About January Institute

Throughout the year, the Center for Faculty Innovation offers a variety of programming based on different needs and interests related to faculty scholarship. Formerly known as January Symposium, January Institute will build community and go deeply into a themed topic. In the years to come, January Institutes will laser focus on faculty programs that are in resonance with JMU Strategic priorities.

Registration open

Janaury Institute 2022: Pandemic Scholarship and Resilience

Wednesday, January 12 from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM at Festival Conference & Student Center.

Browse 2022 Sessions

The past few years have been characterized by a global health pandemic, structural racism exposed openly on the streets across the world, political division and unrest, disparities in wealth and health, and a climate crisis looming. It is no surprise that scholars may be facing challenges to scholarly productivity which disproportionately affect BIPOC faculty, women, and caretakers. Given how many of us have been living with trauma and working through burnout in some cases, an opportunity to connect with others in an environment of self-care might be just what is needed to start 2022. Guest facilitators for January Institute will engage participants in a variety of activities such as interactive workshops/roundtables, mindfulness practice, music, movement, reflection, and facilitated discussions.

This Pandemic Scholarship and Resilience Institute is designed to encourage self-care, educate participants about trauma and resilience, and provide an opportunity to connect with others while taking steps towards reinvigorating your scholarly work. Self-care and scholarship go hand-in-hand; when we take care of the scholar (body, emotions, mind), scholarly passion naturally re-emerges in a scholarly community and scholarly productivity has an environment in which to grow. This community offers a combination of self-care, interpersonal connection, and collective encouragement from a group of peers who are also struggling and taking small steps forward in their pandemic scholarly work.

The Center for Faculty Innovation wants to thank the Office of Research and Scholarship as a co-partner in envisioning January Institute 2022.

Given the disproportionate burden and often hidden labor that goes into supporting diverse scholars and diverse scholarship on campus, we want to acknowledge Sisters in Session, Asian, Pacific Island, and Desi American, and Madison Hispanic Caucus as co-partners in this work and, therefore, for January Institute 2022.