Do you think of yourself as a scholar?  Is your goal to become a college professor?   

We invite SUNY Empire State College students to apply for the 2022-23 PRODiG Scholars Program. This program, created in response to the need to increase diversity among faculty throughout the SUNY System, supports students from historically underrepresented and underserved populations who are interested in pursuing a career as a teaching faculty in higher education. 

The PRODiG Scholars program offers SUNY Empire undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to be coached by a faculty member, who will provide students with information about careers in academia, what to expect, and how to prepare for graduate/doctoral study. Scholars are expected to thoughtfully evaluate their interest and potential for a career in academia, participate in monthly meetings and programming, regularly engage with their coach, and take part in other program-related activities. Students will also be expected to engage in research or teaching assistantships during the spring term. 

This program aligns with SUNY Empire’s strategic plan and the goals of the SUNY Promoting Recruitment, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Growth (PRODiG) initiative. The PRODiG initiative aims to increase the numbers of historically underrepresented faculty at SUNY, including women and faculty of all races in STEM fields. 

Student eligibility  

The SUNY Empire PRODiG Scholar’s program is open to undergraduate or graduate students who meet the following criteria:  

• Have an interest in learning more about a career as a teaching faculty member in a college or university 
• Are currently matriculated in a SUNY Empire degree program and expected to graduate within four academic terms (recent graduates may participate from the program but will not benefit from available funding and funded programming) 
• Have an overall GPA of 3.0 for undergraduate students or overall GPA of 3.5 for graduate students 
• Are in good academic standing 
• Self-identify as a member of a group designated by the SUNY PRODiG initiative as underrepresented in academia, including women in STEM 

Students interested in joining the 2022-23 SUNY Empire PRODiG Scholar’s cohort, should 
submit an application by midnight on August 26, 2022. The application must be accompanied by a resume or curriculum vitae, and a cover letter outlining the applicant’s candidacy for the program.   

Learn more about the program on our webpage and direct your questions to prodigscholars@esc.edu