Whoever said “Age ain’t nothing but a number” certainly never served as a division chair. I am equally certain that few division chairs have ever thought, “When I grow up, I plan on being the youngest chair in my division.” Yet after moving up the ranks from adjunct instructor to full-time faculty member to program coordinator, I found myself unenthusiastically assuming the crown jewel of academic management: division chairperson. In light of my youth, I wondered whether some faculty members expected me to use a high chair. My self-doubt and lack of information forced me to honestly assess my credentials, higher education skill set, and leadership abilities. There were lingering questions: Could I be an effective division chair? Was I simply too inexperienced? What would happen if I failed miserably? How could I address my self-doubt while gaining the confidence of others?
Supporting Faculty and Staff Mental Health and Well-Being: Mattering and Growing at Work
So far this spring, I have explored the first three “essentials” for workplace mental health and well-being—protection from harm, connection and community, and work-life harmony—in the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/workplace-mental-health-well-being.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer