The Bailey Scholars Program is offering the opportunity for graduate students (Master’s and Ph.D.) in any discipline to apply to be a Graduate Fellow with the program to further their development in the scholarship of teaching and learning.
If you have any questions, please contact the Program Director, Sarah Prior. We ask that you review our website for more information about the program before applying.
The Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program (BSP) is an integrated learning and leadership community at Michigan State University (MSU). The program was established to foster a diverse learning community where students grow with and from one another while practicing self-directed learning. A series of program principles guide the program focused on individual scholars, a collaborative learning community, and forward-focused radical influence.
You can access a listing of the program principles on our aforementioned program website. At the completion of the required courses, students receive a Minor in Leadership in Integrated Learning. Although the program originated in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, familiarity with that subject matter is not required as the fellowship focuses on the process(es) of learning rather than content. The fellowship exposes graduate students to a learning community focused on innovative teaching and learning practices.
There is one primary fellow role in the 2026-27 academic year:
ALL graduate fellows will be part of a fellow learning community, where they conduct team projects for the 2026-27 academic year.
Graduate fellows spend each semester paired with a BSP faculty convener in the classroom, where they learn about the pedagogy of a learning-centered organization. There are three core courses in the Bailey Scholars Program:
In every class, students create their own syllabus, deciding what they want to learn, how they want to learn, and how they are assessed.
In the Bailey classroom, you are positioned as a convener and co-learner rather than an instructor. Because of this, you will not be expected to create class content or teach traditional lectures as you might expect with other teaching assistant roles.
In this role, you facilitate dialogue and discussion, encourage students to think radically, and be expected to participate fully in the learning process.
Your experiences in convening the class will challenge your notions of power, encourage you to consider ways to design opportunities for student self-empowerment, and reframe what assessment looks like.
Due to the community-oriented nature of our program, fellows are expected to engage in the BSP community to ensure they fully immerse themselves in the experience.
The schedule of events looks different in each given semester but this includes community meals, social/service events, etc. In addition, fellows are expected to be at the following engagements:
Please review your schedules for the academic year to ensure you have the time to commit to this fellowship.
If selected for the Teaching & Learning Fellowship, you will be expected to convene a class at one of the following times each semester. Class assignments will be determined once all fellows are selected.
Fall 2026
Spring 2027
Preference is given to graduate students who have not received a teaching and learning fellowship currently or previously. A fellowship stipend ($2,500), distributed in two amounts at the beginning of each semester (FS24/SS25), will be offered for the academic year with the opportunity to re-apply.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the collaborative nature of this program, it is required that the graduate fellow be geographically located in the East Lansing surrounding area during the fellowship year. Fellows who will be gone for weeks or months at a time (for research, fieldwork, or other reasons) will not be considered.
All graduate fellows will be part of a learning community, where they will work together on team projects that positively impact the Bailey Scholars program.
These projects range in topic and scope, but all fellows get a unique experience in the design and implementation of projects. Some of the past projects have included:
Throughout both semesters, there are regular team meetings (60-minute weekly or 90-minute bi-weekly) to discuss program and class updates and allow project time.
Fellows work closely with the BSP Director and other fellows to ensure they meet their personal and professional development goals for the duration of the experience.