In alignment with the College of Natural Sciences’ developing Career Ecosystem, we are offering a special round of Pathways Grants focused on supporting the integration of career readiness into CNS courses. We hope to surface a range of professional and career preparation course integrations, including 1) development of new course materials or activities, 2) collaborations with alumni and employers, 3) increasing students’ awareness of how a course connects to their life outside of their degree plan. Ideas outside of these categories are also encouraged. We intend to fund 10 unique projects to surface a wide range of novel innovations.
Proposal Submission Instructions
- Proposals can be submitted via this 5-minute Career Education Grant Interest Form.
- Proposal period
- Application open April 1 – May 15.
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will be considered for funding as available.
- Final notifications will go out by mid-June
- Proposals require a brief description of the project, including:
- The challenge or opportunity you are addressing
- Target audience (specific class or student population)
- How you plan to integrate career education to address the challenge/opportunity
- Explanation of the value of sharing this idea with others
Additional Guidance
- Scope: Proposals can range in breadth from focusing on a specific lesson or activity to addressing curriculum across courses. Projects should be able to fit into the fall semester including preparation, implementation, and assessment.
- What type of project can I submit? Anything that connects to professional or career development within the curriculum of a CNS course with the goal of improving the support for undergraduate learning and long-term success. Please note that we will prioritize projects that:
- include collaboration with the CNS Career Services, Health Professions Office, or academic advising
- target large enrollment first- and second-year courses within CNS degree paths
- highlight one or more of the CNS Career Success Pillars: Translatable skill development, Professional network development (community), career navigation and exploration
- include collaboration across courses or departments
Awardee Expectations and Deliverables
- All awardees will receive a $3,000 honorarium for their participation and completion of the following
- Summer 2026: refine project goals and assessment
- Fall 2026:
- Integrate proposed idea into fall semester course
- Attend monthly awardee lunches
- Share project within CNS (e.g., at Teaching Discovery Days in October)
- Assess project
- Spring 2027: Share out your idea and experience
- Write up a 2-page description of your project using a standard template (project rationale, description of what you did, information about how it went and tips for others who want to try it)
- Incorporate STEMx feedback and finalize your description for public dissemination.
Questions
- What if additional time or additional funds are required?
People proposing projects that require greater time or resources than the current request for proposals allows should reach out to STEMx to explore possible options. Additionally, people proposing more extensive projects should consider applying for a CNS Pathways Grant in the next cycle.
- Other questions?
For additional questions, please contact the Office of STEM Education Excellence at stemx@cns.utexas.edu.