Use this form to express interest in the AICAD Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship. Department faculty will nominate candidates to AICAD for an invitation for a full application. Please express interest by November 1, 2024.

WHAT IS AICAD?

AICAD – the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design – is a non-profit consortium of the leading art schools in the US and Canada. It was founded in 1991 by a group of 25 presidents who felt a need for the similarly structured art schools to come together so as to mutually develop their schools and programs. Our mission is to help strengthen the member colleges individually and collectively, and to inform the public about these colleges and the value of studying art and design.

FELLOWSHIP HISTORY

The AICAD Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship program placed its first Fellows in fall 2015. The Fellowship was founded by a group of Chief Academic Officers who all wanted to contribute to the goal of increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of AICAD faculty by offering significant professional development to our excellent graduating students.

The concept is simple:

• Any AICAD institution may nominate graduating Master’s level students (and recent alumni) to apply. Applicants must be nominated by their home institution, and must meet all eligibility criteria (see below). 
• AICAD institutions self select to place Fellows. Placement involves an agreed-upon set of minimum parameters (see below).

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

• The AICAD Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship provides significant professional practice opportunities to high-achieving Graduate alumni. In contributing to the goal of increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of our faculty, we aspire to create a climate that recognizes and values diversity as central to excellence.
• The Fellowship is aimed specifically at recent alumni from participating AICAD schools. Alumni of up to 3 years post-graduation are eligible, if not currently employed in a full-time teaching position in higher education.
• Provide significant professional development to high achieving graduate students within our association as they enter the professoriate, and who will contribute to the diversification of our communities and our curricula.

CRITERIA  The Fellowship is aimed specifically at recent alumni from participating AICAD schools. Candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Candidates must be nominated to apply by the institution from which they earn their graduate degree. See information below about the nomination process.
• Nominees are those who have the potential to contribute to arts and design higher education through their understanding of the barriers facing those from racial and ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in our faculty and curricula, as evidenced by life experiences and disciplinary expertise.
• Earning a graduate degree from a current member AICAD institution. Nominees must be graduating in May of the current academic year, or be an alum of the classes 2021, 2022, and 2023.
• Alumni may be adjunct or part-time faculty, but may not be in a current full-time higher education level teaching position.
• Candidates who have not been placed in a given year are eligible to be nominated again in subsequent years, provided they still meet the graduation year eligibility window. They do, however, need to be nominated each year to apply.
• Candidates may not be placed at the institution from which they graduated or intend to graduate (Master's level alma mater)

NOMINATION PROCESS Students are nominated to apply to the Fellowship by faculty or chief academic officers at their graduating institution. Institutions nominate applicants based on the eligibility criteria detailed above, the candidate’s demonstrated excellence in their practice, and their ability to grow as an instructor. Once a student or alum is nominated, it is then up to them to complete an application. More information is found below on the application process.

PLACING INSTITUTIONS  AICAD institutions self select to place Fellows. Participating institutions nominate candidates, accept Fellows, or both. A list of placing institutions will be made available to applicants via the Slideroom application portal.

Learn more at the AICAD website >