ELI Faculty Ambassador Program

The ELI Faculty Ambassador Program consists of faculty from all schools with undergraduate programs. The ELI Faculty Ambassadors each receive $3000/year for two years to publicize experiential learning and mentor faculty who receive ELI Course Developer stipends. Faculty Ambassadors are the lynchpin of ELI and act as the connective tissue between ELI, faculty, and the UT community.

ELI awarded 16 Ambassadorships in 2019 and needs 18 more in 2020. The awards are spread across all the undergraduate colleges/schools in proportion to size of graduating classes in departments. The 25 largest undergraduate departments (spread over 11 colleges/schools) are each eligible for one Ambassador. The remaining colleges/schools are each eligible for two Ambassadors.

A selection committee consisting of faculty and staff associated with the Experiential Learning Faculty Working Group, the Provost’s Teaching Fellows, and ELI, is currently reviewing applications from faculty for the 2020-2021 cohort. These applicants were nominated by their departments and on-campus faculty and staff well-versed in experiential learning and undergraduate research. Faculty Ambassadors will be announced in early November 2019.

Faculty Ambassadors are being selected according to the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated experience with experiential learning or other innovative teaching methods
  • Enthusiasm for implementing experiential learning or other innovative teaching methods in courses or curricula at the undergraduate level
  • Previous participation or interest in mentoring or collaborating with colleagues in research or in teaching
  • Previous participation or interest in collaborating with on-campus staff
  • Can be faculty of any rank, but for non-tenure-track, at least a half-time appointment for 3 consecutive years

Cohorts

2020-2021

The 2020-2021 cohort will include 18 faculty representing the following departments and schools:

School or College # of Ambassadors  Ambassadors by Department
College of Natural Sciences Integrative Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics , Biochemistry (now part of Molecular Biosciences), Nutritional Sciences , Human Development and Family Sciences
McCombs School of Business Finance , Accounting, IROM, Marketing
College of Education 2 Curriculum and Instruction, Kinesiology and Health Education 
College of Fine Arts 2 Any department or undergraduate program
School of Social Work Any department or undergraduate program
School of Geosciences Any department or undergraduate program
Total 18  

 


Commitment

  YEAR ONE YEAR TWO End of Year
ELI Faculty Ambassadors
  • Participate in selecting faculty to receive course stipends.
  • Mentor and encourage ELI course developers.
  • Attend at least 6 of 8 monthly lunches and 2 workshops run by EL specialists.
  • Host a roadshow in home school
  • Bring ideas and examples back to home dept./college.
  • Attend 6 of 8 monthly lunches and at least two workshops run by EL specialists.
  • Continue mentoring.
  • Bring ideas and examples back to home dept./college.
  • Help publicize results of program.
  • Share successful examples at conferences, etc.

ELI Contact

Hillary Hart, Ph.D.
Director of Experiential Learning

 

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