Professional Development Corner: March 2026

Contributed by Patty Marbury Professional Development Corner Note: Please discuss all professional development opportunities with your manager before applying for any funds. See below for more information on the Education Benefit. 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. Read the Wharton article Setting Professional Development Goals That Actually Work As we develop our goals for the year, it’s a good idea to also think about professional development—what we want to learn, where we want to grow. But even with the best intentions, it’s easy for plans to fade as day-to-day work takes over. A few good reminders: Align your development goals with your annual performance goals. Keep goals specific and achievable—choose one goal that will have meaningful impact on your work. Look for small opportunities to practice and apply what you’re learning. Stay flexible. Professional development plans may shift as your work, priorities, and goals change. Professional Development Opportunities To help with your planning, below is information about a variety of workshops, courses, and resources to support your ongoing growth. 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 they can be included in future communications. Featured Resource: Coursera Remember that UVA has a university-wide subscription to Coursera, an online learning platform offering a wide range of courses, specializations, certifications, and degree programs from universities and institutions around the world. Check it out and start learning. Explore Coursera Upcoming Offerings As in recent months, the opportunities below focus on offerings that may be eligible for the centrally funded education benefit and are offered virtually or locally, helping minimize travel costs. If you are requesting departmental funds, make sure you have approval before registering or enrolling. Spring FOCUS May 19–21, 2026 at VMI in Lexington, VA In-person registration: $350 (closes May 1, 2026) Virtual attendance: $50 (registration opens after May 1) EDUCAUSE Events 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. They connect and empower their member community through insights, advocacy, resources, and learning opportunities to anticipate trends and strengthen professional practice. View EDUCAUSE events NACUBO UVA has institutional membership with NACUBO, and individual membership is free. Highlights: • Award nominations open; deadline is Friday, April 3, 2026 • Washington Update: April 6, 2026, 1–2 p.m. • Other live online events are generally free to NACUBO members and some offer CPE credits • Recordings, conferences, forums, self-paced courses, microlearning, and podcasts are also available Featured Events: • NACUBO 2026 Annual Meeting – July 18–21 in Anaheim, CA • 2026 Higher Education Accounting Forum – April 13–15 in Boston, MA • New: 2026 Actionable Insights for AI Series – May 12–28 online Self-Paced Courses: • Strategic Higher Education Finance and Planning ($595) • F&A Short Form ($150) • Essentials of College and University Accounting ($125) • Facilities Management ($49) • Endowment Fundamentals ($49) • New to Higher Education ($49) Podcasts: • Career Conversations • NACUBO in Brief * To join, go to nacubo.org and click “Login or Join.” From the login box, click “Don’t have an account” and complete the form. In the “Primary Affiliate” field, enter “University of Virginia” and select the appropriate affiliate. Visit NACUBO SACUBO • 2026 Annual Convention – April 19–21, Dallas, TX ($895; early bird registration ended 2/23/26) • 2026 Fall Conference – November 11–13, Myrtle Beach, SC (save the date; more information coming soon) EACUBO • Higher Education Leadership Program – August 10–13, 2026, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY ($2,999) • 2026 Annual Meeting – October 12–15, 2026, Buffalo, NY (save the date; more information coming soon) Final thought: Professional development does not have to mean travel or a major time commitment. Small, intentional steps can make a meaningful difference over time.