Imagine first-year and sophomore students interviewing faculty members associated with their major, discussing possible research projects and sharing common passions. Picture these students attending student organizational meetings, learning about services available to them, assessing their “fit” for their major, and reflecting upon their professional goals. These are some outcomes that faculty in the special education program at Northern Illinois University (NIU) envisioned when we developed the one-credit Introduction to the Major course four years ago.
![](http://s26601.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/10.02_creating-an-academic-culture-of-working-to-live-300x144.jpg)
Creating an Academic Culture of Working to Live
I’m often asked how I succeed at managing work-life balance—or as I call it, “life-work balance”— and it stems from my childhood. My parents both worked as educators, and