CEL Awards and Grants

The CEL recognizes faculty who teach in effective and innovative ways through our awards and grants programs, developed to broaden and enrich the learning experience of KU students by funding faculty-initiated projects that enhance student learning. 

UPCOMING award SCHEDULE 

2024 John P. Schellenberg Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Deadline for application submission: Friday, April 5, 2024 at 4:30 pm. 

Purpose: This award was established by John P. Schellenberg, Professor Emeritus of Physical Sciences, faculty, alumni, and friends to recognize an early career faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding work within the mission of the Center for Engaged Learning (formerly called the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching).

Eligibility: To be eligible for the award, an individual must have been on the faculty full-time at least three (3) but not more than seven (7) years.

The recipient will be chosen based on the following three areas:

1. Pedagogy and Curriculum Innovation
2. Learning Technology Innovation
3. Assessment and/or Research on Learning

Current Award: $1,250.00 check and an engraved plaque.

Please submit a nomination letter and curriculum vitae to Karen Rauch at by Friday, April 5, 2024 at 4:30 pm.

Nominated candidates are also required to submit their own letter (maximum of two pages) that clearly outlines their qualifications in all three categories mentioned above. This letter should likewise be sent to.

Visit the Schellenberg Award page for more information.

Check out the latest CEL Awards and Grants information

  • Pedagogical Development Grant 2022-23

    The Pedagogical Development Grant’s purpose is to encourage faculty to develop, implement and assess a significantly different approach in their teaching that focuses on improving student learning and instructor effectiveness. While we welcome any innovative approaches, we are particularly interested in projects that intersect with recent CEL topics such as ungrading, metacognition, or trauma-informed teaching practices.

    Visit the Pedagogical Development Grant page for more information.

  • KU Assessment Grants

    Assessment grants seek to encourage teaching faculty to engage in sound practices in assessing student learning outcomes. First, the funding should be used to support new initiatives and to strengthen ongoing assessment activities. Next, these initiatives should generate models of assessment practices that can be used to inform other assessment efforts. Finally, these grants may serve as "seed money" to support promising pilot projects or the research necessary to prepare externally competitive funding proposals.

    Upcoming Assessment Grants information TBA.

  • External Funding Sources

    The CEL helps facilitate contact with various organizations to identify external funding sources for Humanities, Social Science, and STEM education.

    Please visit the External Funding Sources page for more information.

  • Faculty Spotlight

    The CEL recognizes a faculty member whose teaching and research defines, inspires, and informs excellence at KU. 

    Please visit the Faculty Spotlight page for more information.

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