SoTL Mentorship Program

The recipient will receive $500 in professional development funds from the Faculty Center upon fulfillment of their expectations. The recipient will receive free registration to the SoTL Commons Conference if their presentation based upon this work is accepted.

Mentorship

Recipients will organize two mentoring meetings per semester with their mentor. Mentor meetings are designed to support faculty in their SoTL work.

Workshop Presentation

Recipients will present a workshop on implementing insights from their SoTL research at a Faculty Center professional development opportunity during the Fall semester following their mentorship. Faculty Center staff will provide support in developing the workshop.

SoTL Commons Proposal

Recipients will be required to submit a presentation proposal based upon their work to the SoTL Commons Conference.

Final Report

Recipients must submit a report no later than April 15 of the academic year in which they completed the program. Recipients relinquish the stipend if the final report is not completed or if the expectations outlined in this document are not fulfilled.

The Final Report will include:

• Summary of the research activity
• Summary of plans for publication/presentation of research findings
• Reflection on the. mentorship experience
• Optional: Article draft of the SoTL project research findings

• Spring semester Pre (May) – Recipients announced and paired with a mentor.
• Summer – Project planning complete (i.e. develop project and obtain IRB approval, etc.) with the support of the mentor
• Fall semester – Data collection and submission of proposal to SoTL Commons Conference.
• Spring semester Post – Presentation at SoTL Commons Conference hosted by Georgia Southern University and final report due.

Who Can Apply

All current full-time teaching faculty and academic staff at Georgia Southern University may apply.

Employment Requirement

Applicants must remain employed by Georgia Southern University throughout their mentorship to receive program benefits.

Collaborative Projects

For collaborative Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects, only one application may be submitted and funded typically for the project’s primary investigator.

Previous Recipients

Individuals who have previously received the award are not eligible to apply again until four years have passed since their last award.

Nomination portfolios are limited to 6-8 pages (1” margins, minimum 12-point font, spacing: 1.5 or double spaced). All materials need to be combined into a single PDF file. Portfolios that exceed 8 pages or do not meet formatting requirements will not be accepted.

Portfolios must include all:

• Project Components
• Supporting documents

Project Components

Each portfolio submission must include the following components:

• Project Proposal Narrative – Projects may address, but are not limited to the study of the implementation and impact of one or more of the following: Innovative instructional strategies; Creative approaches for assessing learning; New teaching and learning technologies; Different formats of instruction (face-to-face, hybrid, online).
• Introduction of the research question.
• Overview of the research methodology.
• Initial Literature Review with emphasis on how the proposed project builds on/responds to previous scholarship.
• Description of how the results are expected to improve student learning and how this project will impact the teaching of one or more courses at Georgia Southern University.
• Timeline for the development and completion of the SoTL Project.

Supporting Documents

• Condense Curriculum Vitae that highlights presentations, articles, publications and/or professional development in teaching and learning and/or SoTL (2-3 pages).
• A brief letter of support from the unit head (1 page).

The review committee is composed of the SoTL Advisory Board and Faculty Center staff. The director of the Faculty Center, or a delegated member of the Faculty Center staff, will work with the Advisory Board to facilitate the review and selection process. After the committee has reviewed all portfolios, up to two recipients will be selected.

Criteria

The review committee will look for persuasive evidence that the applicant:

• Proposes an innovative and relevant SoTL research question anchored in the research literature
• Proposes a well-designed, methodologically sound course of study
• Clearly explains the expected impact of the SoTL project (in particular its concrete impact at Georgia Southern, but wider applications should also be noted)
• Is likely to complete the project within the proposed timeline.

Applications will open during the spring semester. The deadline to submit the portfolio is April 25, 2025. The recipients will be announced by May 19, 2025. 

To submit an application, complete this 2025/26 GS SoTL Mentorship Program Application form.