The third priority in the Division of Student Life’s strategic plan is to advance personal and professional growth of students and staff through exploration and innovation. In the spring of 2021, a new professional fellowship program was launched in the division to facilitate this goal. Now, with 19 fellows completing the program with success and growth, it has been expanded by UT’s Human Resources to include three divisions, one department, and one college.
The original fellowship program was the brainchild of Student Life’s Jill Zambito, assistant vice chancellor for health and well-being. Zambito organized fellow placements each semester and helped bridge connections between host departments and staff looking to expand and grow.
With such a successful program, it wasn’t long before other university administrators wanted such a robust professional development opportunity available to their staff as well. Through a year-long working group consisting of Zambito, Stephanie Kit from the Division of Student Success, Dorian McCoy from the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the Division of Access and Engagement’s Lamar Bryant, and Human Resources’ own Darrell Easley, the program expanded and morphed into today’s Designing Your Life Professional Fellowship.
“In the prior model, the impetus was on the individual staff member wanting to grow, with Jill providing support and connections,” says Nancy Burkett, career development coach with Human Resources. “With operational support from Human Resources, we’ve been able to expand the program to include both exempt and non-exempt staff and have sourced fellowships individual staff members can select.”
The expansion has included some changes, and as a pilot program, there may be more ahead. Currently, the fellowship is organized into two six-week periods and includes principles and concepts from Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.
During the first six-week period, the fellows meet together as a cohort for one hour each week with Burkett and Cearra Sears, fellowship administrator and career development coach with Human Resources. These sessions include introductions, a deep dive into fellows’ individual goals, and why they applied to the fellowship.
Did You Know?
19 Division of Student Life staff participated in the professional fellowship between its inception in 2021 and its expansion in 2023.
Fellows also have a strategic conversation with host supervisors to help them identify their goals for the fellowship including how they will contribute in the host department and what they can expect. Burkett and Sears also help fellows walk through a life design curriculum to help identify fellows’ next steps in their careers and make connections between their work and their values.
The second six-week period features the actual department placement for the fellow, where they work 4–6 hours per week in their host area contributing to meaningful projects and exploring new strengths. Applicants can choose from a menu of host areas and individual host supervisors and can rank their choices. Burkett and Sears then match applicants and hosts according to each fellow’s preference.
During fall 2023, the first official class of Designing Your Life Professional Fellows completed the program. With ten members in the cohort, participants built deep connections and expanded their professional lens.
Nneka Walson, a coordinator in the Center for Student Engagement, was a member of fall 2023’s professional fellowship cohort. Her fellowship was spent with the Learning and Organizational Development unit in UT’s Human Resources. In this space, Walson was tasked with designing a cohort-style experience for new UT professionals that helps them better understand their professional identity, consider long- and short-term goals, and acclimate them to the Volunteer community.
“This fellowship allowed me to leverage my transferrable skillset and apply them in ways that heighten my multiple career trajectories,” says Walson. “It challenged me to think about my work generically in a person-focused lens instead of a student-focused lens, which is my current work.”
The program is ideal for people who are looking to explore career options within UT, to learn what it’s like to work in other areas, but not necessarily to leave their current role. Many participants note that the fellowship provided greater insight that informed their current role and allowed them to incorporate new knowledge into both their day-to-day responsibilities and their long-term
career plans.
“The fellowship gives staff a chance to get a fresh perspective and feel refreshed,” says Sears. “They could return to their roles and re-evaluate problems with a new lens gained from the fellowship experience.”
Each fellow also identifies how many hours of work they can complete in their host department, allotting time to work on projects purposefully so that their regular work isn’t negatively impacted. Four of the ten fall fellows even extended their fellowship to see a project through to completion, which highlights the value of their contributions to host departments and host supervisors as well.
“Through the fellowship, you’re able to immerse yourself in the work of another office, learning how other units at UT prioritize student success, enhance the student experience, and support the institution as a whole,” adds Walson. “You also have the opportunity to establish yourself in a cohort of like-minded individuals and literally design your life to reflect your personal career goals and create a path to reach them. I would absolutely encourage other colleagues to apply for future semesters.”
The Designing Your Life Fellowship Program may continue to evolve or expand to include additional areas within UT, but for now it’s more than safe to say that it is contributing greatly to the professional growth of staff and promoting connections and new perspectives at UT for participants, supervisors, and host departments.