Announcing the 2026–2027 Broader Impact + Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program
The Office of Engagement at Purdue University is excited to announce the 2026–2027 Broader Impact + Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program, year-long professional development opportunity designed to support faculty in advancing meaningful, community-centered scholarship.
Advancing Faculty Impact Across Mission Areas
This program brings together two critical pillars of faculty success: broader impact and the scholarship of engagement. Together, these focus areas empower faculty to extend the reach of their work beyond the university to enhance communities, strengthen grant proposals, and support career progression, particularly in the promotion and tenure process.
- Broader Impact focuses on integrating community benefits into research and teaching, especially in grant submissions and community collaborations.
- Scholarship of Engagement emphasizes impactful work that connects academic expertise with real-world needs by demonstrating measurable outcomes and scholarly contributions.
By bridging these areas, the fellowship fosters faculty development across Purdue’s three mission areas: learning, discovery, and engagement.
Broader Impact + Scholarship of Engagement Fellows Program Overview
Ten (10) faculty members will be selected from across the West Lafayette, Purdue Northwest, and Purdue Fort Wayne campuses to participate during the 2026–2027 academic year.
Who should apply?
- Assistant and associate professors
- Tenure-track or clinical-track faculty
- Individuals with an interest in community engagement, broader impact, and applied scholarship
Participants will engage closely with a panel of experienced Purdue faculty mentors who have strong track records in engaged scholarship and broader impact initiatives.
What Fellows Can Expect
The program offers a structured yet collaborative environment, focusing on key skill-building areas:
- Understanding the scholarship of engagement
- Documenting and evaluating impact
- Enhancing broader impact across mission areas
- Integrating broader impact into grant proposals
- Strengthening community-level impact
Fellows will also receive personalized mentor feedback on:
- Promotion and tenure documents
- Grant proposals, with emphasis on broader impact integration
Upon successful completion, each fellow will receive a $1,000 stipend in recognition of their work and participation.
Engagement Fellows Program Expectations
Fellows will actively develop a scholarship of engagement and broader impact portfolio throughout the year. Key expectations include:
- Identifying and developing a project and proposal with clear community benefits and scholarly contributions
- Collaborating with mentors to establish short- and long-term goals
- Demonstrating broader impact knowledge through:
- A grant proposal executive summary
- A logic model outlining outcomes and impact
- Participating in:
- Four in-person workshops (two hours each)
- The Community Impact Summit (Spring 2027)
Application Process
This is a highly competitive program, and interested faculty members are encouraged to prepare a comprehensive application.
Required Materials:
- Statement of Interest (2–3 pages)
- Describe your interest in the program and how it will enhance your academic career
- Project & Proposal Description, Including
- Community partners and their roles
- Scholarly outputs
- Assessment plans
- Anticipated impact
- Relevant mission area(s)
- Past Experience
- Provide examples of prior scholarship of engagement and societal impact, if available
- Support Statement
- Email confirmation of support from your department head and dean (no formal letter required)
| Deadline: | Friday, May 29, 2026 (End of Business) |
| Submit Applications To: | Jason Ware, jaware@purdue.edu |
| Notification Date: | Friday, July 10, 2026 (End of Business) |
Discover the Office of Engagement’s full range of professional development resources for engaged faculty, including workshops, consultations, fellowships, and grant support.