Applications for the 2025/26 cohort are closed.
About TIDE
In 2016–2017, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) inaugurated a new year long faculty fellowship, the TIDE Ambassadors Program (Teaching for Inclusiveness, Diversity, and Equity). This program supports the UMass Diversity Strategic Plan and recognizes the vital role that faculty fulfill in creating an inclusive and equitable college experience for students.
Paige Warren, Raeann Leblanc, David McLaughlin, and Anne Ciecko engaged in a small group discussion
TIDE Ambassadors explore how they can enhance students’ learning and academic success across cultural, social, and learning differences by adopting a strength-based, inclusive, and equitable approach to teaching and learning grounded in the value of diversity. The program acknowledges the potential of faculty functioning as catalysts for change through intensive professional development of faculty across disciplines and career stages.
TIDE Ambassadors take what they learn from their experiences with the fellowship program and develop a project through which they share their growing expertise and contribute to the dialogue about and practice of teaching for inclusiveness, diversity, and equity at the departmental, school/college, or campus-wide levels.
TIDE Ambassadors continue to support the University’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts beyond the fellowship year through the work they do in their programs, departments, or colleges and by supporting CTL diversity, equity and inclusion programming.
Program Goals
The overarching purpose of the program is to establish a learning community that offers participating faculty fellows sustained opportunities to engage with and support each other, as well as to learn together so that they are able to develop the knowledge and skills to share this learning with the UMass community. Experiential, collaborative, and reflective learning are integral elements of the TIDE Ambassadors Program.
Throughout the fellowship year, participants:
- Engage in reflective practices, developing self-awareness and sharing their own experiences, successes, failures, and concerns with inclusive teaching and engaging students with diversity-related topics.
- Engage in experiential learning activities to gain experience with inclusive and equitable teaching practices.
- Explore scholarship, theoretical frameworks, and various perspectives to build and enhance their capacity to teach diverse students inclusively and equitably.
- Participate in discussions, considering insights from relevant literature and exchanging ideas on how one can use inclusion and equity models to support deeper and more respectful learning.
- Implement what they learn into their course design and pedagogical practices, reflect on this, and gain feedback from peers and facilitator.
- Set goals for continued improvement.
- Identify and carry out a TIDE Ambassadors project through which they will share their experiences and knowledge.
2017-2018 TIDE Ambassadors cohort during the 3-Day Intensive May Retreat
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a full-time faculty position - eligible positions include: tenured faculty, tenure-track faculty, non-tenure track faculty with ongoing appointments
- Demonstrate strong interest in inclusive and equity-focused teaching practices
- Show potential for leadership and positive departmental/institutional impact
Note: Faculty from historically underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Previous experience with diversity initiatives is valuable but not required.
Application Process & Deadline
Eligible faculty members can apply directly by submitting the completed application form via email to @email by Friday, February 28 2025.
- Applicants should address the following four key areas in their application (not to exceed 3 single-spaces pages):
- Their motivation for applying to the program
- An assessment of personal strengths and areas for growth in creating inclusive learning environments
- Commitments for engaging in collaborative learning within the TIDE community; and
- Aspirations for taking on a leadership role as a TIDE Ambassador who will leverage the fellowship experience as an institutional change agent.
CTL staff will review all applications with the goal of selecting 10 fellows by the end of March 2025, representing diverse experiences and departments. Semi-finalists may be invited for interviews. Questions about the program or application process can be directed to Kirsten Helmer at @email.
Fellowship Components and Schedule
May 2025 Intensive Institute
- Dates: May 23, 28, and 30, 2025 Time: 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM daily (lunch will be provided)
- Format: In-person, on-campus (mandatory attendance)
- Additional work: Preparatory readings and learning activities through Canvas fellowship site
Monthly Cohort Meetings
- Schedule: Selected Fridays of each month Time: 9:30AM – 11:30AM
- Months: August 29, September 19, October 17, November 21, December 12, 2025, February 20, March 20, April 17, 2026
- Format: In-person, on-campus (mandatory attendance)
- Additional work: Preparatory readings and learning activities through Canvas fellowship site
Additional Components
- January 2026 Institute: Two-hour morning and two-hour afternoon Zoom sessions (date TBD)
- May 2026: Two half-day concluding sessions (dates TBD)
- Ambassador project development
- Three program feedback surveys
Compensation
Participating in the TIDE Ambassadors Fellowship is a rewarding and rigorous experience. In recognition of the commitment necessary to participate in the TIDE Ambassadors program, the Center for Teaching & Learning will provide $1,500 of GOF funds that faculty fellows can use for their further professional development. These funds will be transferred to the Ambassador's department GOF fund in two installments.
First installment: September 2025 (upon completion of May institute and August session)
Second installment: June 2026 (upon program completion)
For more information, contact Kirsten Helmer.
Meet the TIDE Ambassadors
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Director of Programming for Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity, and Senior Lecturer