Staff Fellows Program

This professional development program provides participants with the opportunity to build their capacity as leaders, gain experience to grow their careers, while participating in a transformative leadership program. It is open to staff employees at all levels of the organization, regardless of job title or management status.

Application deadline has been extended to Friday, December 6. 

In 2022, Governance leaders worked with the Vice Provosts for Human Resource Management and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging and others on a project to renew our culture. The effort – the IRISE Culture Charter – articulated the expectations we have for ourselves and for how we interact with each other. The IRISE values – Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, Excellence – are foundational to the academic experience that furthers our vision to be an exceptional learning community that lifts each member and advances society. The 2025 Staff Fellows will be part of a larger campus initiative to integrate these values across the university.

Activities for this initiative are centered around the creation of a cohort of students, faculty, and staff who will work separately and together to become deeply literate in the scholarship of values and character building. They will engage the Seven Strategies for Character Development as a guide to propose several initiatives or strategies for KU. These strategies/initiatives are designed to increase our capacity to support students in Character Development and begin to build a network of units on campus that will join in the task of making KU a values-driven university. 

Program Structure

The 2025 Staff Fellows cohort will join the IRISE fellow cohort in researching the current level of integration of IRISE values across the university.  They will research best practices in values-based organizations both internally and externally and make recommendations for integrating and sustaining these values across the university. 

During the program year, participants are expected to attend all three-hour sessions and to commit time in between sessions to complete readings, meet with their mentor, and perform project-related assignments.

Required Qualifications

• Unclassified Professional Staff (UPS) and University Support Staff (USS) with two continuous years of full-time employment at KU. 
• The ability to commit to a three-hour time block twice per month along with time in between sessions to complete readings, attend mentoring sessions and perform project work. 
• Interest and availability to work on a group project throughout the duration of the fellowship. 
• Enthusiasm for the larger mission of KU and a desire to engage with the IRISE values 
• A history of exceptional work at the University of Kansas, as documented by a supervisor’s endorsement. 
• The ability to work collaboratively with a cohort of other fellows in a seminar style of learning. 
• Preferred experience with project management in an official or unofficial capacity 

Program dates:

Jan 10 

Jan 24 

Feb 7 

Feb 21  

March 7  

March 28 

April 11  

April 25  

May 9  

May 23  

Application Process

Interested staff should complete an application, which includes information about the candidates’ career at KU, along with completion of a couple short essay questions. The essay questions focus on career goals, interest and suitability to the program, and an interest in this year’s project.

A review committee then meets with select candidates for a short interview. Following the full review process, the committee selects a cohort of employees to participate in the program.

The University of Kansas is committed to professional development and as a result, there is no cost to participate.