How to Apply

Who may apply
Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and other professional schools at UVa are invited to apply for the program. We accept up to twenty-five new TPT participants each year. Candidates interested in pursuing academic positions after leaving UVa will find the program most beneficial. In order to complete all program requirements, candidates are recommended to have at least two years remaining at UVa. Please consult the FAQ page if you have additional questions regarding whether you're eligible for the program or whether it is suitable for your professional development needs. Still can't find answers to your questions? Please contact one of the program administrators.

Obligations
Participants in the Tomorrow’s Professor Today Program are required to:

• Complete program requirements within two years and while affiliated with UVa.
• Participate in the TPT informational orientation and annual check-ups held early in the fall semester.
• Participate in a six-week long, non-credit bearing pedagogy seminar during the fall semester of your first year in the program. With other TPT participants and an experienced facilitator, you will discuss key readings focused on effective teaching & learning in higher education. The 75-minute sessions will be held once a week for six consecutive weeks, excluding holidays. The exact dates and times will be set based on participant availability.
• Attend at least one TPT-sponsored event each semester while in the program.
• Select a program advisor to mentor your work in the program. Although your advisor can come from inside or outside your department, we suggest choosing someone who will take the time to talk about teaching and professional growth, who can speak to your specific disciplinary context as a graduate student and/or future faculty member, and who might serve as your advocate in the future.
• Contribute to the collegiality of the program.
• Support program feedback and assessment initiatives.
• Keep program coordinators and advisor informed of progress.

How to apply
To apply for the 2013-14 program, candidates must complete the online application and email a brief, one page CV to trc-tpt@virginia.edu by Friday, May 17, 2013. Please email the CV as a pdf file, using the naming convention: "lastname, firstname - CV.pdf". (Note: For the one-page CV, we are looking for a snapshot of your academic career to this point. What is your educational background, how is your research progressing, what kinds of classes are you teaching, are you involved in university service? We don't want to see every detail, just the highlights.)

In addition to basic contact and academic information, the application asks for brief, 2-3 paragraph responses to the following questions. We recommend typing out your responses before accessing the online form.

• Describe your interest in Tomorrow's Professor Today, clearly explaining your motivations for applying to the program at this particular stage of your graduate career. What are your plans for or concerns about a future faculty career? How does the program fit into your plans for the immediate future?
• Discuss your goals as a participant in TPT. How, for example, will participation in the program better prepare you for teaching, research and other professional development activities?
• The success of the Program depends in large part on the active engagement of all participants and your ability to complete requirements in a timely manner. Engagement includes working independently to fulfill program requirements, analyzing a wide variety of teaching and professional development issues, and exchanging ideas with other participants. With this in mind, briefly respond to the following two questions:
  • After looking over last year's program checklist (included below), comment on how you will fit TPT requirements into your current teaching and research responsibilities.
  • What do you expect to gain from other participants in the program? How will you contribute to the collegiality of the program?

Selection process
Selection of new participants occurs mid-summer. Among other factors, including balance among disciplines, the selection committee will consider the level of

• interest and motivation in achieving program goals
• willingness to be an active participant
• commitment to teaching, research and other professional development activities.

For more information, contact the Teaching Resource Center at 982-2815 or trc-tpt@virginia.edu.