Are you a University of Arizona faculty member or instructor with an interest in integrating borderlands research into your course?

The University Libraries is accepting applications for the 2026 cohort of the Digital Borderlands in the Classroom Faculty Fellowship Program and Summer Institute. The application deadline is January 23, 2026. 

U of A faculty are invited to engage with four key literacies–archival literacy, data literacy, digital literacy, and maker literacy–to support undergraduate student research in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands through assignments and learning modules. The final cohort of the program funded by a Mellon Foundation grant runs from July 1, 2026-December 15, 2027. 

Watch our video about the Summer Institute. 

The fellowship program includes:

• A $9,000 award for each fellow to support their work to redesign or update a course syllabus.
• Training through a weeklong Summer Institute in developing culturally responsive assignments that explore aspects of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands using digital scholarship tools and archival collections.
• Ongoing consultation and support from library experts throughout the academic year that follows the Summer Institute.

Learn more about the fellowship. 

Eligibility

We welcome applications from full-time U of A faculty members scheduled to teach a pre-existing course within the 18 months of the final cohort time period. 

Faculty members include tenure-track faculty, continuing status track faculty, career-track faculty, and other U of A instructors interested in incorporating the principles of the Digital Borderlands project into their classroom curriculum. Learn about the application process.

Applicants must commit to:

• Attending the in-person Summer Institute on July 20-24, 2026;
• Revising their pre-existing course content;
• Delivering the revised course within 18 months following the Institute; and
• Providing information about course integrations to help assess outcomes.

Deadline

Applications for the 2026 cohort are due by January 23, 2026.

Information sessions on Zoom 

The Digital Borderlands project team will host online information sessions on Zoom to discuss the Digital Borderlands in the Classroom Faculty Fellowship Program and Summer Institute, review the application requirements, and answer questions.

• Register for Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 3-4 pm
• Register for Thursday, December 11, 2025, 2-3 pm
• Register for Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 2-3 pm 

More information

• Review the call for applications.
• Learn about the program.

Meet the 2025 cohort and the 2024 cohort.