With a notable rise in the number of higher education institutions embracing online delivery models as a viable option for their programs and course offerings, there has been an increase in the need for a distributed, online faculty workforce. These faculty members not only deliver course content but also serve as representatives of the associated institution for students. They are the lifeline to the institution for students who are often equally distributed. Yet, many online educators engage very little with their associated institutions, enter the virtual teaching space as subject matter experts rather than trained educators, and do not have a viable means of connecting or engaging with their peers. All of these factors can be isolating for online faculty. In this chapter, the author explores strategies for holistic support of online educators to help facilitate engagement with students to connect with the institution and participate in meaningful dialogue with peers. Highly engaged and supported educators are best positioned to impact student success.
