Fellowship Positions
The University awards four faculty and one staff fellow positions. They are as follows;
- Teaching Faculty Fellow
- Leadership Faculty Fellow
- Instructional Technology Faculty Fellow
- Institutional Effectiveness (IE) Faculty Fellow
- Professional Development and Career Support Staff Fellow
University Teaching Faculty Fellow
The University Teaching Faculty Fellow will serve as a leader in advancing teaching excellence at Virginia State University. The Fellow will work collaboratively with the Director of the Academy of Faculty Enrichment (AFE) to advance best teaching practices and active learning strategies across the University, supporting a culture of innovative, student-centered learning.
The University Teaching Faculty Fellow is designed to contribute significantly to the intellectual life of VSU through exceptional teaching effectiveness.
The primary goals of the Teaching Faculty Fellow are to:
- Develop and implement a signature initiative that advances teaching excellence at VSU. This initiative will serve as the Fellow’s hallmark project, designed to promote innovative teaching practices and active learning strategies across the University. The initiative should be scalable, sustainable, and designed for campus-wide impact, with the potential for long-term integration into AFE programming and institutional practices. The initiative should align with the mission of the Academy of Faculty Enrichment and support the University’s commitment to sustaining academic excellence.
- Design and implement workshops, seminars, and professional development experiences that promote innovative teaching practices, active learning strategies, and evidence-based pedagogy across disciplines.
- Support faculty in the design, implementation, and assessment of scholarly teaching projects, practices, and curricula that create engaging and successful learning environments.
- Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and scholars from diverse fields and areas of expertise as a foundation for interdisciplinary inquiry into teaching and learning.
- Assess and report on progress made in teaching and learning through implemented teaching program initiatives, including measurable outcomes and impact on faculty development and student success.
The University Leadership Faculty Fellow will serve as a catalyst for cultivating leadership capacity across Virginia State University. The Fellow will work collaboratively with the Director of the Academy of Faculty Enrichment (AFE) to advance opportunities for faculty to develop aspiring leaders and current leaders, strengthening a culture of strategic thinking, innovation, and institutional impact.
The University Leadership Faculty Fellow will create initiatives that encourage faculty to develop leadership skills, clarify their career trajectories, build leadership networks within the University, and extend their engagement to leaders beyond the institution.
The primary goals of the Leadership Faculty Fellow are to:
- Develop and implement a signature leadership initiative that supports the cultivation of strategic, forward-thinking, and visionary leaders at VSU. This initiative will serve as the Fellow’s hallmark project and should be scalable, sustainable, and designed for campus-wide impact, with potential for long-term integration into AFE programming and institutional leadership development efforts.
- Design and implement workshops and professional development experiences that support leadership growth, including contributions to the Dean's and Chairs' Professional Development Series, the Aspiring Deans, Chairs, and Directors Symposium, and other University-led leadership initiatives.
- Assist in key institutional initiatives, including New and Adjunct Faculty Orientation, the Faculty Mentoring Program, and faculty career support efforts (junior, mid-career, and legacy faculty).
- Provide faculty support for career planning and leadership pathways at all stages, assisting faculty in exploring university, community, and professional leadership opportunities.
- Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and scholars from diverse fields and areas of expertise to foster interdisciplinary approaches to leadership development.
- Assess and report on progress made in leadership development through implemented initiatives, including measurable outcomes and institutional impact.
University Instructional Technology Faculty Fellow
The University Instructional Technology Faculty Fellow will serve as a leader in advancing the effective integration of technology to enhance teaching and learning at Virginia State University. The Fellow will work collaboratively with the Office of Distance Education and Professional Studies (DEPS), VSU Information Technology Services, the Director of the Academy of Faculty Enrichment (AFE), and representatives from the Faculty Senate Technology Committee to strengthen the use of instructional technologies across the University.
The Instructional Technology Faculty Fellow will support the University’s commitment to innovative and accessible teaching practices by promoting the strategic use of technology in face-to-face, online, and hybrid learning environments.
The primary goals of the Instructional Technology Faculty Fellow are to:
- Develop and implement a signature instructional technology initiative that supports teaching and learning across face-to-face, online, and hybrid modalities. This initiative will serve as the Fellow’s hallmark project and should be scalable, sustainable, and designed for campus-wide impact, with the potential for long-term integration into AFE programming and institutional practices.
- Design and implement workshops and professional development experiences that support the integration of technology tools in the classroom, including the effective use of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and other digital instructional platforms.
- Support faculty in the advancement and effective integration of instructional technology in teaching and research activities, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes across modalities.
- Promote best practices in digital pedagogy by supporting faculty in designing engaging, accessible, and student-centered learning experiences using technology.
- Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and scholars to assist faculty in adopting and utilizing innovative instructional technology tools, software, and equipment to improve teaching effectiveness.
- Assess and report on progress made in teaching and learning through implemented instructional technology initiatives, including measurable outcomes and impact on faculty development and student success.
University Institutional Effectiveness (IE) Faculty Fellow
The University Institutional Effectiveness (IE) Faculty Fellow will serve as a key partner in advancing a culture of evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement at Virginia State University. The Fellow will work collaboratively with the Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Success, Planning, Institutional Effectiveness, and Accreditation to strengthen institutional practices related to program development, accreditation, data use, and strategic planning.
The IE Faculty Fellow will support the mission of the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (OPIE) by leading efforts that enhance the University’s ability to assess effectiveness, demonstrate impact, and sustain academic excellence through data-informed practices.
The primary goals of the IE Faculty Fellow are to:
- Develop and implement a signature institutional effectiveness initiative that advances a culture of continuous improvement at VSU. This initiative will serve as the Fellow’s hallmark project and should be scalable, sustainable, and designed for campus-wide impact, with the potential for long-term integration into institutional processes and AFE programming.
- Advance continuous improvement initiatives by supporting an ongoing cycle of planning, evaluation, and action (closing the loop), ensuring that results are used to inform meaningful changes at the course, program, and institutional levels.
- Support data-informed decision-making by assisting with the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data related to retention, progression, and institutional effectiveness.
- Contribute to accreditation compliance efforts by supporting the development of documentation, processes, and practices that demonstrate adherence to regional and specialized accreditation standards.
- Assist with academic program review processes, including evaluating curricula, faculty effectiveness, and student achievement to ensure alignment with institutional goals and external expectations.
- Collaborate on administrative and support unit reviews, helping to assess the effectiveness of non-academic units (e.g., financial aid, housing, IT) in supporting student success and institutional operations.
- Contribute to strategic plan evaluation efforts by assisting in measuring progress toward institutional goals and identifying areas for improvement and innovation.
- Build collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, and administrators across the University to promote a shared understanding of institutional effectiveness and foster a culture of accountability and improvement.
- Assess and report on progress made through institutional effectiveness initiatives, including measurable outcomes, impact on student success, and contributions to institutional planning and accreditation readiness.
University Professional Development (PD) and Career Support Staff Fellow
The University PD and Career Support Staff Fellow will work directly with the Directors of Organizational Development and Faculty Development to develop and implement a wide array of professional development and career progression opportunities for staff.
The primary goals of the Staff Fellow are to:
- Conduct a Staff Development Needs Assessment Survey.
- Use the survey results to design a staff professional development series each year and design evaluation instruments to measure the series effectiveness.
- Identify career progression opportunities and provide assistance to staff in developing their professional portfolios.
- Serve as a liaison between the Staff Senate and the Academy of Faculty Enrichment.