Professional Development Committee

The primary purpose of ATHE’s Professional Development Committee is to offer effective resources and training for all ATHE members through our conference programming, mentorship models, committee work and position papers. The PDC fosters mentorship and leadership training across the ranks and across specializations in theatre departments and programs. We are committed to educating the membership about the current challenges faced by our profession and to training graduate students, adjuncts, part-time, tenure-track, and tenured faculty, and unemployed members in how to develop and maintain their professional skills. We advocate fair compensation and benefits and recognition of the importance of theatre faculty members. We acknowledge and foster the continuing role of retired colleagues in ATHE and the profession.

The Professional Development Committee is organized into subcommittees and programs:

• Chairs and Dean’s Subcommittee
• Graduate Student Subcommittee
• Mentorship Subcommittee
• Pedagogy Subcommittee
• ATHE Leadership Institute Program
• Writing Mentorship Program

In addition to planning and promoting excellent conference programming, the committee communicates throughout the year to raise the profile and stress the importance of good mentorship, pedagogy, and leadership. There has never been a more important time for Professional Development. The changes and shifts in our discipline and our institutions mean that theatre academics must be prepared to understand and adjust to those new realities. ATHE’s Professional Development Committee is here to serve all its members. We invite all ATHE members to take advantage of what we offer and to communicate your needs and interests to us.



MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

The members of the professional development committee are listed below under the relevant program or subcommittee. The PDC also has three “at-large” members:

Noreen Barnes
Virginia Commonwealth University

Christopher Krejci
Louisiana State University

Travis Malone
Virginia Wesleyan College

Sally Shedd
Virginia Wesleyan College

Lisa Jackson-Schebetta
University of Washington



CHAIRS AND DEANS SUBCOMMITTEE
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee

As part of the PDC’s goal to enhance the leadership skills of its members, both within ATHE and their home institutions, this subcommittee sponsors the Chairs and Deans Luncheon at the annual ATHE conference. The subcommittee also generates programming to address the issues facing chairs, deans and directors of theatre programs, familiarizing them with current scholarship on leadership and providing networking opportunities.

Co-Chairs of the Chairs and Deans Subcommittee

Jeffrey Huberman
Bradley University

Michael Tick
Louisiana State University



GRADUATE STUDENT SUBCOMMITTEE
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee

The GSSC provides programs at the ATHE conference to foster communication and collaboration among graduate students in theatre. These programs include the Conference Orientation, the Graduate Student Networking Session, and an informal Graduate Get-Together. The subcommittee also sponsors the GSSC e-mail list as a means for theatre graduate students to communicate and network.

Co-Chairs of the Graduate Student Subcommittee

Emily Cherry - Senior Co-Chair
Western Illinois University

Kimi Johnson - Junior Co-Chair
University of Minnesota

Members

Boone Hopkins, Communications Liaison
University of Kansas

MENTORSHIP TASK FORCE
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee

This subcommittee is devoted to developing programs and activities that inform and support members at all stages of their professional careers. From panels on how to get a job to discussion of tenure and promotion, the Mentorship Subcommittee seeks to develop relevant programming that addresses these important issues.

Members of the Mentorship Subcommittee

PEDAGOGY SUBCOMMITTEE
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee

The goal of the Pedagogy Subcommittee is to provide opportunities for ATHE members to continue developing their pedagogical skills, and to support the development of scholarship in the field of theatre pedagogy. The Subcommittee presents workshops and panels at the annual conference.

Members of the Pedagogy Subcommittee

Anne Fletcher - Co-Chair
Southern Illinois University

Christine Frezz - Co-Chair
Southern Utah University

Eng-Beng Lim
SUNY Purchase

Kirsten Ogden
Pasadena College



ATHE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee

Since August 2000, the Institute has presented the annual Leadership Development Program pre-conference workshop just prior to the annual ATHE Conference. Designed for faculty who wish to find out more about leadership and administrative roles in higher education, this workshop acquaints many with a variety of challenges and opportunities facing faculty and administrators and equips participants with some tools to deal with those. One of the key features is that participants are assigned mentors—experienced university leaders and administrators—who attend the pre-conference workshops with the participants. The workshop is invaluable for members who wish to explore the possibilities of a future leadership role in higher education.

Leadership Institute Program Contacts

Barbara (Bobbi) Korner – Co-Chair
University of Florida

Mark Heckler – Co-Chair
University of Colorado at Denver

Donna Aronson
University of the Incarnate Word

Michael Hood
Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Jeffrey Huberman
Bradley University



WRITING MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee
and ATHE Research and Publications Committee

The ATHE Professional Development Committee and the ATHE Research and Publications Committee jointly sponsor the Writing Mentorship Program. The program is intended for members who desire to strengthen and develop their scholarly writing by working with a mentor. The mentor will not be expected to provide editorial services to the mentee or develop basic writing skills. Mentors may be asked to provide advisement on such matters as:

• The publication process for book manuscripts or journal articles;
• The initial design/conceptualization of a project in terms of structure, organization, methodology;
• The revision process in relation to responses from readers and editors on a submission to a journal or press;
• The preparation of other written materials related to research and professional advancement such as grant applications or project proposal statements;
• Career development in relation to writing and publishing.

The writing mentorship program is competitive. A limited number of participants are accepted each year, based on the strength of their proposals and the availability of appropriate mentors. The writing mentorship program is not appropriate for writers still working on their dissertations. For more information, contact the co-chairs of the Writing Mentorship Program.

Writing Mentorship Program

Leigh Clemons - Co-Chair
Louisiana State University

Kaarin Johnston - Co-Chair
College of St. Benedict St. John's University

Jonathan Lee Chambers, ATHE VP for Research & Publications
Bowling Green State University

Gail Humphries Mardirosian, ATHE VP for Professional Development
American University 



PROMOTION AND TENURE TASK FORCE
of the ATHE Professional Development Committee

Richard Helldobler - Co-Chair
California University of Pennsylvania

Rick Jones - Co-Chair
Stephen F. Austin State University

Jay Edelnant
University of Northern Iowa

Jeff Huberman
Bradley University

Barbara Parisi
Long Island University

Jeannie Woods
Western Illinois University