Graduate Pedagogy Fellows – The Teaching and Learning Center

Developing Graduate Leaders in Teaching

The Graduate Pedagogy Fellows (GPF) program supports the development of graduate student peer leaders in research-informed, equity-minded teaching. GPF focuses on the central role that Teaching Assistants (TAs) play in advancing equitable learning outcomes in undergraduate education at UC Santa Cruz.

Through this interdisciplinary program, Graduate Pedagogy Fellows:

Strengthen their knowledge and application of effective, equitable teaching practices
Create resources and support systems for fellow educators in their teaching fields,
Receive a certificate in pedagogical leadership and a $2,000 fellowship from the TLC

Program Structure

Winter Quarter: Pedagogical Development & Community-Building

Fellows complete a 10-week course facilitated by the TLC focused on:

Equity-minded, antiracist, and accessibility-aware pedagogies
How learning happens — and how that knowledge informs TA teaching
Active and collaborative learning techniques
Accessible and equity-minded approaches to assessing student learning
Communication and collaboration in teaching teams
Cultivating peer mentorship and communities of practice in teaching
Finding a faculty mentor for teaching support and pedagogical development
Applying research on effective teaching in their discipline

Spring Quarter: Collaboration & Implementation

Fellows collaborate with each other, the TLC, and their home departments or divisions to:

Contribute to a teaching-related project intended to support fellow TAs in practicing context-specific, equity-focused teaching
Participate in two small-cohort peer workshops
Meet individually at least twice with a TLC mentor for consultation and support
Showcase their teaching project in a culminating event
Meet with their faculty mentor and any other department/division collaborators to receive feedback on their project

Recognition

All TLC Graduate Pedagogy Fellows:

Receive a Certificate in Pedagogical Leadership from the TLC
Are awarded a $2,000 fellowship
Gain recognition as teacher-leaders in their departments and academic divisions

…and are known for:

Advancing a more equitable culture of teaching and learning
Creating robust support systems for fellow educators
Strengthening their professional development in teaching and peer mentoring

How to Participate

During Fall quarter, all UCSC graduate programs are invited to solicit applications from interested graduate students and nominate one candidate as the department’s Graduate Pedagogy Fellow. The TLC will select a cohort of approximately 15 fellows from the pool of department nominees. Due to the limited number of fellow positions, the TLC will ensure that the cohort represents all academic divisions and a range of disciplines.

The application period for the 2025–2026 GPF cohort is closed. Please check back in Fall 2026 for information about the 2026-2027 program.

Please review the 2025-2026 Call for Applications for more information about the program, eligibility, and application process. You are welcome to reach out to the TLC if you have any questions about the program.