Faculty are invited to apply to serve as Student Success Faculty Fellows, a new initiative designed to support innovative, evidence-based projects that improve student retention and advance student success.

Fellows will work closely with the senior vice provost for Student Success and Academic Excellence and the director of Learning Innovation and Assessment to design, implement and evaluate projects addressing specific retention challenges on campus.

Applicants will propose their own projects within one of five targeted focus areas:

• Gateway Course Transformation and Academic Recovery
  • Focus: Redesigning high-enrollment, high-failure courses and creating effective programs for students to recover from academic setbacks
  • Sample Projects: Intensive academic recovery programs, adaptive courseware integration, student-centered gateway course redesign strategies
• Engagement Initiatives
  • Focus: Creating interventions that help students feel connected to the university community and engaged in their academic experience
  • Sample Projects: Customized belonging interventions, mentorship programs, peer connection initiatives, campus climate assessment and response systems
• Integrated Student Support and Emergency Response
  • Focus: Developing comprehensive support systems that address both academic and non-academic barriers to student success
  • Sample Projects: Coordinating holistic case management, rapid crisis response protocols, training approaches for identifying students who need assistance and support
• Technology-Enhanced Learning and Retention
  • Focus: Leveraging educational technology to create engaging learning experiences and support systems that improve student outcomes
  • Sample Projects: Gamified learning applications, virtual reality learning environments, student support chatbots, learning analytics dashboards
• Predictive Analytics and Early Intervention Systems
  • Focus: Using data and technology to identify at-risk students early and implement timely interventions that improve academic outcomes
  • Sample Projects: Real-time early warning systems, dashboards for at-risk student identification, automated intervention triggers, predictive models for gateway course success.

Projects should demonstrate measurable impact, scalability and potential for sustainable improvement in student outcomes. Fellowship terms are flexible — one semester, one academic year (fall, spring) or one full year (fall, spring, summer) — depending on project scope.

Eligible applicants must be currently employed as a U of A faculty and have departmental or supervisory approval. Preferred qualifications include experience in data analysis, educational research or prior involvement in student success initiatives.

Interested candidates should complete and submit this application by Nov. 24. Fellowship recipients will be notified by Dec. 5.