Chellgren Center now accepting applications for next cohort of Chellgren Endowed Professors

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 16, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence is now accepting applications for the next cohort of Chellgren Endowed Professors. These prestigious appointments, supported by the Chellgren Endowment, will fund two new professorships beginning in the Fall 2026 semester.

Each appointment is a three-year, nonrenewable term and is reserved for tenured UK faculty who demonstrate outstanding achievement as teachers and researchers with a deep commitment to undergraduate excellence.

“The Chellgren Endowed Professorships recognize and support faculty who are transforming the undergraduate experience through innovative and impactful practices across various disciplines at UK,” said Isabel C. Escobar, Ph.D., Chellgren Endowed Chair. “These distinguished faculty leaders play a vital role in advancing our mission of fostering student excellence, enhancing teaching quality and promoting program distinction throughout the university.”

The mission of the Chellgren Center is to advance UK’s commitment to student excellence, teaching excellence and program excellence, with the broader objective of positioning the university as a national leader in undergraduate education. Chellgren Endowed Professors help fulfill this mission by raising student aspirations, fostering curricular innovation and promoting collaboration across programs and disciplines.

Faculty responsibilities

To be named a Chellgren Endowed Professor, faculty members must either:

1. Assume a leadership role for a campus-wide initiative or program of undergraduate excellence of their choice, or

2. Propose an independent project that broadly addresses one or more of the following areas of emphasis:

• Development of new courses that incorporate cultural competency, collaborative learning, problem-solving, creative thinking and team building.
• Creation or revision of undergraduate programs (certificates, dual degrees, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary offerings) that prepare students to be leaders and scholars in a global society.
• Revision of existing courses to improve quality and relevance for today’s students.
• Curricular reform that integrates curricular and cocurricular activities to promote engagement, belonging and retention.
• Pedagogical innovations that enhance student learning and classroom experience.
• New assessment procedures to measure academic success, well-being and belonging.
• Strategies to integrate high-impact practices throughout academic curricula and majors.
• ​Programs that strengthen collaboration between college-based programs and units in the Office for Student Success.

In addition, each Chellgren Endowed Professor will:

• Conduct the approved project or leadership assignment.
• Serve as an active member of the Chellgren Center faculty team, participating in regular discussions about educational excellence.
• Participate in candidate review committees for external scholarships.
• Present a public lecture describing their project or addressing a topic pertinent to the UK undergraduate experience.

Eligibility and application

Any tenured UK faculty member with a record of sustained commitment to undergraduate education is eligible.

Applications must be submitted electronically by Feb. 15 to chellgrencenter@uky.edu. Each application should include:

• A letter of interest.
• An up-to-date resume or CV (maximum three pages).
• A project proposal (maximum three pages) or description of a leadership assignment (maximum two pages).
• The most recent teaching portfolio (updated as desired).
• A letter of support from the applicant’s dean.

Final selections will be made by the provost, in consultation with the senior associate provost for administration and academic affairs, from finalists recommended by the Chellgren Endowed Professor Search Committee.

Compensation

Each professorship carries a $5,000 annual stipend for salary or research support during the term of the appointment. The preferred funding model is as an overload assignment, though alternative strategies may be considered in consultation with deans.

The next cohort of Chellgren Endowed Professors will be announced no later than March 1.

The Chellgren Center, a unit within the Office of the Provost, will also host an open house 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, on the second floor of the Funkhouser Building. Visitors can connect with the center’s staff and learn more about programs that support undergraduate excellence.

For questions about the application process, contact Isabel C. Escobar, Chellgren Endowed Chair, at isabel.escobar@uky.edu.

To learn more about the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, visit www.uky.edu/chellgren.