VCFA Professional Development Scholarship Program
We are pleased to announce that the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA) has again provided scholarship funding for UW–Madison staff to attend select professional development courses offered by the Division of Continuing Studies (DCS). This marks the eighth consecutive year that the vice chancellor has provided UW staff with the opportunity to take DCS professional development courses at no cost.
University and academic staff may apply for a professional development scholarship by filling out the form below. The scholarship will pay for the full cost of one course, and we estimate about 100 awards will be made. The application period ends Friday, January 24, 2025, at 9 a.m. CT.
Professional development courses offered through this program include training in leadership development, business management, teaching, behavioral health, Workplace Culture & Belonging, and Spanish (if necessary for your position). All courses offered will be held live online. View all VCFA courses and descriptions below, and click on individual course titles to view schedules and sections.
Please select up to three courses, in order of preference. If your first-choice course is full at the time of the award, we will award your second-choice course; if your first- and second-choice courses are both full, we will award your third-choice course.
Application details
Application deadline is Friday, January 24, 2025, at 9 a.m. CT.
Awards will be made by random draw until the funds are exhausted.
Applicants will be notified of their award status by email in early February and will receive a link to register with a special code.
One application per employee.
This program is for university & academic staff members with an appointment FTE greater than zero. (Employment status will be verified before awards are made.)
Before submitting your application, please reserve the course dates on your calendar and obtain approval to attend the course from your supervisor, if appropriate.
All DCS policies regarding cancellation and transfer will apply.
Employees who are awarded the scholarship will be notified and receive a nontransferable code to use for complementary registration for their first, second or third choice (depending upon space availability). Please see special notes for Spanish 0, 1, 2 and 3 registrations below.
After awardees register with their nontransferable code, they will receive a registration confirmation from [email protected]. Email questions to [email protected].
Spanish Language
Spanish Language
You may request a scholarship for these live online Spanish courses only if you supervise or regularly interact with Spanish-speaking colleagues, students or external stakeholders as part of your job. Courses will run in spring and/or summer 2025 with various sections and dates available. Some course dates will not be finalized until late spring. If you select a Spanish class as a course option and are awarded a scholarship, you will be contacted regarding specific dates and times of availability at the time of your scholarship award. Placement tests are encouraged so learners get appropriate instruction for their knowledge level. Please see the course descriptions below for more information.
Spanish 0
Various dates
This mini-course developed by UW–Madison sets you up for success in Spanish 1 with a slow introduction to the fundamentals of Spanish. Guided by an experienced instructor and proven strategies for adult language learners, you will feel progress from day one.
Spanish 1
Various dates
This practical beginner’s course (A1.1), developed fully by UW-Madison for adult language learners, explores the cultural richness of the Spanish-speaking world while helping you master the basics of Spanish. Learn to talk about life, family, work and travel with our award-winning approach.
Spanish 2
Various dates
This practical high beginner’s course (A1.2), developed fully by UW-Madison for adult language learners, explores the cultural richness of the Spanish-speaking world while improving your ability to converse about real-life topics. Focuses on the present tense with an introduction to the past tense.
Spanish 3
Various dates
This practical low-intermediate course (A2.1), developed fully by UW-Madison for adult language learners, explores the cultural richness of the Spanish-speaking world while growing your speaking and comprehension skills. Learn to discuss past events and express opinions with real-life Spanish.
Leadership & Management
Leadership & Management
Agile Scrum for Project Management
March 12–19
This class will help build foundational knowledge of Scrum and equip you with skills to effectively manage, lead or be a member of a Scrum team. You will learn what kinds of projects call for an Agile Scrum approach.
Applied AI for Non-Technical Leaders
March 19–April 2, 2025
Artificial Intelligence is not a trend. It is a revolutionary development in technology for which all workplaces should be informed and prepared. This course is designed for non-technical managers and professionals seeking to understand and leverage generative AI in their operations.
Change Management for Projects
March 6–20, 2025
June 9–23, 2025
Project management protocols don’t often account for the changes in attitude and behavior that people will need to make to ensure the successful adoption of change. This workshop will focus on the integration of change management and project management processes and tools.
