Testimonials
"The impact that C-Change had on me professionally and personally cannot be overstated. For this I will always be grateful."
"This program is so empowering and not just in theory but in practice as well — I have the tools to go forward."
"Seeing the threads throughout and how all the puzzle pieces fit together has been amazing. The scope of what we were all able to accomplish in those eight days is really amazing. I will value this experience forever and am very grateful for having had the opportunity to participate."
"As a white man, after developing the Academic Development Plan, it was much easier for me to think through problems that I was facing in my research and to prioritize what was most important in my academic development."
"I have a 10-year goal... what do I need to do, what are the steps, how do I need to keep myself accountable. ... It showed me the footprints of the next part of my career."
"It is heartening to know that there are colleagues searching as I am searching — for meaning, a sense of purpose that is bigger than what I routinely encounter or derive from day-to-day work."
"The C-Change Institute has been an eye-opener. I learned to look inside myself to get to know me better and appreciate myself for who I am (strengths and weaknesses). The exercise of listening and prioritizing values, and matching the values with my goals, was very useful in defining what I wanted to do for the rest of my career path."
"It has definitely increased my vitality. I feel empowered to reflect and to look ahead."
"Participating in the C-Change Institute injected me with vitality. I enjoyed my time, the change of me along with the recognition of new possibilities. I learned about the fulfillment, joy, looking forward to the work... in association with the exchange of ideas, taking risks and going 'all-in' on the task at hand."
"I grow a deeper awareness and appreciation for diversity: less abstract, more tangible. I have stories and faces to draw upon."
"Peer mentoring has been a revelation. This is a much more powerful model."
"The guided and structured approaches to identify core values and strengths and the many reflective exercises have given me a much better understanding of misalignments in the past and a lot of ideas to pursue to achieve a much better integration."
"I feel a part of something bigger than just what is going on at my local institution."
"I already had a keen awareness of 'diversity,' more so from the experiences of an underrepresented minority. However, I was exposed to a different type of diversity. One of thoughts, concerns, experiences, rooted in geographic and racial background."
"It has increased my vitality even during a challenging time in my career. Knowing that I had a supportive group with whom I could share my challenges gave me the strength to stand up for myself, stay true to my values and to make decisions to protect myself and preserve my integrity."
"The aspect of C-Change that most impacted me are the concept of there being an 'experience' rather than just didactics. I never learned like this before. The classical model of lecture, question, memorize has been the way I learn and teach. This full experience model of teaching and learning were quite impactful."
"I felt isolated and found limited joy in my work. With this in mind, I found C-Change incredibly helpful in pulling myself away from survival mode and into planning mode. While I did not accomplish everything I hoped for, I accomplished tenfold more than I would have ever done in this time."
"I was having a difficult year ... I was quite depressed and anxious. The C-Change was influential in my process to learn, cope and create new strategies for myself and family during these crazy times. I also have better relations at home and at work. It was much needed and who knows... maybe a savior."