HIGH POINT, N.C., Oct. 24, 2014 – A new book that provides guidance for graduate students pursuing a career as a university professor includes a chapter written by Dr. Sadie Leder Elder, assistant professor of psychology at High Point University.

The book, entitled “Preparing the New Psychology Professoriate,” helps aspiring professors with the often-difficult transition from graduate school to the academy. Elder’s chapter, “My Love Affair with Teaching,” shares highlights of her personal experience, which includes her early career as a faculty member at HPU.

Elder says graduate students are often put into the role of assistant professor without formal training or mentorship to help them balance the demands of teaching, research and service, and that can be difficult to manage personally and professionally.

“Many aspiring faculty members leave graduate school with a wealth of knowledge in their respective disciplines, but with little training on how to be successful professors,” she says. “This book helps early career faculty navigate this critical time in a manner that minimizes unnecessary stress and strain.”

Although early career years can be filled with ups and downs, Elder shares in the chapter that she feels fortunate to have spent her first years as a faculty member working in a supportive environment among others who share her passion for teaching.

“My time at HPU has been critical to my development as a successful and productive academic,” Elder says. “I recently won a national teaching award from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and I know that such an accomplishment would not have been possible without an environment that provided support and resources to its early career faculty.”

Elder’s chapter is available online at http://teachpsych.org/Resources/Documents/ebooks/pnpp2014.pdf.