Preparing Future Faculty

Preparing Future Faculty

Dive into a realm of professional growth and development tailored for graduate students eager to excel in postsecondary teaching and learning. From dynamic micro-credentialing courses to hands-on observation of faculty instruction, this program immerses you in evidence-based practices, empowering you to shape the future of education. InSPIRE, in collaboration with the UTEP Graduate School, is pleased to invite you to participate in this new campus initiative.   

The Preparing Future Faculty program can be completed in as little as one academic year (9 months) and at no cost to you. 

Individuals who join the program will have an opportunity to learn about and reflect on evidence-based practices for advancing undergraduate student learning and success through completion of the following milestones, which culminates in the awarding of a certificate of completion: 

• Micro-credentialing courses on active learning and learner-centered classroom environments, offered by the Association of College & University Educators (ACUE) 
• Observations of faculty instruction with targeted reflection 
• Participation in workshops and webinars offered by InSPIRE and college teaching/learning colleagues nationwide 
• One-on-one interactions with a postsecondary teaching and learning mentor 
• Development of a teaching philosophy statement and teaching portfolio 

Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2024 semester. To apply, please complete the following form no later than Monday, Sept. 2nd. Please note that a letter of support is needed from your primary research advisor/mentor as part of the application process, and you can find a copy of the application form prompts here. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Jeffrey Olimpo, Director of InSPIRE, at jtolimpo@utep.edu with any questions or concerns that you might have, and we look forward to welcoming you into the program. 

The only requirement that must be done this fall is completion of the ACUE micro-credentialing courses. All other requirements can be completed at your own convenience prior to graduation; these include: 

• Attendance at a total of five (5) or more seminars/workshops/webinars sponsored by InSPIRE or hosted by an external entity focused on college teaching and learning 
• Observation of three (3) undergraduate and/or graduate classes, with reflection 
• At least five (5) meetings with a teaching/learning mentor that you identify 
• Participation in the teaching portfolio retreat 

Please also note that you will be added to a Blackboard shell specifically created for the PFF program, which is where you will upload any required documents and can track your progress toward program completion. 

Please note that the table below is a suggested timeline. 

Preparing Future Faculty Certification  

¹Note that you will be automatically enrolled in these micro credentialing courses, so please be on the lookout for communication from staff at ACUE (Association of College & University Educators). 

²Note that these meetings are expected to last a minimum of 30 minutes and can be focused on any aspect of college teaching and learning – e.g., your role as a teaching assistant, your career interests, an educational topic of mutual interest. At the end of the semester, you and your mentor will be expected to submit an executive summary detailing the scope of the conversations that you have had to date. 

³Reflection prompts will be made available, via email, at the start of the Spring 2025 semester.