New Faculty Academy
New Faculty Academy (NFA) is an initiative from the Office of the Provost designed to support the early career development of new faculty at USC. By offering a series of professional development, networking, and mentoring activities, NFA helps faculty launch their careers on a positive and productive trajectory. The program is open to all first-year full-time faculty members on the USC Columbia campus.
NFA is a cohort-based program that begins with workshops during New Faculty Orientation and continues with monthly workshops and gatherings throughout the academic year. These sessions are led by experienced senior faculty members and administrators, who serve as NFA moderators. Each session includes opportunities for informal networking and conversation, fostering connections among new faculty.
Certificate Program
Faculty who attend six or more of the approximately ten NFA sessions offered throughout the academic year will receive a Certificate of Completion and a letter of commendation from the Provost’s Office.
New Faculty Academy is co-sponsored by the Office of Faculty Affairs, the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Center for Teaching Excellence, and the Office of Access and Opportunity.
In-Person 
Webinar 
Sessions Offered Spring 2025
Wednesday, January 29, 10:50am - 11:40am - In-Person
This session will cover the use of AI tools in teaching college-level courses. The session aims to provide an overview of integrating AI to enhance educational experiences. Topics include AI-generated presentations, in-class activities using ChatGPT and other AI tools, advanced search and summarization tools, and creative branding exercises with AI. This session is intended for educators interested in applying AI technology to improve teaching methodologies.
Some examples include:
- AI for Content Creation:
- Improving Research and Case Study Analysis
- Creative Applications of AI
- AI for Video Production Register
Tuesday, February 18, 10:05am - 11:20am - Webinar
Part of living a healthy life and caring for personal wellbeing is being mindful about how we spend our time as academics. This workshop will provide participants with tools and training for how to audit our time use and rethink our role as holistic (whole-person) faculty members. This includes revisiting the humanist angle on practices and expectations in the faculty lifestyle: time management, over-teaching, communication and meeting structures, and pedagogical social interactions. The session will provide practical examples of ways that the humanist learning model can be used to help reduce overwhelm for both instructors and students and help us re-orient our pedagogical decisions to refocus on the foundational purpose of education. Register
Thursday, February 20, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - Webinar
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a widely recognized, research-supported framework for creating inclusive learning materials and curricula. It focuses on proactively addressing learners' diverse needs by prioritizing accessibility through three main principles: engagement, representation, and action and expression. In this workshop, we will briefly review the core principles of UDL and then showcase how these principles are applied in real-world settings. Participants will have the opportunity to analyze and revise sample learning materials, applying UDL strategies to enhance accessibility and effectiveness. Register
Friday, February 21, 9:00am - 1:00pm - In-Person
Join the Center for Teaching Excellence for the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Showcase, where faculty from the AI Teaching Fellowship will present their hands-on experiences integrating GenAI into their teaching practices. This showcase will explore diverse and practical applications of GenAI across multiple disciplines, including instructional design, professional communication, social work, finance, music education, health promotion, engineering ethics, technical writing, and cartography.
Faculty fellows will exhibit how Generative AI was used to:
- Enhance student engagement
- Assist with complex assignments
- Facilitate ethical decision-making
- Support creative projects
- Provide tutoring support and guidance
- Improve data visualization and analysis
These real-world applications highlight how GenAI has transformed teaching, learning experiences, and student outcomes. Attendees will gain insights into innovative teaching strategies and engage in discussions on the future of GenAI in education. Register
Wednesday, March 19, 1:15pm - 2:30pm - In-Person
This interactive session will explore the needs, demographics, and attitudes of today’s first-year students, both nationally and locally. Through a facilitated discussion and game show format, participants will learn more about the realities and needs of students entering college in 2024. Register
Sessions Offered Fall 2024
Friday, October 4, 9:00am - 10:0am - In-Person
Learn about the ways the library can assist you in your research and help you support your students through services such as eReserves and research skills instruction. In addition, we will look at ways you can help the library build collections and provide access to materials which are timely and relevant. Register
Friday, October 11, 9:00am - 10:00am - In-Person
USC Vice President for Research Julius Fridriksson has made support for new and early-career faculty a top priority since joining the Office of Research. In his New Faculty Academy presentation, he will deliver an overview of research initiatives at the university, discuss opportunities and challenges related to interdisciplinary research and share information on research resources available to faculty. Fridriksson's presentation will be followed by an open question-and-answer session. Register
Monday, October 21, 1:10pm - 2:00pm - Webinar
Do you want to learn techniques for involving your learners in your course? In this session, you will discuss strategies for active learning and student engagement that will help advance learning for everyone, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL). You will engage with small teaching strategies to design learning activities that can enhance engagement as soon as your next class! Register
Friday, November 1, 9:40am - 10:30am - In-Person
Join us for an engaging conversation on creating classroom environments where first-generation college students can thrive. Learn about new strategic retention initiatives such as the First-Generation Center and First-Generation Living and Learning Community. Leave with actionable strategies you can incorporate in your work to champion first-generation student success. Register