Virginia Tech’s Future Faculty Diversity Program (FFDP) is a rigorous three-day event for doctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars interested in academic careers. Participants are chosen from a national pool of candidates who apply directly to the program and are matched with an interested department.

The Office for Inclusion and Diversity (OID) currently serves as the administrative base for the program, which draws a wonderfully diverse group of participants in terms of gender, race, and geographic region. Specifically, FFDP is designed to assist departments with identifying and recruiting talent from historically underrepresented domesticminority populations such as African Americans, Hispanics/Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders.

In fact, FFDP provides participants with an invaluable opportunity for professional development, as well as an opportunity to have candid discussions with department heads, deans, and early career faculty members about life in academia. As part of the experience, participants are hosted by a Virginia Tech department to tour research facilities, meet with current faculty to gain a greater awareness of research and teaching opportunities, discuss their career prospects and academic work, and present a research talk.

The program will take place on October 3-6, 2021 and will be in person. Colleagues are encouraged to invite potential future faculty scholars to apply. Applications are open and will be accepted through August 15..

Selection Criteria

  • Be a graduate student or post-doctoral scholar within one year of seeking a faculty position at a research-intensive institution
  • Demonstrate career goals, research interests, and academic potential that align with Virginia Tech’s mission and programs
  • Be able to meaningfully contribute to the university’s continuing commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence

Application Process

The application deadline is August 15, 2021.

Underrepresented graduate students (A.B.D.) and post-doctoral scholars within one year of completion (Spring/Summer 2022) who are seeking a faculty position at a research-intensive institution are invited to apply for the 2021 Future Faculty Diversity Program.

Please be prepared to upload the required documents into one document in the following order with a page break in between:

  1. Cover letter that addresses the selection criteria above (1 page)
  2. Diversity Statement responding to the prompt: How does your commitment to diversity impact your role as a tenure track faculty member? (1 page)
  3. Research Statement (1-2 pages)
  4. Curriculum Vitae

Click here to apply for FFDP 2021

For questions about the application process please contact Dr. Erica Cooper at [email protected]