Writing the Application Statements

This statement should outline your scholarly achievements, including a discussion of the impact and contribution of your work to your discipline. The research/scholarship statement should also detail your future plans in research/scholarship.

Additionally, if applicable to your research/scholarship, you may choose to address the following:

• How the research/scholarship has the potential to understand and serve the needs of groups that have been historically underrepresented in academic research.
• How the research/scholarship focuses on underrepresented populations and understanding issues related to disparities in access and inclusion. For example:
  • research/scholarship that addresses topics such as health disparities, educational access, and achievement, political engagement, economic inequality, social mobility, civil and human rights, and similar topics;
  • artistic expression and cultural production that reflects communities or voices not well represented in the arts and humanities.
• How the research/scholarship brings to bear the perspectives that come from the scholarly understanding of the experiences of groups historically underrepresented in higher education or underserved by academic research generally.
• How the research/scholarship contributes to understanding the experiences of populations who have been historically underrepresented in specific fields in higher education. Examples include (but are not limited to):
  • studying patterns of participation and advancement of groups that are underrepresented;
  • evaluating research programs, curricula, and teaching strategies designed to enhance participation of students from groups underserved by higher education.

This statement should describe your philosophy of teaching, and may include experience in formal course instruction or design as well as informal teaching or mentoring experiences.

Particular consideration will be given to the following:

• A record of leadership or significant experience teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students from broadly diverse demographic and social backgrounds, including students from groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education. Strong statements will demonstrate this engagement beyond work with individual students.
• Capacity to pedagogically address and respond to the learning needs of students from all backgrounds, including those who have been underserved or underrepresented in higher education. For example:
  • Development or use of curricula designed to enhance participation of students from groups that have been underserved by higher education
  • Engagement in training or professional development activities designed to enhance intercultural or intergroup competencies and skills
  • Ability to meaningfully teach content related to advancing reducing educational disparities
• Ability to create an inclusive learning environment. For example:
  • How the applicant’s and students’ backgrounds, and experiences affect classroom dynamics;
  • How multiple perspectives can be integrated into teaching methods and approaches.

If required by the department to which you are applying (please refer to their job ad), this statement should document your engagement in service and leadership roles within academia and beyond. This can include sustained engagement, service, or leadership to increase access, retention, and success of underrepresented populations in higher education.

If you are applying to a department that does not ask for a service/leadership statement, we suggest you describe your engagements in a cover letter.

Some areas of interest to the program are:

• Potential to contribute to higher education through an understanding of the importance of access and inclusion, especially within higher education, as may be evidenced by reflections on one’s life experiences and educational background.
• A record of academic service to advance access to higher education for populations in fields where they are underrepresented.
• Demonstrated engagement with activities that advance access and inclusion, especially with historically underserved populations, and bringing this experience to the scholarship, teaching, and learning mission of the university. This commitment may reflected by leadership or active participation in:
  • departmental or institutional committees, task force groups, or other workgroups;
  • local or national service related to access and opportunity in higher education, such as through professional societies and organizations;
  • scholarship, practice, or policy efforts to advance access and inclusion, particularly for historically underrepresented or underserved populations (at campus, local community, state, or national levels);
  • other community engagement or outreach activities relevant to advancing access and opportunity, such as volunteer activities, consulting, or advising.
• A record of leadership or significant experience performing public service advancing educational access and inclusion in our increasingly diverse society.