Donald H. Wulff Diversity Fellowship

2026 Call For Applications

The application deadline is extended to Sunday, June 21, 2026. Apply Here!

Fellowship Description

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education enthusiastically invites applications for the 2026 Donald H. Wulff Diversity Fellowships. These fellowships provide financial and peer-mentoring support designed to increase and support sustained participation of individuals from historically underrepresented groups in the field of educational development.

Underrepresented groups include, but are not limited to, individuals who identify as racial and/or ethnic minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered individuals; and individuals with disabilities. These fellowships are also intended to support individuals working at institutions that are currently underrepresented in the POD network. These institutions include, but are not limited to: Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Native American Tribal Colleges, Hispanic-Serving Institutions or Hispanic Area Colleges and Institutions, Minority-Serving Institutions (or those aspiring to become MSIs), and Community Colleges. The fellowship is named to honor the memory of the former POD President, Donald H. Wulff, who was an early supporter of the POD Diversity Committee. This initiative highlights the alignment of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee’s mission with POD’s Vision, Mission, and Values.

We encourage applicants with all levels of experience in educational development to apply, from graduate students and other early career or pre-career applicants to senior educational developers. 

Past Wulff Fellows are encouraged to apply and serve as Peer-Mentors to new awardees. Wulff Fellow Peer-Mentors will take the lead in facilitating community-building experiences for new fellows throughout the conference and going forward through the year.

The POD Network Conference is an opportunity for educational developers, educators, administrators, consultants, and innovators to come together and participate in interactive sessions and networking events focused on current issues and trends in educational development, including programs focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Wulff Fellows will share their work and/or perspectives through a roundtable discussion and have the opportunity to connect with one another. Wulff Fellow Peer-Mentors will provide guidance and support to new Fellows.

The Fellowship provides: 

1. A one-year POD membership; 
2. Registration fee for the 2026 Pod Conference; 
3. For awardees opting for the in-person conference venue in need of travel support, financial support for travel costs to Baltimore, Maryland up to $1,500;
4. Mentoring and other experiences before, during, and after the conference, designed to connect awardees with colleagues and support their participation in educational development.

Fellows are expected to:

• Attend the 2026 POD Conference in Baltimore, MD;
• Attend the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee’s Annual Business Meeting; 
• Participate in a roundtable discussion sharing work, insights, perspectives, and/or experiences;
• Participate in Wulff Fellow cohort networking opportunities during the 2026–2027 fellowship year—before, during, and after the conference—to connect and build community around their work;
• Submit a post-conference report and a 6-month check-in survey at the midpoint of their fellowship year. This post-conference report and the 6-month check-in survey will help us assess the effectiveness of the program to better the experience of Wulff Fellows.

A successful application should clearly articulate: 

1. Your identification as someone from a historically underrepresented group or someone serving at an institution that is currently underrepresented in POD membership. Please see the fellowship description above for more information; 
2. Your interest and/or experience in educational development; 
3. Anticipated benefits of attending the conference;
4. A clear and explicit explanation of how sustained engagement with the DEI Committee and POD Network aligns with your goals in the field of educational development (for example, if you are a grad student, how this opportunity will help you explore career and other professional interests; if you are more advanced in your career, how this opportunity will help you towards your professional goals).
5. The work, insights, perspectives, and/or experiences that you will contribute to the POD conference roundtable; or (for past Wulff Fellows applying as Wulff Fellow Peer-Mentors) the insights, perspectives, and/or experiences you will bring to your role mentoring new awardees through the conference and beyond.
6. A brief description of your travel needs, such as geographical travel distance, planned travel arrangements, hotel costs, etc., and how this travel fund would help you overcome financial barriers (including extraneous factors such as child care, elder care expenses, etc.*) to attend the POD conference.

*Please note that payment of these expenses is not guaranteed if doing so exceeds the travel award of up to $1,500.

• • Deadline for submission: No later than June 21, 2026 to be considered for this award. 
  • Application can be found here: Wulff Fellowship Application Form. As a resource, see examples of successful applications here.
  • Successful applicants will be notified by e-mail in July.
  • Attend the POD Conference this year in November!

Please don’t hesitate to contact POD DEI Fellowships and Grants Coordinators Zhihong Chen, Zeenar Salim, Asta Habtemichael, and Martha Kakooza at [email protected].

 

We look forward to receiving your application!