Aspiring Leaders Academy

Applicants must be:

• Tenured associate or full professors, or
• Professional-track faculty who meet the following criteria:
  • Appointed at UT for at least six academic years with no gap in service of longer than three consecutive academic years;
  • Have a benefits-eligible appointment at UT during the AY 2026-27;
  • Greater than or equal to 50% FTE in each of the fall and spring semesters of the AY 2026-27.

Any eligible faculty member may nominate themselves to be considered for selection to the cohort.

Up to 15 faculty will be selected for participation in AY 2026-27.

Participants will be selected by a committee of university leaders based on their ability to demonstrate the following in their application materials:

• Up to 15 faculty will be selected for participation in AY 2026-27.
• A committee of university leaders will select participants using the following criteria, the candidate:
• Is a recognized nascent leader in their field and role at the University, with evidence of a strong record of excellence and contributions in service and mentoring as well as in their other professional areas of focus including
  • Teaching and scholarship for tenured and professional-track faculty with research as a primary area of focus, or
  • Teaching (for professional-track faculty with teaching as a primary area of focus)
• Has demonstrated evidence of a collaborative mindset and ability to work well in a team environment
• Has articulated a vision for their future leadership goals and impact on the professional communities with whom they affiliate and the University
• Can commit to in-person participation in the intensive biweekly workshop series for the duration of AY 2026-27.

Applications consist of text-box entries and PDF uploads submitted through our application portal. Please submit the following materials via this portal link no later than 5 p.m. CDT on Friday, Apr. 24, 2026:

1.) Professional information (name, rank, title series, etc.) as requested in the form

2.) A single PDF or Word document with the following in the listed order:

A half-page statement summarizing the candidate’s leadership experiences and accomplishments to date

A one-page statement (size 12 font, 1-inch margins) describing potential leadership goals. The candidate will be asked to describe the types of academic leadership to which they aspire. Some leadership areas might be focused on promoting student success or on faculty research, scholarship, and creative activities, etc. Candidates are also welcome to discuss leadership areas beyond these examples. They should also discuss at which level they are most interested in pursuing leadership opportunities, e.g., department, college or school, University, etc. Articulating areas of interest will help reviewers understand candidates’ overarching goals and how they might be supported and advanced through this program.
Current Curriculum Vitae (no specific format required).

Application and selection: Summer 2026

• Application deadline: 5 p.m. CDT on Friday, Apr. 24, 2026
• Selection decisions will be announced in late June 2026.

Program duration: September 2026 – April 2027

• Interested parties must plan to join required biweekly in-person meetings at the UT Austin campus on recurring Fridays. Meetings will be held between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. during the fall and spring terms of the academic year. Selected applicants will be sent the final schedule.