Professional Development Corner: November 2025

Every day development?  It's possible!

contributed by Patty Marbury, Director of Training & Development

Building Development into Everyday Work

Professional development doesn’t have to be a separate event on your calendar. Some of the most meaningful growth happens in small moments: the choices we make, the habits we build, and the ways we approach our everyday work.

Building development into daily routines starts with awareness. When you learn something new in a workshop, from a colleague, or simply through experience, look for a way to apply it right away. It might be trying out a different approach in a meeting, using a new tool or technique on a task, organizing your work in a different way, or using a new communication technique with a teammate. These small, practical steps make learning feel natural and help it stick.

Sharing your learning with others also strengthens the culture around you. Sharing quick tips or new ideas you’ve learned, or even presenting at a UVAFinance Lunch and Learn, can turn individual growth into shared progress. When development becomes part of everyday experience, it becomes easier for everyone to learn from one another.

Finally, weave development into the work you’re already doing. Align new skills with your goals, and look at challenges as opportunities to grow even further. When learning is connected to real work, it feels purposeful, not extra.

Building development into everyday work doesn’t require more time; it requires intention. By making small, thoughtful adjustments throughout your day, you create steady, meaningful growth for yourself and those around you.

Why is professional development important?

Professional development offers a valuable opportunity to stay engaged and navigate the constantly changing landscape of Higher Education—and beyond. Whether you’re looking to learn new skills, sharpen existing ones, enhance your leadership abilities, explore new interests, stay on top of emerging trends, or simply connect with colleagues, there’s something for everyone.

Check out this article from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, How Professional Development Can Boost Employee Engagement on how participating in learning activities benefits all.

Professional Development Opportunities

We’re pleased to share information about a variety of workshops, courses, and resources to support your ongoing growth—wherever your journey leads. While some opportunities are free and others may have a fee, many do not require travel. Please feel free to share other opportunities you come across and I’ll include them in future communications!

Coursera

Remember that we have access to Coursera, an online learning platform that offers a wide range of courses, specializations, certifications, and degree programs from universities and institutions around the world. UVA has a university-wide subscription for Coursera. Check it out and start learning!

Upcoming Offerings

Listed below are links to offerings that may be of interest. As we have done for the past couple of months, we’ll again focus on opportunities for which you can use your centrally funded education benefit and are offered virtually, or in a few cases, locally, with no travel costs. (Remember, if you are requesting departmental funds, make sure you have approval before you register for or enroll in any offering.)

• *NEW*:  University of South Florida is offering a free (through February 2026) course on how to craft good AI prompts: AI Whisperer: A Microcourse in Crafting Prompts

• EDUCAUSE Events:  What is EDUCAUSE?  From their website: “EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to lead the way, advancing the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education. We connect and empower our member community through insights, advocacy, resources, and learning opportunities to anticipate trends and strengthen professional practice.”
• NACUBO*
• Washington Updates and Other Recordings
• Other Live Online Events - unless indicated, the session is free to NACUBO members, which we are, although you need an individual account.* Some also offer CPE credits.
• Conferences and Forums
• Save the date! NACUBO 2026 Annual Meeting – July 18-21, 2026 in Anaheim, CA
• 2026 Intermediate Accounting and Reporting – Jan 28-30, 2026 online ($300)
• Self-Paced Courses and Microlearning
• Strategic Higher Education Finance and Planning ($595)
• F&A Short Form ($150)
• Essentials of College and University Accounting ($125)
• Facilities Management ($49)
• New to Higher Education ($49)
• Podcasts
• Career Conversations
• NACUBO in Brief

*Individual NACUBO membership is free through UVA’s institutional membership. To join go to nacubo.org and click on “Login or Join." From the Login box, click on “Don’t have an account” and fill out the form. In the “Primary Affiliate” field, enter “University of Virginia” and select the appropriate affiliate.

• SACUBO
• 2025 December 10 Webinar:  Hot Topics in Accounting & Tax
• 2026 Leadership Forum – February 25-27, Destin, FL
• 2026 Annual Convention – April 19-21, Dallas, TX
• 2026 Fall Conference – November 11-13,  Myrtle Beach, SC (save the date!)
• EACUBO
• Higher Education Leadership Program – August 10-13, 2026, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY ($2,999)

The Chronicle of Higher Education

• Professional Development Programs, including:
•  Leadership Transformation Collaborative - starts January 2026
• Women Leading Change Program - 2026 dates coming soon
• Administrative Leadership Institute – 2026 dates coming soon
• Higher Education Mental Health Forum – 2026 dates coming soon
• Virtual Events (many are on-demand)

AGA is the association that connects and empowers professionals who support government, from financial management to IT, human resources, cybersecurity and more, to advance good government initiatives, grow their expertise and accelerate their careers. (Requires membership.) 

LearnBFSI (several interesting for-fee courses - $199 each for live webinar and $159 for recording – note this company is in Australia), including: ChatGPT for CPAs and Finance Professionals, as well as courses in Excel and ChatGPT for PowerPoint.

UVA Organizations

• UVA Organizational Excellence has many learning opportunities, resources, and articles. Subscribe to OE’s newsletter
•  Affinity Dialogue: Accessing and Using Data at UVA:  December 16, 2025, 11:00-12:00 (online)
•  Skillful Change and Transitions: January 29, 2026, 12:00-1:45 (in person: Holloway Hall-Room 116, Bavaro Hall)
• UVA Miller Center always has interesting programs.
• UVA Human Resources offers many free programs and courses.

·        Learning Tracks | UVA HR – HR has created two new leadership tracks: on for Aspiring Managers and one for New Managers. This is about a year-long commitment and requires completion of an online form. (A track for Experience Managers is in development.)

·         LinkedIn Learning - Human Resources also has links to microlearning courses and to LinkedIn Learning. (Participating in these courses does not require submitting a Professional Development Request Form.)

·         UVA Darden Executive Education – The Collaboration and Influence program is $1,700

• Use the discount code UVA50, which provides a 50% discount for the cost of the program. (The prices listed are for the full cost.
• See the Darden Executive Education program schedule for upcoming dates.

·         UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) offers many Certificate programs.

 

Other Institutions

·         Harvard Business School Online offers multi-course credentials and certificate programs – many are less than $2000.

·         University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business online programs; many are $1,000 or less.

·         Stanford University Executive Education – the self-paced programs are $1,500.