Professional Development

Swarthmore College is committed to sustaining our position as a competitive, private, liberal arts College through the purposeful selection, and ongoing development, of our internal talent. As the higher education environment continues to evolve, continued learning is not only an expectation for our students, but also for our faculty and staff. As a learning organization, the College provides many opportunities for professional development, supporting our employees’ goals for both career and personal growth. Our professional development resources and programming includes the following programs; please note that some programs may be modified or temporarily paused due to COVID-19.

Faculty Staff Development Workshop Series (FSDW)

A bi-annual Faculty/Staff Development Workshop series consists of multiple workshops, provided at no cost to all employees. The Faculty/Staff Development Workshop Committee, in partnership with Human Resources develops the programming for each workshop. The goal of the series is to provide opportunities for employees to develop and acquire skills, enhance competencies, and to learn from one another in the process. Each series engages with one or more of the following themes:

• Emotional—Coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships
• Environmental—Good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being
• Financial–Satisfaction with current and future financial situations
• Intellectual—Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills
• Occupational—Personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work
• Physical—Recognizing the need for physical activity, healthy foods, and sleep
• Social—Developing a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system
• Spiritual—Expanding our sense of purpose and meaning in life

Continuing Education Opportunities

The College encourages staff to seek opportunities for professional development, both internally and externally. Most departments have funds available for employees to attend training, conferences or seminars, and the College also offers a tuition reimbursement program to those interested in pursuing educational goals. Swarthmore also offers online career development courses via LinkedIn Learning free of charge to our employees. Simply log into LinkedIn Learning with your Swarthmore credentials to get started.