Program Update
The Faculty In Progress Program (FIPP) has been open for three years to all Maricopa employees who are interested in becoming full-time faculty. The main purpose of the two-semester internship is to provide the selected Faculty Interns mentoring and professional development opportunities that result in knowledge and skills needed to be competitive in the pursuit of a residential teaching position. A total of twelve individuals have been hired as teaching faculty since the inception of the program. The program, however, in no way guarantees a full-time residential faculty job.
The 2003-2004 Faculty In Progress Program is successfully underway. A total of twelve Faculty Interns are participating in the program this year, representing the ten Maricopa Colleges and the District Office. Estrella Mountain selected two Interns; one paid by the program and the other by the college.
Faculty Interns and Mentors attended a FIPP Orientation on Friday, August 15, 2003. Components of the orientation included an introduction/welcome by
Dr. Anna Solley, presentation of expectations for the program, sharing of FIPP Intern/Mentor success stories, overview of hiring practices (for interns) conducted by Dr. Christine Hall, and an introduction to mentoring (for mentors). The Orientation was well received with an average score of 4.59 / 5.00 reported on the event evaluation.
During the fall semester, FIPP Interns actively participated in a three-session Building Your Resume Workshop, Teaching Portfolio and Maricopa Learning eXchange Workshop, a three-session Interviewing Workshop, an intensive 4-day Instructional Skills Workshop, and two Intern meetings, in which best-known practices, successes, and key learnings were shared. Many Faculty Interns also took the opportunity to attend MCLI Dialogue Days and events, such as the Learnshop Engaging Students in Active Learning.
Program Achievements
The Faculty In Progress Program has been recognized as a "best practice in faculty recruitment" by Renewal and Change in the 21st Century (RC2000), and was also most recently named as a finalist in the Planning, Governance, and Finance category of the 2003 Bellwether Awards sponsored by the Community College Futures Assembly. The program continues to evolve, based on feedback from Faculty Interns, Mentors, members of the Faculty Recruitment Commission, faculty, college presidents, college deans, and others. As expressed by Tara LaCasta Revell, a current FIPP Faculty Intern, "The FIPP program has opened doors for me that would otherwise never have been opened. The FIPP affords me the opportunity to enhance my teaching skills through workshops and individualized mentoring. FIPP has allowed me to observe and participate in residential faculty life while giving me the tools to become more competitive in the faculty selection process. It has truly been one of the best experiences of my life."
Expansion of the Faculty In Progress Program Academic Year 2004-2005
For the academic year 2004-2005, the Faculty In Progress Program will be expanded to include external recruitment on a national scale in addition to recruitment within Maricopa. The program will continue to be a "grow our own," as the Faculty Interns become integrated into the Maricopa culture and teaching environment. The eligibility criteria remain the same:
- Meet Maricopa minimum teaching requirements in the teaching discipline. Applicants must submit a "Courses Completed Form" in lieu of college transcripts with their application materials. A college transcript will be required if the person is selected for the internship.
- Present professional and personal credentials which are deemed suitable for a career as a faculty member.
- Present special skills, talents, and other unique traits in the applicant's personal statement of interest that would distinguish the applicant for participation as a FIPP Faculty Intern.
- Commit to full-time participation in the program from August, 2004 to May, 2005.
Candidates will apply online between January 15, 2004 and February 27, 2004, and will indicate their teaching discipline and location of choice, if any. A pool of applicants will be created. Colleges and the District Office will access the pool to select their Interns in disciplines where: 1) there is an underutilization identified in the MCCCD Affirmative Action Plan, 2) there is not a sufficient applicant pool presenting desired qualifications to meet the needs of the college; and/or 3) where recruitment is generally called for under MCCCD's Affirmative Action Plan.
Specific information regarding eligibility requirements, application processes, and a link to online application materials can be accessed at the newly redesigned FIPP web site:
http://fipp.maricopa.edu/
2003 2004 FIPP Interns
This year we are honored to introduce a group of Faculty Interns with academic backgrounds ranging from communication to biology, and English to computer sciences. We appreciate their broad-based backgrounds, unique experiences, and fresh-perspectives and enthusiasm they bring to the job.
Rosemary Acosta-De Anda
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Master of Education, Counseling, Northern Arizona University
Teaching Disciplines: Counseling and Psychology
"The FIPP program has definitely prepared me to be the best instructor that I can be! As Interns we were able to attend the Instructional Skills Workshop at Scotttsdale Community College. The workshop has made me a more effective, confident and knowledgable instructor."
