opportunities for participants to interact in plenary and breakout sessions as well as through shared documents and slides. Participants will meet both in disciplinary teams and cross-disciplinary small groups. Sessions will be interactive, following effective practices for engaging participants and promoting inclusive discussions. Written notes/reports from sessions will enable participants to learn from each other and provide opportunities for commenting on that work.

Workshop topics on leadership:

  • Understanding leadership approaches,
  • Leading change and bringing others along
  • Building your leadership toolkit
  • Building strategic relationships
  • Institutionalizing change and succession planning

Outreach activities:

The workshop will provide opportunities for participants to apply lessons from leadership development sessions. Participants will have time during the workshop to design a plan for each of the outreach activities listed below:

  • An interactive workshop or other activity at a disciplinary society meeting or virtually led by each disciplinary team that would engage 2YC faculty in the 2YC-disciplinary society action plan.
  • An interactive event led by each participant for their respective community focused on the benefits of 2YC-disciplinary society opportunities and discipline-specific resources.
  • A dialogue in which each participant will meet with a campus administrator or disciplinary society colleague to discuss ways that 2YC-disciplinary society engagement could strengthen and further their campus or disciplinary society goals.

Workshop Conveners:

  • Ellen Iverson, SERC at Carleton College
  • Heather Macdonald, Geology, William & Mary, Emerita
  • Mark Maier, Economics, Glendale Community College, Emeritus
  • Pamela Eddy, School of Education, William & Mary
  • Monica Bruckner, SERC at Carleton College

Workshop Consultants

  • Thomas Higgins, Chemistry, Harold Washington College
  • Sharon Zuber, William & Mary Writing Center, Director Emerita
The funding agency and participating institutions are committed to maintaining a community where all individuals who participate can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. For full information including independent monitors to report occurrences or concerns see the Code of Conduct.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education through grant DUE 2433814. Disclaimer: Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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