Tue, 26 May 2026 11:00 AM - Thu, 28 May 2026 1:00 PM
In need of scholarly renewal? Apply for the CFI Scholarship Residency this May! Join a community of fellow scholars in this three-day, two-night residency at Mountain Valley Retreat Center, near Harrisonburg, located about 25 minutes from campus at the base of Massanutten Mountain.
Reconnect to your scholarship, refresh your creativity, and connect with colleagues in a beautiful natural setting as you make progress on your scholarly work or work to develop your research agenda. The residency agenda (sample here) balances self-directed time to work on your scholarship and facilitated sessions of reflection and discussion to support a positive relationship with your scholarship.
Unable to stay overnight? You can still apply! While applicants who attend the entire residency and those who stay overnight do report a different experience, we are able to accommodate daytime-only participants.
Meals and housing are provided courtesy of the Center for Faculty Innovation. Space is limited! Submit your application and save the dates.
Faculty from different academic units have offered these reflections on their time at the Scholarship Residency:
“It was so energizing to be in a context in which I was only focusing on my scholarly identity. I was able to get excited about my project again.”
“I was avoiding the paper that I ended up working on while I was at the retreat. I have been putting off working on it for months, so it was nice to finally have organized time set aside (in a beautiful location!) to work on it.”
“Everything about the retreat exceeded my expectations. I did get some writing/editing done, but I also gained so much more: a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm, helpful writing and productivity strategies, new friendships with wonderful colleagues, and a strong sense of community.”
Facilitators
- Melanie Shoffner, COE & CFI
- Dayna Henry, CFI & CHBS
- Daisy Breneman, CFI & CAL
Program Outcomes
- Renewing the self as a scholar
- Advancing a scholarly project
- Developing metacognitive awareness of writing processes and habits
Application Questions: (QuestionPro Survey)
- First Name
- Last Name
- JMU Email
- College
- Department
- Employment status: Full-time faculty, Part-time faculty, Adjunct, Other
- Describe the scholarship project you plan to work on during the residency. (100-200 words)
- Besides issues of time and money, what challenges do you experience with your scholarship? (100-200 words)
- How might this residency help to renew or revitalize your work as a scholar? (100-200 words)
- Mountain Valley Retreat Center (3091 Ragtown Rd, Rockingham, VA 22802) is about 25 minutes from JMU Campus. Overnight accommodation is provided by the CFI. Please indicate whether you plan to stay overnight at the retreat center:
- Yes, I plan to stay overnight.
- No, I plan to commute to and from the retreat location each day.
- If yes to staying overnight:
- Sharing a double occupancy room or cabin with other JMU faculty supports cost savings and accommodates more participants. If you require a single occupancy room, please explain.
- If you have a roommate and are jointly applying for this program, please share their name.
- Priority may be given to applicants who plan to stay for the duration of the residency. The residency programming begins at 11:00 a.m. on May 26 and ends at 1:00 p.m. on May 28. Do you plan to attend all three days?
- Yes
- No - Please explain.
- Please describe any dietary allergies or restrictions.
- We strive to be as inclusive as possible. What points of awareness, considerations, accommodations, or other needs should we be aware of?
CFI programs will be canceled automatically if JMU is closed for inclement weather.
We want this program to be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for all of our participants. Please let us know any considerations or accommodations (e.g., dietary, disability, wellness, cultural, etc.) by reaching out to us at cfi@jmu.edu or (540) 568-4846.