Appreciative Administration Online Course
The Appreciative Administration Online Course introduces administrators and aspiring administrators to the practical application of the Appreciative Administration Theory-to-Practice Framework. Participants will learn to co-create and achieve organizational and personal goals by focusing on building trusting relationships to co-create and achieve personal and organizational goals.
Through an Appreciative lens, participants will explore key administrative topics and learn specific skills, techniques, and theory-to-practice applications to:
- Onboard new staff where they can feel welcomed, valued, and inspired to contribute.
- Create a positive and productive environment where everyone feels heard and appreciated.
- Support team members' growth, development, and success.
- Celebrate the team's strengths and use that information to make positive decisions.
- Create a shared vision for the future, based on the team's strengths and successes.
Dates
| Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| January 27 – March 10 Registration Deadline: January 15, 2025 |
May 5 – June 16 Registration Deadline: April 23, 2025 |
September 8 – October 20 Registration Deadline: August 27, 2025 |
| SPRING 2025 REGISTRATION | SUMMER 2025 REGISTRATION | FALL 2025 REGISTRATION |
Cost
- Course Registration: $495
- Groups of four or more: 10% discount
Contact Smita Patel at patels@fau.edu for group registration instructions.
Time Commitment
Participants report devoting approximately 2-3 hours each week to engaging with the content and developing theory-to-practice application assignments.
Optional: Participants will be invited to meet in community for three (3) one-hour interactive discussions over Zoom.
Facilitators
Dr. Meagan Elsberry, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Students, Lynn University
My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that learning is a lifelong journey and that we all have a responsibility to be actively engaged in the creation and exploration of knowledge. I envision the Appreciative Administration course as a space where all participants – facilitators and participants alike – contribute to and benefit from this collaborative process. I hope to foster an environment of open dialogue, reflection, and regular communication with participants during the course.
Karen McCrank, M.Ed., Director of Student Success, Dalhousie University
My approach to the Appreciative Administration course is centered on fostering a positive and empowering learning environment. I believe in the transformative power of reflection and collaborative learning, and I aim to create a space where participants can explore their strengths as appreciative educators and develop new perspectives. By delving into real-world challenges through discussions, case studies, assignments, and dialogue, I hope to generate innovative new solutions and approaches to fostering an appreciative workplace.
Testimonials
"I highly recommend leaders in any capacity participate in the Appreciative Administration course as a form of professional development and meaningful reflection and introspection. Engaging with other educators and the faculty offered me a wealth of information that changed my approach to supervising my team and leading programmatic initiatives. For example, applying a SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results) rather than SWOT analysis to employee and program evaluations reframes everything in light of genuine positivity, potential, and possibilities, tapping into the heart of issues my team and I care deeply about as we design and deliver on co-created goals to support our students and campus community."
– Tara Connolly, Professional Academic Advisor,
Truckee Meadows Community College
“Florida Atlantic University’s Appreciative Administration online course helped me maintain valuable skills and tools as a new administrator at my University. From learning about appreciative onboarding to developing a strategic plan from an appreciative lens, I felt that the course as a whole prepared me to be a better administrator. What I found most useful from the course is being able to connect and troubleshoot with other administrators across the U.S. [and beyond] on a variety of topics we commonly come across as administrators.”
-Bryce Williams, Director, First-Year Utah,
Office of Undergraduate Studies, The University of Utah
“As an advising professional stepping into more of a leadership role within my office, this course was so helpful in helping me evaluate what we currently are doing in our office and what we should really consider changing to make it more friendly to our staff members and our office. So often we get caught up in the student’s needs (still important) and forget about the staff’s needs/experience. I found a lot of value in our new staff onboarding assignment. As I take on more supervision, that piece of the course was very valuable for me and how I approach supervision moving forward.”
-Layne Crowe, Sr. Academic Advisor I, Exploratory Advising Center,
University College, Kent State University