The Faculty in Progress Program (FIPP) is a "grow your own" training and recruitment effort open to all Maricopa employees. The main purpose of this two-semester internship is to provide the selected Faculty Interns mentoring and professional development activities that result in the knowledge and skills needed to prepare them to be competitive in the pursuit of a residential faculty position. However, the program in no way guarantees a job. When applying for a residential faculty position, FIPP faculty interns must complete the same selection process as any other applicant.
Who Is Eligible?
To be eligible for a FIPP internship, applicants must be current employees of Maricopa or have been employed by Maricopa any time after January 1, 2001. They must represent disciplines where (1) there is an underutilization identified in the Maricopa Affirmative Action Plan; (2) there is not a sufficient applicant pool to meet the needs of the college; and/or (3) there is a need to augment diversity within the faculty. Applicants must meet Maricopa teaching requirements, or must be able to meet those requirements by the end of the spring semester of the year selected, in an area of need for the college, and must commit to full-time participation in the program. A complete list of criteria and additional information is provided on the FIPP web site.
Faculty Intern Responsibilities
Once selected, Faculty Interns work with their mentor(s), department chairs, deans, and the FIPP Coordinator to develop a Learning Contract. The contract is based on each Intern's personal and professional needs for development as well as on the requirements for the FIPP program and for the college. In their Learning Contracts, the Interns describe what they need to learn, specify how the learning experiences will take place, and indicate what will be produced as evidence that the learning has occurred. The Learning Contract includes a range of learning activities that will help the Intern grow beyond existing skills and knowledge, such as completing EDU 250; attending learnshops, workshops, conferences, and Dialogue Days; observing classes within their teaching disciplines; teaching with supervision; attending department meetings, etc.
FIPP 2001-2002 Faculty Interns
Mario Castaneda
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Education: M.S. Petroleum Engineering, Stanford University
67 hours completed towards a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Kansas B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Sonora (Mexico)
Mentor: Lisa Young
"The FIPP program presented a very interesting and fulfilling opportunity of combining my professional and academic experiences. It allowed me to learn more about the Gateway Community College environment and to further develop my instructional skills. I also had the opportunity to meet great people with a common goal of providing the best customer service to students."
Lynette Jim
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Education: M.S. Public Administration, Syracuse University; B.A. Elementary Education, Arizona State University
Mentor: Larry Celaya, Laura Helminski, and Vernon Smith
"As part of my FIPP internship, I have taught nine load hours for the year. In addition to teaching, I have worked the entire year on curriculum development with much of the concentration in the Public Administration course. Being able to experience curriculum development and course instruction has been a valuable experience."
Khalif Muhammand
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Education: B.A. Information Technology Network, University of Phoenix (in progress); A.A. Network Engineering, Long Technical College
Mentor: Stephen Hustedde and John Koehler
"This program is helping me evaluate every aspect of my professional and personal life. FIPP has given me the opportunity to work with and be mentored by experienced faculty who have provided me with tools and methodology that will assist me in being an effective faculty member and a better human being."
Roger McKinney
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Education: M.F.A. Painting, American University; B.A. Art, Graceland University
Mentor: William Martin
"The FIPP Program has been an exciting opportunity to break new ground in the District for diversity, and I'm glad to be part of it. It has been a wonderful opportunity to return to the classroom and to be able to connect with both Native American Students and non Native students to serve as a role model and educator.
FIPP has also given me a greater appreciation for what our Maricopa faculty are all about and their vision for higher education, and how I can assist in that vision."
Audra Nunley
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Education: M.A. Organizational Management (in progress), University of Phoenix; B.A. Human Resources, University of Phoenix
Mentor: Brian Murphy
"Being part of the Faculty In Progress Program, I have taken advantage of a variety of professional growth and learning opportunities to successfully complete the FIPP program and to hopefully become an effective faculty member of the Maricopa Community Colleges."
Sylvia Ong
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Education: Ed.D. Adult Education (in progress), Nova University; M.S. Accounting, Western International University; M.B.A. Finance, Arizona State University; B.S. Business Management, Arizona State University
Mentor:Judi Anderson, Jeanne Franco, and
Reyes Medrano
"My philosophy in life is, ‘if you're going to do something, then give it your best shot. Otherwise, don't do it.' Teaching is my passion. Even after 19 years of giving it my ‘best shot,' I believe there is always room for improvement. This program allowed me to reflect upon my teaching weaknesses, identify and implement strategies for overcoming those weaknesses, and in the process, improve and update my teaching skills. It has been a wonderful year of learning opportunities."
Sara Rassas
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Education: M.Ed. Bilingual/ Multicultural Education (in progress), Northern Arizona University; M.A. Counseling, Northern Arizona University; B.A. General Studies, Northern Arizona University
Mentor: Alice Conkright and Virginia Edwards
"What a rush you get when you see students learning! I learned that if you want to be an excellent teacher, you must spend many hours preparing. You must also be excited about what you teach and come energized, organized, and ready to meet your students with a terrific attitude and faith in their ability to learn and in your ability to deliver!"
Nina Robinson
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Education: M.Ed. Education, University of Arizona; B.A. Elementary Education, University of Arizona
Mentor: Shereen Lerner and Naomi Story
"Being a part of the FIPP program has been one of the most valuable experiences of my professional career. I have learned and grown from the experience. The most rewarding part has been working and learning from a diverse team of professionals who support my growth."
Stephanie Scull
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Education: Ph.D. Philosophy (May 2002), State University of New York at Stony Brook; M.A. Philosophy, State University of New York at Stony Brook; B.A. Philosophy, Texas A&M
Mentor: Robert Hubbard
"I have taught for five years, two years at SUNY-Stony Brook and three years in Maricopa. With the FIPP program, I have learned a great deal about teaching techniques, learning styles, and assessment.
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Carolyn Wesley
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Education: M.B.A. Business Administration, University of Phoenix; 26 hours of Mathematics completed, Arizona State University West and Ottawa University; B.A. Business Management, University of Phoenix
Mentor: Pearl Williams
"What I have valued the most about the FIPP internship is the opportunity to share my experience and knowledge with others and with students in and out of the classroom."
Jennifer Wheeler
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Education: Ph.D. English (in progress), Arizona State University; M.A. English, Arizona State University; B.S. English Education, Northern Arizona University
Mentor:Virginia Foster and Nancy Matte
"Being a part of FIPP has allowed me to develop my own curricula and teach those courses. In addition, with the help of my mentors, colleagues, and students, I truly gained a better understanding of teaching my selected content areas. I certainly feel more confident and knowledgeable as a faculty candidate."
 Maria Harper-Marinick, Ph.D., mcli
Faculty in Progress Program
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/fipp/
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