“The Seasons of a Scholar’s Calling: Insights from Mid-Field”

A scholar's calling at mid-career is latticed with challenges and changing responsibilities. In this essay the author considers faculty role changes during the mid-career phase of life as a teacher. The essay first addresses issues related to the responsibility of mid-career faculty to mentor the next generation of scholars/teachers. Keenly aware of stresses under which pre-tenure faculty labor the author highlights proven strategies and insights for successful mentoring. The last half of the essay offers reflections on life as a scholar, colleague and teacher at mid-career. With transparent honesty the author scrawls contours of experience, motivations, and challenges for mid-career faculty and sketches specific strategies for maneuvering through this phase of one's career.