2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Assistant professors in research-intensive environments typically begin their appointments with demonstrated excellence in research and knowledge creation. They possess the skills to identify and solve relevant research problems and effectively navigate the peer-review process to publish in leading academic outlets. However, they may have limited experience in other critical aspects of their roles, such as teaching, advising, group management, proposal development, securing funding, and engaging in meaningful service opportunities. Nevertheless, mastery of these responsibilities is expected within a relatively short probationary period, presenting significant challenges. The situation may be slightly different for early-career faculty members in academic professional track positions, yet they too must rapidly adapt to new responsibilities. This article proposes framing early-career faculty as learners by applying concepts such as the zone of proximal development and community building to faculty development and long-term success. Adopting a learner-centered perspective where skills are scaffolded through a learning continuum is particularly relevant given the rapidly evolving technological landscape and the changing needs of student populations, which demand adaptability from faculty. This conceptual framework extends to near-peer and more senior faculty members who engage with early-career colleagues. Engagement events can be designed as gateways into meaningful mentorship and institutional service for faculty members who were recently promoted, essentially providing an experiential learning environment in academic citizenship. The article reflects on strengthening academic culture in an era where quantitative metrics, online training, and electronic communications often act as a curtain that isolates faculty members from human interactions. Altogether, this article explores mechanisms for elevating faculty success through scaffolding and the strategic use of near peers in faculty development workshops and communities concerned with all dimensions of faculty performance.