University of Mississippi Faculty Laureates showcase excellence in academic inquiry, creative endeavor, and communication. This new program, developed and managed by the Mississippi Lab, leverages award stipends, travel stipends, course releases, and project development funds to empower the creativity of faculty from all disciplines who work on the Oxford campus of the University of Mississippi. Their dynamic work makes possible new alliances, projects, and knowledge. Laureates amplify the impact of higher education in Mississippi and beyond.
Underwritten by the Dr. Daniel W. Jones Endowment for Faculty Support.
Logo by students in Tyler Barnes’s graphic design class at the University of Mississippi.
To enter, email hr@olemiss.edu and they will send you the application.
Goals
Introduce Mississippi to UM faculty
Showcase the impact of higher education in Mississippi
Retain and grow creative faculty
Encourage and enable creative work
Build new alliances, projects, and knowledge
Eligibility
Faculty with 5 years minimum experience at UM at time of application
ALL fields and disciplines are eligible
Lecturer, Instructional Associate Professor, Associate Professor, or higher
2-3 Laureates selected every 2 years
Actual number based on strength of field
2-year terms
Compensation
50 percent course release (2 class release per semester if class load is 3-3)
$ to departments to cover classes, arrangements made via department chairs and Provost
$7.5k yearly Laureate stipend
$10k yearly Laureate travel budget, rollover possible
$5k initial Laureate project funds
At 6 months, Laureates propose full projects and apply for additional project funds
Schedule
Call for applications October 30, 2023
Applications due January 30, 2024
Narrow applicants to finalists by February 15
Applicant interviews completed by March 15
Announce Laureates April 1
Start August 15, 2024
Application
Department chair support required
Three Questions, 1,000 words total:
Why do you want to serve as a University of Mississippi Laureate?
What programs and projects will you research and plan?
What good will you do, and what audiences will you reach?
Selection
7 jurors
3 meetings per year
Narrows field to finalists (edited)
Each finalist gets one interview with jury (edited)
Jurors
Thomas Andre, Exercise Science
Nancy Maria Balach, Institute for the Arts
Shawnboda Mead, Vice Chancellor Diversity and Community Engagement
John T Edge, Mississippi Lab
Vanessa Gregory, Journalism and New Media
Cecille Labuda, Physics and Astronomy
Andre Liebenberg, Business and Insurance