College of Education

The Alma Project: Faculty Fellows 2027-28

The College of Education invites applications from faculty across campus to serve as Alma Faculty Fellows for the Alma Project. Twelve fellows will be selected for the August 2027-June 2028 term. Each fellow receives $5,000 in project funding. For more funding information, see the About the Fellowship section below.

In collaboration with the College of Education team, the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, and the Educating Character Initiative at Wake Forest University, the goal of the Alma Project is to create, support, and sustain a culture of neighborliness at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign through community-engaged learning courses. We define neighborliness as respecting and caring for others because they are nearby. To learn more, view the project summary.

Full-time tenure system or specialized faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign across any discipline or College are eligible to apply. We welcome applications from instructors with and without prior experience in community-engaged practices.

Apply to be a part of the 2027-28 Alma Faculty Fellows cohort by November 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. CST.

 Apply Now

About the Fellowship

About the Fellowship

  • Twelve faculty fellows will be selected for AY 2027-28
  • Each fellow is associated with up to $5,000 in project funding to support activities conducted as part of this grant
  • Funds will be expended through the grant project budget and are not provided in separate discretionary accounts to fellows. Allowable expenses may include graduate or undergraduate hourly positions, materials and supplies, and faculty service in excess funding (subject to standard fringe benefit costs)

Key Responsibilities

  • Community-Engaged Learning: Instructors will offer a course with a community-engaged component in Fall 2027 or Spring 2028. For instructors without prior experience, assistance to integrate community-engaged learning is available through the Alma Project
  • Alma Project Workshop: Alma Faculty Fellows will attend an all-day workshop on May 17, 2027
  • Community of Practice: Alma Fellows will attend monthly cohort meetings to share teaching materials and learn best practices for how to embed neighborliness in their courses
  • Alma Project Showcase: Fellows will participate in a Spring 2028 event that will exhibit the breadth and depth of our efforts to conceptualize and practice neighborliness across different contexts

Eligibility

  • Full-time tenure system or specialized faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign across any discipline or College
  • Plan to teach a community-engaged course during the 2027 Fall or 2028 Spring semester

Selection Criteria

  • Understanding of and commitment to community-engaged learning
  • Proposal of an undergraduate course for Fall 2027 or Spring 2028 with a thoughtful community engagement component
  • Articulation of how content regarding neighborliness would fit in the proposed community-engaged course

Application requirements

  • Statement of interest, experience, and values regarding community-engaged teaching (500 words or less)
  • Summary of existing or proposed community-engaged course for Fall 2027 or Spring 2028 including ideas about how neighborliness could be integrated into the course (400 words or less)
  • Applicants will be notified in November 2026

Please contact Lázaro Garcia, postdoctoral research associate and Alma Project program manager with questions.

 College of Education
1310 S. Sixth St.
Champaign, IL 61820-6925
Phone: 217-333-0960
Apply Contact Give

Explore:

Connect:

Apply to the College

Congratulations! You've taken the first step to becoming a student of the College of Education. The application process is different for undergraduate and graduate studies.

Send Our Office a Message

Thanks -- we will get back to you in 24 hours.