Summary:

At first glance, transitioning from K-12 education into the professoriate seems easy and seamless.  Although the journey from site or district administrator to university professor appears on the surface to have fewer and less stressful challenges, higher education presents its own set of unique and complex challenges.  Within the next decade, a record number of adjunct and full-time professors will be needed to replace retiring faculty. This paper discusses ways in which new professors can be assisted in assimilating into the university setting and how new professors can build positive relationships to ensure success in their new careers. We explore ways in which universities can support and retain new faculty through mentorship, networking, and publishing opportunities.  We present findings of a pilot study we conducted at the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration Annual Conference in August of 2009.   Attendees were asked to fill out a survey regarding their personal experiences in transitioning to higher education. FULL MANUSCRIPT AVAILABLE IN PDF (attached below) OR ONLINE AT:  http://cnx.org/content/m33595/latest/