About the Colloquy
Participants in the NetVUE colloquy on Writing Vocation will become familiar with and better equipped to write about vocation in different contexts. They will learn about opportunities within NetVUE to write about vocation, develop possible projects, and create a writing plan for such work. Colloquy facilitators (Geoffrey Bateman, Krista Hughes, and Erin VanLaningham) will lead participants through a series of sessions and share insights into how to approach writing about vocation in different genres and for different audiences, such as writing for blogs and for professional journals (including venues sponsored by NetVUE). Colloquy participants will be given time to explore writing projects about vocation, to do some writing, and to consult individually with the facilitators. The colloquy is meant for writers from all disciplines, in all institutional roles, and with any level of experience.
Dates & Location for the
2026 NetVUE Colloquy
on Writing Vocation
Application deadline: October 30, 2026
Announcement of participant selection: November 2026
Colloquy dates: January 15–17, 2027
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Thanks to a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., CIC will cover most costs of participation for those individuals who are selected.
Current Status
Up to 15 participants will be selected by application to the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), which administers and supports the NetVUE program. Faculty members, staff, and administrators who work at NetVUE member institutions are eligible to apply. Selected participants will be notified in November 2026.
Colloquy Leaders
Geoffrey Bateman is the NetVUE director of strategic communications and editor of Vocation Matters, NetVUE’s blog. In this role, he develops and executes communication strategies that support organizational goals and oversees all facets of the blog: recruiting and coordinating writers, editing the work, and writing the occasional post himself. In 2017, he participated in the inaugural NetVUE seminar on Teaching Vocational Exploration. He is also a NetVUE Scholar; his essay, “Queer Vocation and the Common Good,” appears in the fourth volume of the NetVUE Scholarly Resources Project, Called Beyond Our Selves: Vocation and the Common Good (Oxford, 2024). He is professor of criminology, sociology and justice studies at Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
Krista Hughes is NetVUE’s director of resource development. In this role, she is responsible for the development of print and digital resources for use throughout the NetVUE membership, including the NetVUE conversation cards. She also serves as managing editor of NetVUE’s journal Studies in Vocation and Calling. Krista teaches in the religious studies department at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and is former director of the Muller Center for Exploration and Engagement at Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina.
Erin VanLaningham is the NetVUE director of project development. In this role, she leads a variety of initiatives, including developing the scholarship of vocation through recruiting contributors for NetVUE offerings and facilitating seminars and workshops about vocation, writing, and higher education. Erin is the editor of NetVUE’s newest volume of scholarship, Called Beyond Our Selves: Vocation and the Common Good (Oxford, 2024) and serves as the book and resource review editor for NetVUE’s journal, Studies in Vocation and Calling. She also co-hosts the NetVUE podcast, Callings: Conversations on College, Career, and a Life Well Lived. Erin is a NetVUE Fellow, having participated in the NetVUE seminar on Teaching Vocational Exploration in 2017; she subsequently adapted and led a similar seminar at her home institution for many years. She serves as professor of English at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.
Application Process
CIC will select up to 15 participants from a pool of interested applicants. A nomination is not required. To apply, candidates should submit a letter of interest indicating reasons for wishing to participate in the colloquy and their current understanding of and experience with vocational exploration. Candidates should address the following items in their letter:
- Provide a brief narrative that explains your own vocational journey, especially as it relates to your writing (e.g., Are you new to writing about vocation? Are there particular gifts and talents that you will bring to the colloquy, whether you are a novice or experienced writer? Do you have specific resources that you want to contribute? Have you previously written and/or published about vocation?)
- What challenges do you face as a writer?
- How would this colloquy help you grow as a writer?
- What are the topics or themes related to vocation about which you are interested in writing?
Please keep letters between 500 and 750 words.
Application Deadline:
October 30, 2026
Selection of Participants Announced:
November 2026
Location and Expenses
The colloquy will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana. Thanks to generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., CIC will cover most colloquy costs, including materials, lodging, and meals, and will provide a travel reimbursement of up to $800 per participant.
Contact Information
For questions about the colloquy (content, expectations, requirements for applicants), contact Erin VanLaningham, NetVUE director of project development, at 563-213-8659 or evanlaningham@cic.edu. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Lynne Spoelhof, director of NetVUE operations at 616-632-1060 or lspoelhof@cic.edu.
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