ServiceU: Building a Dynamic Professional Development Program

As universities adapt to changing environments, it is necessary to cultivate professional skills that benefit both the employee and the campus community. UW–Madison took on this challenge by partnering with multiple constituent groups across campus to build an 18-month professional development program for 125 employees, integrating project work, mentor/mentee relationships, and professional learning networks. This exciting development plan, ServiceU, is a scalable system that addresses customer service, relationships/rapport, communication, and time management. In this interactive presentation, we will share an approach for developing a professional development program at your university while highlighting recommendations for scaling various activities.