The Graduate School continues to host one Faculty Affiliate for Inclusive Excellence for a two year term. Our affiliate focuses on improving support for students from minoritized communities. The affiliate takes leadership of several of our mentorship programs, including the Network for Enriched Mentoring and the Research Apprentice Program. The affiliate will also have the opportunity to create innovative ideas and initiatives, such as developing resources and establishing programs that future faculty affiliates can sustain with support from The Graduate School staff. The affiliate will work very closely with The Graduate School staff and with relevant faculty and staff throughout the University.
An affiliate devotes an average of 3-4 hours per week to their service for which they will receive a research stipend of $7500. There will also be some funds available to support initiatives that the affiliate develops.
We invite both applications and nominations for the affiliate position. Please contact Mary Bernstein (Mary.Bernstein@uconn.edu) or Karen Bresciano (karen.bresciano@uconn.edu) if you would like more information about becoming an affiliate or if you would like to nominate someone. To apply, email graduatedean@uconn.edu and include a brief statement (no more than 1-2 pages) describing why you are interested in the position, the experience you have that makes you a good candidate for the position, and an initial idea or two about what you would plan to accomplish if you were selected as an affiliate. We will begin considering applications and nominations on May 22, 2026, and the review will continue until the affiliate has been selected.
In past years, our affiliates developed mentorship guides for faculty and graduate students to promote inclusive excellence and launched a Network for Enriched Mentorship (NEM) designed to connect mentees with mentors outside of their coursework and dissertations who have experience navigating obstacles (e.g., systemic bias, personal hardship, alternative career trajectories) or who can be effective and accountable allies.
Interested applicants could develop projects that support an equitable and supportive educational environment and that foster a sense of community, with a particular focus on providing support for graduate students and postdocs from minoritized groups. Ideas for other creative projects are welcome.
