Higher Education and Democracy Initiative
The Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Higher Education and Democracy Faculty Fellows Initiative. Apply by June 1, 2025.
Does your scholarly work deal with democratic institutions, practices or culture? Elections and the political process? Political polarization? Mis- or disinformation? Civil discourse or public deliberation?
Do you engage public and community audiences or partners in your scholarly work, specifically in Colorado?
The Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship (PACES) is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Higher Education and Democracy Faculty Fellows Initiative. Faculty fellows will receive $1,000 two times per year (Fall and Spring terms) for completing fellowship requirements. Travel and project funds are also available to support fellowship-related community-engaged work.
Fellowship requirements include:
- Attend monthly meetings of fellows and PACES staff:
- Share information, discuss opportunities and challenges.
- Fellows are advisors who help to inform PACES and campus efforts to promote CU Boulder’s constructive engagement about issues of public concern and community-engaged teaching, research and creative work.
- Conduct or contribute to at least two community-engaged activities that advance scholarship and address community needs within the fellowship year:
- Activities can be connected to partnerships and public work in which you are currently engaged, or new work developed as part of the fellowship.
- Be available for opportunities to speak to community groups, public audiences, etc., in line with your expertise and interests.
Application materials should include:
- Attachments, as PDF or .docx:
- Current CV
- Short letter of interest (1-2 pages) explaining your interest in and qualifications for the fellowship, and the work you would like to undertake. Specifically explain:
- Current or potential campus and community partners.
- How it addresses a significant community need or interest related to civic and democratic issues.
- How it connects with and advances your scholarly work (research, teaching or creative work)
Please submit application materials via email to eva.mandel@colorado.edu.
The deadline for applications is June 1, 2025.
For questions about the program, contact katie.kleinhesselink@colorado.edu.
The Higher Education and Democracy Initiative was established in 2022 with the explicit aim of addressing growing political polarization and strengthening Colorado’s social and civic fabric. It does this by catalyzing university-community partnerships and elevating public and community-engaged scholarship that addresses pressing civic challenges.