Annual Distinguished Lecture 2026

UMass ADVANCE established an annual distinguished lecture beginning in 2019 as part of our NSF ADVANCE-Institutional Transformation grant. ADVANCE Distinguished Lecturers are invited to give a talk of their choosing that centers institutional transformation and faculty equity with an intersectional lens.

2026 Annual Distinguished Lecture & Awards Luncheon

April 17, 2026 12:00 - 2:30 pm ET

UMass Amherst Campus Center, Amherst Room (10th Floor)

View 2026 Annual Distinguished Lecture

Keynote Address: Leaders Needed: Why Public Higher Education Matters

Dr. Waded Cruzado
President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

UMass ADVANCE was honored to host Dr. Waded Cruzado as this year's keynote speaker. Dr. Cruzado is President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders working to advance the mission of public research universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Following a celebrated 15-year tenure at the helm of the Montana State University, Dr. Cruzado leads the APLU at a crucial time for the institution of higher education. She brings a deep history of promoting faculty equity across three land-grant universities, lived lessons on building collective leadership for inclusive excellence, and a profound sense of possibility and purpose in this commitment. As a passionate champion of the land-grant university’s tripartite mission of education, research, and outreach to communities, Dr. Cruzado discussed the crucial role public higher education plays in the development of individuals and the prosperity of the nation.

During the luncheon event, campus leadership recognized the winners of the UMass ADVANCE Faculty Peer Mentoring Awards, and the Equitable Practices in Collaboration Award. Please join us each year to celebrate your colleagues and collaborators in this important and joyful event.

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Program Overview

Welcoming Luncheon and Opening Remarks
Presentation of ADVANCE Awards: Celebrating ADVANCE faculty peer mentors in each college and Equitable Practices in Collaboration (EPiC) group winners.
Keynote Address and Q&A

The ADVANCE Annual Lecture and Awards Reception is hosted by UMass ADVANCE in collaboration with the Office of the Provost. The Faculty Peer Mentor Awards are supported by each recipient's respective Dean.