CMSI Hosts 11th Annual ELEVATE Program in New Brunswick, NJ!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jacinda Nembhard | jacinda.nembhard@gse.rutgers.edu | 848-932-0774
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., June 10, 2026 – This week, the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) will host its annual early-career faculty professional development program, ELEVATE (Enriching Learning, Enhancing Visibility & Training Educators). The three-day program will take place from today, June 10, to June 12, 2026, in New Brunswick, NJ.
ELEVATE is designed to empower and equip early-career Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) faculty with the necessary tools, skills, and knowledge to navigate challenges and excel in their roles. Facilitated by the CMSI team, senior faculty mentors, and former ELEVATE fellows who have since achieved tenure. ELEVATE offers a unique opportunity for networking and cross-institutional collaboration among early-career faculty members at MSIs.
“We’re now in our eleventh year of ELEVATE, and it’s amazing to see how much the program has grown over the years,” said Marybeth Gasman, Executive Director of CMSI and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University. “Every year, it fills us with joy to hear how much this program means to MSI faculty. The growth, success, and lasting connections speak for themselves. We always believed in the value of this program, but watching fellows leave inspired and connected has been great to witness.”
The three-day program features a series of sessions tailored to the needs of early-career MSI faculty. Topics include publishing strategies, innovative teaching techniques, effective mentoring practices, managing service commitments, achieving work-life balance, and the path to tenure. Each session has been curated to directly address the unique needs of early-career MSI faculty.
ELEVATE promotes community building and fosters ongoing learning and networking opportunities for early-career MSI faculty. In addition, ELEVATE equips participants with essential tools to effectively support faculty at their home institutions. ELEVATE is offered free of charge, covering registration fees, meals, lodging, and materials for fellows.
"The ELEVATE fellowship helped me reflect and grow as a scholar, advocate, and person,” mentioned Guillermo Ortega, 2025 ELEVATE Fellow and Assistant Professor at Montclair State University. “It inspired me to keep learning and use my voice to create change.”
Read more about our 2026 cohort, here.
