Ritualized Engrossment: Portraits of Early-Career Faculty Practicing Renewal

Abstract

In higher education, the demands on early-career faculty often lead to mental health challenges and time poverty. This article explores two major issues that negatively impact faculty well-being: the disconnect between doctoral socialization and tenure-track realities, and the struggle to balance unrealistic expectations with sustainable practices. To address the dissonance we felt as early career faculty, we developed a renewal practice called ritualized engrossment, characterized by connection, collaboration, care, and commitment. Grounded in aesthetic approaches and using methods from portraiture and collaborative autoethnography, we present two narrative portraits illustrating the impact of this practice on our well-being. Our portraits illustrate moments when we considered the rightness of fit and our research trajectories. Our findings demonstrate how ritualized engrossment fostered vocational vitality and provided essential support for us as early-career faculty. This practical approach highlights the importance of consistent, intentional, and meaningful connections in sustaining personal and professional well-being.