Communication Skills for Challenging Conversations
April 3–11, 2025
Learn to handle difficult conversations at work and to listen and be assertive without weakening relationships. Better understand the complex nature of interpersonal communication and explore why misunderstanding is so normal. Apply the skills learned to conflict resolution and give performance feedback.
Conflict in the Workplace: Crafting and Adapting Your Role in Resolution
May 3–12, 2025
Managing conflict can improve decision-making and strengthen professional relationships. In this interactive course, you’ll develop your self-awareness while exploring conflict styles and approaches you can use to foster productive resolutions.
Consensus Building through Effective Communication and Collaboration
May 27–June 5, 2025
Achieving consensus is a critical, yet nuanced skill. This course equips you with the tools and techniques to navigate group decision-making and reach effective agreements.
Design Thinking for Innovative Problem-Solving
Feb. 27–March 20, 2025
Designed for working professionals, this hands-on course equips you with practical tools to tackle real-world challenges in both business and everyday life.
Facilitating Effective Meetings
Feb. 18–19, 2025-May 14–15, 2025
Gain an understanding of the mechanics of managing a meeting well. Learn to develop an agenda, manage meeting dynamics, deal with disruptive behavior, keep the meeting on track, track assignments and record the decisions and actions of the group. The session includes templates and models.
Fundamentals of AI
Start anytime
This introductory course demystifies artificial intelligence by explaining what it is and how it works. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to deepen your understanding, this course serves as a solid foundation for subsequent, more interactive coursework.
Fundamentals of Project Management
Feb. 13–20, 2025-June 18–26, 2025
Gain foundational knowledge and explore best practices in project management to build the personal knowledge, skill and confidence you need to effectively lead projects. Whether you’re leading your first project or looking for strategies to ensure project success, you will benefit from this class.
Intrapersonal Communication: How Your Inner Voice Influences Your Outer World
May 1–8, 2025
The messages we process internally often impact how we communicate with the world around us. This course helps individuals understand their inner voice, the types and forms of intrapersonal communication and the tools for successfully using this skill in personal and professional environments.
Leadership
March 25–27, 2025
Explore leadership characteristics and ways to strengthen your organization and support others’ work. Learn about different leadership styles, public perceptions of leadership by sector and servant-leadership basics. Develop a personal leadership philosophy that contributes to your mission.
Leading from a Distance: Team Building in a Hybrid World
May 13–15, 2025
We’re seeing more organizations with employees who work from home, live in other states and often live in other countries. “Lead from a distance” by understanding the challenges and best practices. Build trust, navigate conflict, make decisions and conduct engaging meetings with virtual staff.
Management Assessment for Personal Planning and Development
March 19–20, 2025
This class uses the DiSC® assessment to boost self-awareness and explore how personality and behavior impact our interactions. Learn to see things from different perspectives and leverage these insights to create powerful synergies in your team.
Managing Organizational Change
March 7–8, 2025-March 18–19, 2025
A key challenge for today’s leaders is helping employees to understand the need for change. They must help employees discover new ways of working and embrace these new ideas. We explore strategies for communicating the need for change and building employee commitment to that change.
Managing Time, Multiple Priorities and Interruptions
Feb. 13, 2025-April 17, 2025
Identify behaviors, create strategies that help you manage multiple priorities and handle interruptions so you are more effective at work. Cover the myth of multitasking, how daily goals and objectives lead to success, strategies and best practices in putting out fires and doing more than one job.
Managing Your Brain for Managers: The Neuroscience of Leading Self and Others
March 11–April 15, 2025
Our brains are hardwired to react and protect us. Through this skills-based training, we learn to calm our fear-based survival center and activate parts of the brain that facilitate creativity, critical thinking and interpersonal connection.
Professional Writing: Effective Workplace Communication
April 2–9, 2025
Master the skills necessary to communicate effectively with internal and external audiences in today’s professional environment. Learn techniques of document structure, grammar and style proven to enhance credibility and influence. Learn credibility-damaging errors and tips for avoiding them.
