2026 Bernstein Award for Future Faculty

The Bernstein Award for Future Faculty recognizes KU graduate students who have approached their teaching as inquiry into learning. The $750 award will honor one graduate student who is pursuing a career in academia.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  • Be doctoral candidates who have passed the comprehensive exam
  • Be in good standing in a program based on the Lawrence campus
  • Be nearing the end of their graduate degree and will graduate in calendar year 2026
  • Have completed at least two semesters with significant teaching responsibilities as a graduate student at KU

Application Instructions

Graduate students must submit the following materials through this application form by March 29:

  1. A written statement (maximum 1,000 words)
  2. A current CV
  3. The name of the faculty member who will complete the required Faculty Note of Support form

Written Statement (Maximum 1,000 words)

Your written statement should address the following four areas:

1. Introduction
Briefly state where you are in your graduate program and your post‑graduate plans.

2. Teaching Involvement
Describe your teaching experiences—both within your department and more broadly. This may include courses taught and involvement in teaching‑related service.

3. Course Focus
Choose one KU course you taught and respond to:

  • a. Course Context: When and how often did you teach the course (semester/year)? Who were the students (e.g., number, level)? How does the course fit within the department or university curriculum?
  • b. Learning Goal: Describe one major learning goal you focused on, and why.
  • c. Teaching Strategies: What approaches and assignment(s) did you use to help students accomplish that goal?

4. Reflection on Student Learning(central to a strong application)
Discuss what student performance on the assignment(s) revealed about their learning.

  • a. If you taught the course more than once: What changes did you make, and what impact did they have?
  • b. If you taught it only once: What changes would you make, and how would you assess their impact?

Faculty Note of Support (Required)

In addition to the materials you submit, a faculty member familiar with your teaching must complete a separate Faculty Note of Support Form by March 29.

Faculty will be asked to describe:

  • Your role in the course(s) you taught
  • The quality of your teaching work
  • The assignments or tasks you used to support course goals
  • How you demonstrated reflection on student learning

The Faculty Note of Support must be submitted by March 29.

Review Timeline

Members of the Center for Teaching Excellence will review applications and identify the award recipient by mid‑April.

Recipient Information

The award is funded through the KU Endowment Association. The recipient will receive a paper check from KUEA in Summer 2026 and will be asked to attend the CTE Celebration of Teaching on May 8 at 3 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Kansas Union, which will include the Bernstein Award presentation.

About the Award

The Bernstein Award for Future Faculty was established in 2014 in honor of Dan Bernstein, who served as CTE’s director for 12 years.

Questions? 

Contact Kaila Colyott at kcolyott@ku.edu

Submit Application
Submit Letter