Call for Submissions

The Journal of Faculty Development invites manuscripts for the January 2027 special section that focuses on Convening as Faculty Development. This call invites perspectives on faculty development initiatives, efforts, or approaches that support the act and process of Convening, defined by strategy and design firm Shook Kelley as “the art and science of bringing people together around a physical place, space, idea, forum and experience” (n.d.). In his book, Irreplaceable, Shook Kelley co-founder, Kevin Kelley, claims that the foundation for convening is to create “more bonfire moments that bring people together” (Kelley, 2024a). According to Kelley, a bonfire moment is the “highlight of the day” (Cook, 2024), an experience that encourages colleagues to distance themselves from technology and convene in ways that can help us “feel more connected to one another” (Kelley, 2024b, p. 17). 

Building connections among faculty members is a central concern for faculty developers, and this special section invites contributors to showcase ways they bring colleagues together to promote community, create joy, and develop trust.