Instructors: apply for CIE SoTL Fellowship by Feb. 27

The Center for Instructional Excellence (CIE) invites instructors at Purdue’s West Lafayette and Indianapolis locations to apply for the 2026-2028 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Fellowship Program.

The SoTL Fellowship Program is a two-year fellowship which includes an online six-week faculty learning community in this summer in which SoTL fellows design a SoTL project, as well as a monthly community of practice that provides support while fellows conduct their SoTL research.

The resources an ongoing support can be invaluable in initiating and sustaining inquiry into teaching practices with the goal of improving student learning. “As a SoTL Fellow, I built a strong foundation in conducting high-quality research that meaningfully engages students as stakeholders and strengthens the impact of instructional practice,” said LaMonica Williams, clinical assistant professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Educational Studies in the College of Education.

“The fellowship fostered sustained dialogue with colleagues across disciplines, deepening our collective support for student learning,” Williams explained. “Most importantly, it created space to explore questions that matter to my practice and to think more deeply and intentionally about learning in my field.”

“[The CIE SoTL Fellowship program] created space to explore questions that matter to my practice and to think more deeply and intentionally about learning in my field.”
— LaMonica Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education

In addition to incorporating their research into instructional strategies for their courses, SoTL Fellows have also presented their projects at a variety of academic assemblies, including the SoTL Summit, the SoTL Commons Conference, the Lilly Conferences and many other discipline-specific conferences.

“The SoTL Fellowship program offered me a supportive sense of community. I was able to meet faculty from across the university and learn about incredible work that is being performed here at Purdue,” said Krystal Hans, assistant professor of forensic entomology and director of Forensic Science in the College of Agriculture. “This fellowship also provided me opportunities to present my work at the Teaching and Learning Festival and share my project with colleagues from numerous departments. Even after completing the fellowship, I still receive invitations and updates regarding SoTL opportunities. I’m truly grateful for this experience and the mentorship that I’ve received from this program.”

“I was able to meet faculty from across the university and learn about incredible work that is being performed here at Purdue.”
— Krystal Hans, Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture

Clinical Professor Megan Purcell said the fellowship community of practice provides the structure and support to pursue teaching and learning research. “The SoTL Fellowship Program provided both the support and the dedicated time in my schedule to pursue a project that had been on my mind for many years,” said Purcell, who is the Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs program coordinator in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. “The professional learning community fostered through collaboration with CIE staff and faculty from across the university was both encouraging and productive, creating shared accountability and helping us move our work forward.”

“I was able to meet faculty from across the university and learn about incredible work that is being performed here at Purdue.”
— Megan Purcell, Clinical Professor, College of Health and Human Services

More information about the fellowship is available on the SoTL Fellowship webpage.

Applicants for the SoTL Fellowship program should complete this online application by Fri., Feb. 27. SoTL Fellows will be notified of their acceptance by Fri., March 27.

Questions may be directed to Emily Bonem, CIE assistant director of SoTL, ebonem@purdue.edu.

CIE is a member of Innovative Learning, Purdue’s hub approach to connect West Lafayette and Indianapolis instructors to the resources they need to engage students, develop courses in any instructional modality, and enhance learning across the University. Other members include Libraries and the School of Information Studies and Purdue University Online. To learn more, visit www.purdue.edu/innovativelearning or email InnovativeLearningTeam@purdue.edu.