Dr. Patricia Cardenas-Adame
Mesa Community College
Doctor of Philosophy, Higher Education Administration, Capella University; Master of Arts, Human Resources Management, Emmanuel College
Teaching Discipline: English
"My Faculty In Progress Program Internship has enhanced both my professional and personal growth by providing diverse learning experiences delivered in professional and supportive environments. The most rewarding part of FIPP has been the student-centered classroom opportunities that have enhanced the scope and depth of my teaching and learning experiences."
Minou Karimi
Paradise Valley Community College
Master of Education, Teaching English as a Second Language, Boston University
Teaching Discipline: ESL
"The FIPP Internship has been a wonderful experience and it has offered many opportunities for me to learn new teaching methods, improve my teaching skills, and gain new experience. Having been able to participate in Division Meetings, Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW), and the Resume Writing Workshops has been an educational experience for me."
Tara LaCasta Revell
Phoenix College
Master of Educational Psychology, Northern Arizona University
Teaching Discipline: Psychology
"FIPP is a life changing opportunity affording me the time to better my instructional skills while learning and participating in the inner workings of Phoenix College. I truly understand what is expected of me as a member of the Maricopa Community College District family."
Felicia Lindor
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Master of Science, Electrical Engineering, Prairie View A&M University
Teaching Discipline: Engineering/AMS
"The FIPP program has provided great insight for me. It has allowed me to work closely with some of Chandler-Gilbert Community College experienced faculty members. I have had a chance to observe their classes and get a feel for what it takes to become a dedicated and committed instructor. If it was not for a program such as this, I would have not had the chance to understand the art of teaching and academic culture. These two things are very important to me."
Amy MacPherson
South Mountain Community College
Master of Education, Learning and Instructional Technology, Arizona State University
Teaching Discipline: Computer Information Systems
"Frank Lloyd Wright said, 'I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.' In the case of the FIPP, success means the improvement of my teaching skills so that I can help my students to achieve their dreams and goals. The FIPP program has helped me come closer to this kind of success."
Suzanne Martin
Rio Salado College
Master of Natural Science, Biology, Arizona State University
Teaching Discipline: Biology
"The Faculty in Progress Program will allow me to gain additional experience in curriculum design and distance learning."
Rashmi Menon
Glendale Community College
Master of Arts, English Literature, University of Bombay
Teaching Discipline: English
"I feel really privileged to be a FIPP intern. The teachers at GCC have accepted me into their fold and I've had the opportunity to watch many master teachers at work. This semester has been a huge learning experience."
Dr. Arthur Nonomura
Estrella Mountain Community College
Doctor of Philosophy, Botany, University of California, Berkeley; Master of Arts, Botany, University of California, Berkeley
Teaching Discipline: Biology
"I came to the Maricopa County Community College District prepared to teach. As Faculty In Progress, I have gained insight on what it takes to learn. At this midpoint, I see MCCCD faculty each as dynamos and our students, our charges."
Rody Randon
Scottsdale Community College
Master of Arts, Speech Communication with an emphasis in Human Communication, University of Northern Colorado
Teaching Discipline: Communication
"The FIPP experience has afforded me the freedom to stretch beyond my limits which has been a motivating factor in this special occasion. Similar to a prisoner who has just been set free from strict confinements, the feeling of liberation is the guide that leads my journey.
With two wonderful mentors my ideas are validated, encouraged, and challenged (in a good way.) I am truly blessed to have embarked on such a glorious and notable opportunity."
Dr. Cecilia Rosales
Estrella Mountain Community College
Doctor of Philosophy, Spanish, Arizona State University; Master of Arts, Spanish, New Mexico State University
Teaching Disciplines: Spanish, English, Women's Studies
"The Faculty In Progress Program has been a wonderful professional growth experience; it has provided me with an in-depth perspective on faculty roles at the Maricopa Community Colleges. The Instructional Skills Workshop, in particular, has allowed me to reflect upon my teaching philosophy and become a more effective facilitator in the classroom."
Kerry Vrabel
GateWay Community College
Master of Arts, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), City University of New York
Teaching Discipline: ESL
"Teaching can sometimes be a solitary experience. But with FIPP my teaching has become more of community experience through constant dialogue with mentors, teacher trainers, faculty and FIPP Colleagues. With FIPP professional development seminars, regular faculty and FIPP colleague interaction, and mentor direction, I receive essential feedback to make me a more effective, reflective and innovative instructor. I believe this well crafted experience sets FIPP candidates on a path that can eventually lead to becoming one of those "great teachers" whom we all recall from our own past educational experiences."
 Lynn Jennings, mcli
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