Welcome from the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs
Being an academic in Chicago brings several unique privileges including access to a multitude of vibrant cultures and communities, world-class museums and libraries, and – importantly—a rich and diverse intellectual community made possible by the city’s numerous colleges and universities.
Chicago Connections: A Faculty of Color Retreat, organized by the Office of Faculty Affairs at Loyola University Chicago, offers an opportunity for BIPOC scholars at LUC and Chicago-area universities to participate in professional development workshops, foster professional and personal connections, and recover from the challenges of the academic year.
The retreat will take place at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus (LUREC) in Woodstock, IL. LUREC features 98 acres of prairies, savannas, woodlands, wetlands, and ponds and serves as an ideal location for re-centering, community building, and interactive learning.
I am delighted to provide the opportunity for faculty of color at Loyola and at our neighboring Chicago-area institutions to meet one another, share knowledge and experiences, rediscover the joy and purpose in your research and writing, and develop strategies for collaborative and ethical research. Most importantly, it is my sincere hope that each and every retreat participant makes a connection (or two!) that results in a writing buddy, research collaborator, trusted reader of first (or second, or third) drafts, a sounding board, and even a friend.
Chicago Connections: A Faculty of Color Retreat is designed to provide a space of connection, community, and collegiality among minoritized faculty who have been historically underrepresented in the Academy.
From my own experience as a “solo” faculty member and from working with thousands of faculty across ranks and disciplines as a coach, mentor and administrator, I know that the challenges faced by underrepresented faculty are pervasive and strikingly similar across all institutional types—from community colleges to R-1 universities. As Chicago academics, we can leverage our unique geography to forge intellectual and social connections across institutions, which serves to enrich our lives—both personally and professionally.
Badia Ahad, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
- Application Deadline
- Due to limited space at the retreat center, we have a limit on the number of attendees. If you are interested in attending this event, please click here to complete the application by March 17, 2023, for full consideration. Registration and a payment link will be sent in a separate communication.
- Retreat Refund and Cancellation Policy
- Retreat registration canceled via email on or before April 14, 2023, is refundable but subject to a $50 administrative fee. After April 14, 2023, we are unable to offer a refund.
Click Here to download the Faculty of Color Retreat Brochure, which has more information, including goals, outcomes, guest speaker information, application information, itinerary, and accommodation information. Registration for the June 2023 retreat is open.
Participation is open to all faculty. Loyola University Chicago does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, parental status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs, or in any aspects of its employment of faculty and staff.
