NetVUE offers a wide range of professional development opportunities for faculty members, staff, and administrators at member institutions. These programs are funded through member dues and generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., which means that they are available at little or no additional cost to members. Most of these programs are designed to take place on campus; NetVUE sends resources (such as books) and/or people (consultants and workshop leaders) to the institution to carry out a project that fits its needs and interests. A few programs provide funding to gather faculty members or staff in a central location for a seminar or workshop. Current opportunities are described in detail below; suggestions for additional offerings are always welcome. Questions or comments may be directed to Rachael Baker, NetVUE director of professional development, at rbaker@cic.edu or (616) 526-7939.
NetVUE Consultations
Two different programs are available: campus-wide consultations to address broader institutional issues, and focused consultations to provide guidance for specific vocation-related programs. Both programs bring experienced NetVUE leaders to member campuses and are designed to help institutions launch or make progress on vocation initiatives, with the cost of the consultant’s time and travel covered by NetVUE. In partnership with a consultant, institutions and/or smaller teams of leaders can develop concrete plans to deepen and strengthen the work of vocation on their campus.
NetVUE Consultants
Left to right: Rachael Baker, Professor of Biology, Calvin University; Esteban Loustaunau, Professor of Spanish, Assumption University; Julie Massey, Chief of Staff, St. Norbert College; Krista Hughes, Professor of Religion, Newberry College; Kurt Schackmuth, Vice President for Mission and Associate Provost for Student Success, Lewis University; Monica Smith, formerly Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, Augustana College (IL).
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Vocation Workshops
This program provides for on-site learning opportunities by arranging for an experienced NetVUE leader to come to campus, with the costs of that person’s time and travel fully covered by NetVUE. The workshop leader will work with on-campus teams to provide content and support for thinking about vocation-related projects and questions. The planned workshop could support the launch of a new on-campus project or help reshape or redirect the institution’s approach to an existing project.
Campus Visit Program
This program provides funding for a team of up to four persons from one NetVUE institution to visit one or more other NetVUE institutions. These visits are designed to help institutions learn about particularly successful programming for students, professional development opportunities for faculty members and staff, fundraising endeavors, diversity initiatives, or other projects that might be adapted and developed as part of the visiting institution’s engagement with vocational exploration and discernment.
The NetVUE Big Read
The Big Read program offers faculty members, staff, and administrators at an institution the opportunity to read and learn together. Each year, NetVUE chooses a recent book on vocation for participating institutions to explore; the books are provided at no cost to the institution.
The Collaborative Read
The Collaborative Read program is designed to encourage faculty members, staff, and administrators to collaborate with their counterparts at one or more other NetVUE institutions and to learn by reading together. Any individual or group at a NetVUE member institution can assemble a reading group and choose a book of interest by people who have been involved in recent work with NetVUE, whether through a conference presentation, podcast, blog, or book review. Participants may choose from a list of NetVUE recommendations or propose a book of their own; in either case, books are supplied free of charge to the reading group.
NetVUE Summer Seminars
Teaching Vocational Exploration
NetVUE offers an annual faculty seminar, “Teaching Vocational Exploration,” for full-time faculty members in all fields at NetVUE member institutions. The seminar is designed for early- to mid-career faculty members, who will learn to strengthen the teaching of vocational exploration in their own classrooms and to initiate conversations about vocation and pedagogy with colleagues on their home campuses. Each year’s seminar takes place in June at a location in the central part of the country; all participant expenses are paid, including a travel stipend.
Faculty members must be nominated for this opportunity by the chief academic officer at their institution. They are asked to submit a CV and a statement indicating their interest in the seminar, as well as a description of the course that they hope to design or modify as part of their work at the seminar.
Vocation Across Campus
The NetVUE Staff Seminar “Vocation Across Campus: Supporting Students’ Search for Meaning” is open to full-time staff members—in any division—at the assistant director or director level or the equivalent. One of the most promising ways that staff can serve their students is to guide them into an exploration of their many callings in life. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about vocation and its importance for undergraduate students, to develop or revise programming or initiatives to support vocational exploration, and to cultivate a broader network of colleagues committed to supporting students’ work in this area. The 5-day seminar will take place June 2025 in the central part of the country; all participant expenses are paid, including a generous travel reimbursement.
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