College professors face unique workplace challenges. These have been exponentially exacerbated since 2020. The Resilient Professor TM is a framework for college professors to build their resilience in the face of their current academic and professional challenges. Through The Resilient Professor TM program, participants analyze what they can do to navigate through and around these challenges in healthy ways.
College professors should feel confident and successful as educators, researchers, advisors, and mentors. They deserve to feel welcomed and included, as members of a thriving academic community. And they want to realize optimistic outcomes that include positive course evaluations, contract renewals, and opportunities for tenure and promotion.
Too often they are met with external obstacles that threaten this success. Common faculty frustrations include student defiance, feelings of injustice due to arbitrary decision-making by administration, unproductive meetings, administrative communication issues, and university systems that hinder rather than support faculty.
The Resilient Professor TM program is an outlet for faculty to privately engage in a formal model for self-reflection and problem-solving should help lead to healthy college faculty, and as such, healthy college students, and healthy college classrooms.
According to the 2024 Faces of Faculty report by Cengage, some key findings include: Changing student norms around cheating, deadlines, plagiarism and AI usage continue to challenge faculty. Top drivers of faculty dissatisfaction include challenges with mental health and wellbeing, not enough time or support for research, new or changing job expectations, and dishonesty and lack of accountability among students.
Faculty need more support from their institutions as they strive to adapt to a changing higher education field and support students. College professors are frustrated, exhausted, and confused – and they need help to best cope in the face of these challenges.
“I don’t have the time or energy to put into my classes as much as I’d like and for what is expected. It’s extremely taxing on my mental health. I am considering leaving the field.” ~ Anonymous
“A great professor – Professor Alleruzzo is charismatic, entertaining and engaging. I looked forward to attending class all semester. I could definitely see the amount of time and effort he put into planning the course, and I very much appreciated the organization.”
“Michael is a natural leader who is extremely organized and reliable. His great energy and superb leadership abilities have inspired the (the organization) to be a proactive group of individuals working as a team.”
“Michael has a wonderful way of connecting with people. He brings that special gift of striking a balance between expertise and humbleness and fairness and empathy.”
“His attention to detail is wonderful to rely on when working with him.”
“Michael has proven himself to be a leader who is comfortable with his managerial style and who also understands the value of teamwork.”
“… Professor Alleruzzo made class fun and always provided real-life examples of how to apply the content. I have seen improvements in my job after using some of the course topics and theories in practice. Professor Alleruzzo made his expectations clear, but clearly had a passion for the subject matter he was teaching. I would recommend this course for anyone who wishes to develop themselves as a better leader.”
“He is someone who truly loves helping others grow both professionally and personally.”
“Watching Michael in action is incredibly motivating. He always brings high energy coupled with his passion and knowledge. Michael’s engaging leadership style along with his superb communication skills make him a very effective trainer. He has proven himself to be a leader who understands the value of teamwork.”
