Postdoc-to-Faculty Pathway Program at Vanderbilt University

The Academic Pathways program is designed to prepare recently graduated doctoral students (Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.) and/or a law degree (J.D.) for competitive academic careers. The need is particularly acute to develop faculty candidates who come from diverse racial, ethnic and other backgrounds and experiences, as differing experiences, views and perspectives are of exceptional value for academic institutions in their research and educational roles.

The Academic Pathways Postdoctoral Fellowship creates a bridge between academic training and entry-level faculty positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Essential elements of the program include the creation of substantial “protected time” for the pursuit of the fellow’s academic and scholarly objectives, the construction of a robust mentoring architecture, and the development of the “soft skills” so important for success in today’s academic setting. Specific elements of the program will include: leadership training, grant and manuscript writing and preparation, a multi-level mentoring framework, and connections to relevant resources and training across campus. These opportunities will be individualized based on the academic discipline of fellows with similar formats for the humanities, social science, and life/physical/biomedical science areas.