Oberlin College / Kalamazoo College / University of Michigan Exchange Program

The Rackham Graduate School is pleased to help sponsor an exchange program involving the University of Michigan, Oberlin College, and Kalamazoo College. The program is meant both to deepen existing ties between large research institutions such as the University of Michigan and liberal arts colleges such as Oberlin and Kalamazoo as well as to forge new ones. Its guiding premise is that each kind of school has much to offer the other: just as research institutions, for example, have unmatched resources to help faculty advance their research, so do liberal arts colleges provide unique opportunities for the training and development of young faculty members in a teaching-intensive environment.

Intended as a pilot to help encourage similar linkages between other universities and colleges in the Midwest, the exchange partnership has three major components. One involves the placement of newly minted Ph.D.s from the University of Michigan in one-year teaching positions at Oberlin College or Kalamazoo College. The second provides opportunities for the faculty of Oberlin and Kalamazoo to pursue research projects on the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan. The third allows doctoral students who have advanced to Candidacy and have a demonstrated record of accomplishment in teaching to participate in teaching mentorship programs in either of the two partner institutions.

OK/UM Postdoctoral Teaching Fellows

As part of an exchange between the University of Michigan, Kalamazoo College, and Oberlin College, funded by the Mellon Foundation, applications are being accepted for 4 post-doctoral fellowships at Oberlin College or Kalamazoo College. Students from all fields in the humanities and humanistic social sciences are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have earned the Ph.D. from the University of Michigan at some time after June 1, 2005, or expect to do so no later than August 15, 2008. The positions are designed to support the fellows in developing both their teaching skills and their research programs.

Features

  • One-year appointment to teach and conduct research at a major liberal arts college.
  • Beginning salary of $41,000 per year with additional funding for research.
  • Half-time teaching load to free up time for research.
  • Guidance and mentoring from an Oberlin College or Kalamazoo College faculty member.

Students with a strong commitment to teaching and a genuine interest in pursuing an academic career are encouraged to apply. Candidates may indicate a preference for one of the participating institutions, but this is not required. Final selections will be determined collectively by a panel of faculty from UM, Oberlin College, and Kalamazoo College. Applications must be received by February 18, 2008.

Exchange Partnership Program Application Instructions

The application for the OK/UM Exchange Scholar Program must be submitted online. The application consists of the following information: General Information (candidate’s contact and recommendation letter writer information), Dissertation Abstract, Letter of Application outlining the candidate's research and teaching interests, Teaching Statement describing the candidate’s methods and goals as a teacher, curriculum vitae, and Letters of Recommendation. All non-Letter of Recommendation information must be submitted online to the Rackham Graduate School by Monday, February 18, 2008. Letters of Recommendation must be submitted online to the Rackham Graduate School by Monday, February 25, 2008. Questions about the program or the application procedures should be directed to Associate Dean Peggy McCracken at (734) 764-4405 or via e-mail at .

OK/UM Rackham Exchange Scholars

Faculty from Oberlin and Kalamazoo may apply for research opportunities through this program. Open to all disciplines. UM will provide library access, workspace, and promote contacts with the relevant UM faculty. Although faculty at mid-career (i.e. those who have received tenure in the past five to ten years) may find such a program especially rewarding, we welcome applications from all ranks.

Oberlin and Kalamazoo Mentorship Programs

Doctoral students from the University of Michigan who have achieved Candidacy and have demonstrated a record of accomplishment in teaching may participate in the Graduate Student Mentorship Program or the Teaching Internship Program. Both programs pair a faculty member from Oberlin College or Kalamazoo College with a student with comparable disciplinary interests. Visits to either campus may include activities ranging from observing a mentor's class and reviewing it with him/her or discussing research agendas in the context of liberal arts colleges or guest lecturing or conducting class discussions.

Visits of 1 to 2 days will be covered by the Short-Term Graduate Student Mentorship Program. The costs of travel, food, and lodging will be reimbursed by the Graduate School. (The short-term mentorship program also allows students to work with faculty from Albion College, EMU, Grand Valley State University, Kettering University, Oakland University, and Wayne State University.)

Longer visits of 3 to 7 days will fall under the Longer-Term Mentorship Program. These will involve activities and projects comparable to the ones described above, but with a greater commitment of time and effort for both mentor and mentee. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the academic year. In addition to reimbursing the costs of travel, food and lodging, Rackham will provide each participant with a stipend of $250.00.

Students interested in either of these programs should consult the Mentorship Program website.

For further information visit the websites for Kalamazoo College or Oberlin College.

For questions, please contact .

Contact

For further information regarding any aspect of the OK/UM Exchange Program, please contact:

Associate Dean Peggy McCracken
Rackham School of Graduate Studies
University of Michigan
915 East Washington Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1070
E-mail:
Phone: (734) 764-4405