Psychological Health & Safety at Work
May 20–21, 2025
The world now recognizes mental health as a critical workplace issue. WHO, ILO and ISO have developed standards to address psychological risks. This session explores the global shift and the 3 pillars of psychological health and safety to foster innovation, resilience, and prevent burnout.
Strategic Project Management: Optimizing Resources and Navigating Risks
Feb. 25–27, 2025-May 7–9, 2025
Advance your project management skills by diving deep into some of the critical components of managing a project. Going beyond the basics of project management creates a culture of learning, accountability, transparency, high performance and successful delivery.
Strategic Thinking, Planning and Organizational Transformation
March 26–28, 2025
Strategic planning provides both a process and a set of outcomes that help you find answers to core questions about organizational identity and direction. Discover how to construct your organization’s strategic plan, involve other stakeholders in its development and ensure successful implementation.
Strengths Discovery for Personal Growth and Team Building
April 4–11, 2025
This course provides you with a deep dive into your Gallup Strengths results, giving you tools and strategies to boost collaboration and decision-making. Take this course to level up your leadership, build high-performing teams and lead with confidence.
The Manager’s Role in Work Satisfaction and Engagement
April 30–May 8, 2025
There are many myths about what managers can and should do to support employee work performance, satisfaction and engagement. Learn what decades of real-world management experience reveal about best practices and tools, plus gain insights into today’s diverse and fast-moving environments.
Workplace Neurodiversity: Creating Spaces Where All Minds Can Thrive
May 15–22, 2025
Neurodiversity reflects the natural variation in human minds and how people interact with the world differently as a result. In the workplace, building awareness for how neurodivergence appears within it is the first step towards realizing the innovation and creativity a supported team can generate.
Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity & Inclusion
Emotional Intelligence for Leaders: From Insight to Impact
March 20–April 10, 2025
Explore the science of emotions and their impact on workplace behaviors. Use evidence-based tools to discover and develop your own Emotional Intelligence (EQ) skills and the agency to navigate pressure. Use the insight you gain to influence and support the EQ of your team.
Trauma-Informed Leadership: A Guide for All Managers
June 10–11, 2025
This course empowers managers to support team members impacted by trauma while maintaining personal and professional boundaries. Learn to balance compassion with productivity and navigate complex situations guided by employment law. Reduce stress, boost morale and build a stronger team.
Workplace Neurodiversity: Creating Spaces Where All Minds Can Thrive
May 15–22, 2025
Neurodiversity reflects the natural variation in human minds and how people interact with the world differently as a result. In the workplace, building awareness for how neurodivergence appears within it is the first step towards realizing the innovation and creativity a supported team can generate.
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching Smarter, Not Harder: AI Tools for Educators
Feb. 4–March 22, 2025
This course helps educators apply AI to increase teaching efficiency by streamlining course preparation, creating activities and providing individualized feedback. Through hands-on exercises and case studies, educators will learn practical ways to implement AI in their daily teaching tasks. This course incorporates hands-on activities, peer reflection, and practical applications to ensure educators not only learn about AI but actively use it in their teaching practices.
Behavioral Health
Behavioral Health
Lunch & Learn: Exploring Grief Topics
April 9–23, 2025
Participants will identify the unique challenges of Anticipatory Grief, Ambiguous Loss and Disenfranchised Grief over three 1-hour live webinars with Dr. Erica Srinivasan.
Motivational Interviewing as a Path to Personal Change
May 22, 2025
This 3-hour live webinar with Michelle Drapkin is for practitioners interested in incorporating MI skills designed to help individuals achieve change into their practice or individuals interested in developing their own path to personal change.
Seriously Playful: (Re)discovering the Power of Playfulness
May 7–21, 2025
This 3-hour webinar with instructor Casey Meehan prompts adopting a lighter approach during challenging times. Rediscover your innate playfulness, understand why it’s important and learn how to incorporate a bit more of it into your life and work!