The King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Program

The purpose of the King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Program is to increase the pool of academically or economically disadvantaged candidates pursuing faculty teaching or administrative careers in postsecondary education. Preference may not be given to applicants on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, or national origin.

The program was created by the Michigan State Legislature in 1986 as part of the larger King-Chávez-Parks Initiative designed to stem the downward spiral of college graduation rates for students underrepresented in postsecondary education. Future Faculty Fellows are eligible to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree at the public universities in Michigan, and are obligated (by signed agreement) to remain in postsecondary faculty teaching or administration in a public or private, 2- or 4-year, in-state or out-of-state postsecondary institution for a minimum of three years equivalent full-time.

A portion of this service obligation may be completed while a student earns his/her graduate degree. Fellows who do not fulfill the obligations of their fellowship agreement may be placed in Default, which results in their fellowship converting to a loan (referred to as a KCP Loan) that the Fellow repays to the State of Michigan. A Master’s recipient may receive a maximum of $20,000 towards their degree and a doctoral student may receive a maximum of $35,000 towards their degree. Learn more about the KCP initiative through the State of Michigan.

Introduction to the Future Faculty Fellowship Program

Information from the State of Michigan about this program.

View Past Recipients

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, an applicant must:

Be a citizen of the United States.
Meet Michigan Tech's requirements for Michigan residency.
Have been accepted at Michigan Tech into a graduate degree program that facilitates a career in postsecondary teaching.
Be in good academic standing, as defined by Michigan Tech.
Not be currently in default on any guaranteed student loan.
Have not previously received another FFF Award for the same degree level (master’s or doctorate). (Note: Previous recipients that did not receive the maximum allowable award may reapply for additional funds while still in pursuit of that degree.)
Not currently be a recipient of an FFF Award at another university for a degree that has not been completed.
Not have previously had an FFF Award converted to a KCP Loan.
Be academically or economically disadvantaged, as defined by the KCP Initiative.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be holistically evaluated by the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Committee and a Michigan Tech staff member on the following criteria:

Academic merit of the candidate.
Ability of the candidate to conduct independent research.
Level of commitment to pursuing a career in postsecondary education.
Level of support from the graduate program.
Overcoming economic disadvantages.

Application Procedure

Current or accepted students who meet the eligibility requirements may apply. Applications are currently being accepted for funding beginning in fall 2024. Priority for funding will be given to complete applications received by April 9, 2024, 4pm. Pending availability of funds, applications received through 4pm, April 30, 2024 will be considered on a rolling-basis. Applicants are highly encouraged to complete their application well in advance of the portal closing on April 30th.

Review the eligibility criteria

Review the FFF program eligibility criteria to determine if you are eligible to apply. Please contact Dr. Debra Charlesworth with any questions about eligibility prior to proceeding. Please note that you must be a resident of the State of Michigan when you apply.

Gather the materials needed for your application

The materials may be uploaded in one session or over several sessions on the application portal. A list of what is required is provided here to aid students in preparing their applications. Please gather:

Materials needed to verify the academically or economically disadvantaged eligibility criteria as described on the State’s eligibility document.
Copy of your social security card.
Copy of materials needed to verify your US citizenship (US Passport, Birth Certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the US, Certification of Report of Birth, or Certificate of Citizenship issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services).
Driver’s license or state ID number
Unofficial transcript if you have completed a semester of your graduate program at Michigan Tech.
Copies of all transcripts for previously earned degrees.
A two-page (or less) educational and career goal statement linking your interests and academic preparation to your current studies and postsecondary teaching career focus.
Your resume or Curriculum Vitae. It is recommended that this document include personal and academic honors, campus/community activities, and academic or professional leadership roles.
An estimated budget summary of the remaining cost of your graduate degree by semester (e.g. tuition, fees, books, living expenses) and budget justification. Include an estimated summary of all sources of income and financial aid that you have received or plan to receive, including fellowships, graduate assistantships, scholarships, and grants. Please include a budget justification with supporting details.
1. Estimated costs for each program are available online.
2. Please use our budget template to prepare your budget summary.
3. Please provide a budget justification that explains how you developed your summary.
4. If you are eligible to apply because you qualified for federal financial aid in the last five years, please describe in your budget justification how you overcame that financial hurdle to obtain your bachelor’s degree.
Three letters of recommendation. If your letter writers prefer to submit these directly to Michigan Tech, they may be emailed to Dr. Debra Charlesworth. Please upload a document indicating who your referees are in lieu of reference letters.
1. One of those letters must be from your graduate advisor at Michigan Tech.
2. One of the letters must be from the department chair or college dean (CFRES, COB).
3. One of the letters may be from any individual chosen by the applicant.
The following information should be provided to letter writers to guide their letter. The letters should describe:
1. the chair or dean must describe the willingness of the department or college to provide financial support to supplement the KCP funds. If the applicant is selected, the Graduate School and academic unit will work together to provide a funding plan to the student using KCP funds, Graduate School funds, and academic funds to fully support the student. Contact Debra Charlesworth for more information and questions.
2. the merit of the candidate.
3. how the student will contribute to the diversity of the program.
4. the mentoring plan for the student.
5. if the student has already earned a graduate degree, the letter must also address why a second graduate degree is necessary in order to obtain employment in post-secondary education.

Create an account

Create an account on the MILogin for Citizens Portal if you do not already have one. Please note that if you are a current KCP Future Faculty Fellow, a MILogin will be created for you. Michigan Tech fellows may contact Dr. Debra Charlesworth for assistance. Additional registration information is available from the State of Michigan and on their KCP FFF portal. Questions regarding access to the KCP FFF online system can be sent to LEO-futurefaculty@michigan.gov or you may call the KCP Initiative Office at 517-241-9898.

Submit your application

Log into the MILogin for Citizens Portal
Select “Request Access” from the top menu bar
Search for “KCP Future Faculty Fellowship” in the search box
Select the “KCP Future Faculty Fellowship” application.
Select Michigan Technological University and complete your Profile.
Your Dashboard will now contain a box labeled “My Opportunities.” You may click on the KCP FFF Application to access the application and provide the information requested.

Questions regarding access to the KCP FFF online system can be sent to LEO-futurefaculty@michigan.gov or you may call the KCP Initiative Office at 517-241-9898.

Questions?

Please contact Dr. Debra Charlesworth with questions about the fellowship program or application procedure.