Structured Support for Faculty Success
When I think about the moments that shaped my career as a faculty member, I rarely think first about formal institutional structures.
I think about the conversations that happen around them: the colleague who offered a crucial insight about drafting my promotion narrative, the friend who listened to me run-through an idea for my conference talk, the senior scholar who helped me clarify for the way my research contributed to broader disciplinary conversations.
These interactions are powerful. But they’re also inconsistent. Access depends on timing, relationships, and departmental dynamics. Faculty may have regular support, or they may navigate high-stakes milestones largely alone.
Providing structured, non-evaluative guidance ensures that faculty have a dependable framework to succeed, particularly when preparing promotion materials, major presentations, or book proposals.
A Non-Evaluative Space for High-Stakes Work
External coaching provides a unique environment outside of departmental politics, annual reviews, and promotion committees. Faculty can test ideas, think aloud, and refine their work without the pressure of evaluation.
The purpose isn’t remediation. It’s refinement.
Faculty gain a a trusted place to articulate the story of their scholarly trajectory, strengthen a book proposal, or prepare a high-impact presentation long before those materials enter formal review.
Structure That Strengthens Faculty Development
Internal mentoring is an essential feature of academia. What structured external support adds is:
Clear processes and checkpoints for high-stakes materials
Expert guidance grounded in research communication and academic norms
Accountability that doesn’t depend on informal relationships
A reliable, consistent experience for faculty across departments
This structure helps scholars present their strongest work with clarity, coherence, and confidence, providing a framework for meaningful professional progress.
A Collaborative Extension of Institutional Support
Our two-person team brings experience earning tenure at R1 institutions, including promotion to full professor. This perspective allows us to help institutions offer faculty structured, high-level guidance that enhances professional growth.
We support:
Narrative-driven promotion and tenure portfolios – helping faculty craft a clear, cohesive story of their research, teaching, and service.
High-impact research presentations – coaching faculty to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to external stakeholders.
Strategic advancement support for mid-career faculty – clarifying priorities, opportunities, and pathways for promotion to full professor.
Contribution-focused book proposals – guiding faculty to articulate the significance and impact of their scholarship in a publishable proposal.
These offerings can be delivered as workshops, short series, or pilot cohorts giving institutions a flexible way to provide consistent, high-quality support at scale.
Helping Scholars Communicate Their Best Work
Institutions that invest in structured, non-evaluative support help faculty see the shape of their contributions, articulate their impact, and communicate their scholarship effectively.
When faculty can tell that story with clarity and confidence, both individuals and institutions thrive.
Learn more about Institutional Partnership opportunities.
Chris McRae, PhD — Academic Coach helping faculty and professionals develop narrative-driven promotion portfolios, deliver high-impact research presentations, and advance their scholarly projects with clarity and strategic insight.
Aubrey Huber, PhD — Co-Founder & Academic Coach supporting faculty and professionals in crafting contribution-focused book proposals, communicating research effectively to external audiences, and navigating high-stakes academic milestones efficiently.