The Chamberlain Project

Q: What are the primary objectives of the Chamberlain Project?

A: The Chamberlain Project seeks to achieve three primary objectives through its fellowships:

• For colleges and universities, the Chamberlain Project seeks to support the richness and diversity of undergraduate education by providing an opportunity for both faculty and students to engage with perspectives and experiences that are often underrepresented on campus.

• For the fellows, the Chamberlain Project seeks to provide an opportunity to extend a career in public service through teaching and mentorship.

• For the public, the Chamberlain Project seeks to provide a bridge for what is commonly referred to as the civil‐military divide.

Q: What is the civil-military divide? 

A: The civil-military divide refers to the cultural and social gap between service members and civilians. Since the end of the draft in 1973, there has been a significant decline in the proportion of the population serving in the United States Armed Forces. Today, the Census Bureau estimates only 7 percent of U.S. adults are veterans, one-third lower than at the beginning of the 21st century. Consequently, fewer civilians have the chance to forge ties with active or retired service members and civilians have limited opportunities to engage in cross-cultural dialogue that culminates in mutual understanding and informed discourse. The widening civil-military divide could have serious long-term implications on civilian control of the military, America’s military readiness, and the future of our all-volunteer force during times of peace and conflict.

Q: What does it mean to be a Chamberlain Project partner institution?

A: Engagement with the Chamberlain Project as a partner institution signals an interest in hosting a Chamberlain Fellow. Partner institutions make no advance commitment to host a fellow, and the decision to hire a fellow for a one-year appointment is made on a case‐by‐case basis by the institution in furtherance of its institutional and departmental priorities.

Q: Who is eligible to be a Chamberlain Fellow?

A: Applicants must have a Ph.D. or appropriate terminal degree in their field of study and have retired or plan to retire from the United States Armed Services within two years prior to the start of their potential fellowship. All fellows are retired from active‐duty service during their engagement with the host institution.

Q: How does a retiring officer apply to be a Chamberlain Fellow? 

A: Applicants must complete the online application by October 1, 2024, to be considered for a fellowship during the following academic year.

Q: How are Chamberlain Project Fellows selected and placed at partner institutions?

A: The Chamberlain Project receives applications on a rolling basis until October 1. After a preliminary review to confirm eligibility, qualified applicants will be invited to interview with a panel of The Chamberlain Project staff and advisers. Finalists who are accepted as Chamberlain Fellows will receive a $5,000 fellowship award from Blue Star Families. 

Up to two from that group will be selected as ROTF Fellows and will have the opportunity to communicate with The Chamberlain Project staff about institutions they wish to have their applications sent to. Each school reviews the applications and engages in its own selection process with the fellow. From there, if interested, schools will directly invite applicants to enter the interview process. Colleges and universities evaluate, interview, and hire applicants based on their existing visiting professor protocols and processes. The Chamberlain Project is not involved in those decisions.

Q: Are applicants required to have teaching experience? 

A: No. The Chamberlain Project does not require applicants to have prior teaching experience. However, each academic institution screens ROTF Fellows and decides whether to invite them to participate in the interview process based on the institution's expectations and standards. ROTF Fellows with prior teaching experience have the strongest track record of being placed at their desired institution since instructional experience is often expected.

Q: What is the typical placement timeline? 

A: The Chamberlain Project sends applications to the network of partner institutions in mid-October shortly after the application deadline passes. We expect partner institutions to indicate their interest in interviewing ROTF Fellows before the end of the calendar year. ROTF Fellows will either hear directly from partner institutions to schedule a conversation or from Chamberlain Project staff indicating that interest. Chamberlain Project staff will keep ROTF Fellows informed of interest from partner institutions and be a resource to applicants throughout the placement process. We expect ROTF Fellows will receive a formal offer between April and June 2025, or the start of the institution's fiscal year.

Q: Can ROTF Fellows seek placements at an academic institution that is not a current Chamberlain Project partner institution? 

A: Yes. ROTF Fellows interested in a placement at an institution that isn’t currently part of the network of partner institutions are asked to articulate this interest to Chamberlain Project staff and identify the program or departmental administrator. From there, Chamberlain Project staff will work with the ROTF Fellow to conduct outreach and explore a possible collaboration.  We encourage ROTF Fellows seeking placement outside the existing network to begin outreach as early in the process as possible to improve the chances of a placement at the desired institution. As the ROTF has become better known and more competitive, this can be an effective strategy to increase the chance of securing a placement.

Q: What is the compensation for the fellowship? 

A: All Chamberlain Fellows will receive a one-time fellowship award of $5,000 that can be applied to activities related to transitioning into civilian life, such as campus visits for interviews, travel to meet with faculty, purchasing access to scholarly journals behind a paywall, access to software for research purposes, etc. 

Once an ROTF fellow has accepted a teaching position, the host institution will receive a one-time $40,000 grant to support the total salary and benefits of the fellow. Total salary and benefits offered to a fellow will vary by host institution. In practice, the total value of compensation and benefits for fellows has always exceeded this amount. In each case, the amounts are established by an agreement between the host institution and the fellow. Applicants are not required to accept an offer that does not meet their salary requirements. 

The Chamberlain Project expects ROTF Fellows to be compensated and receive benefits commensurate with their experience and status as a visiting professor (or equivalent title). Benefits may include moving expenses, research stipends, and other grants, in addition to traditional benefits like health care and dental coverage. 

Q: Are host institutions expected to provide housing to visiting fellows? 

A: No. The Fellowship does not require institutions to provide housing to visiting fellows. Some schools have provided a stipend for relocation expenses but this is at the sole discretion of the school.

Q: How are the Chamberlain and ROTF fellows paid?

A: All Chamberlain Fellows will receive a $5,000 fellowship award directly from Blue Star Families. (Fellows accepted into ROTF will also receive the $5,000 fellowship award.) Recipients should consult with a tax adviser for how to file the award.

ROTF Fellows will be paid by the U.S. college or university they are hired at. The college or university hiring an ROTF Fellow will receive a $40,000 grant from Blue Star Families that outlines the funding, teaching, and reporting expectations. This grant is disbursed directly to the host institution and the host institution is responsible for the remainder of the total cost. The host institution is responsible for managing and administering all compensation and benefits for the fellow in the same manner as it does for other faculty.

Q: How is the Chamberlain Project Funded? 

A: Support for the Chamberlain Project comes from the Jennifer and Jonathan Allan Soros Foundation, a private foundation registered under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS  tax code. No funding for the Chamberlain Project or the ROTF comes from the United States Government.

Q: Does the Chamberlain Project set an expectation that fellows will be appointed to a permanent academic position at a hosting institution? 

A: No. The Chamberlain Project sets no expectation that fellows will be offered academic appointments upon completion of the fellowship at the hosting institution. The Retired Officer Teaching Fellowship (ROTF) is designed to facilitate a retired officer’s return to civilian life and offers a valuable academic experience as they consider future opportunities in academia and the private sector. Several past fellows have successfully secured continuing appointments with their host institutions or at other elite colleges and universities throughout the United States. 

Q: Do fellows teach existing course offerings or develop new courses? 

A: Each host institution makes a determination regarding its curriculum needs and comes to an agreement with the fellow about the courses they will teach. The Chamberlain Project sets no requirements regarding specific curriculum. The Retired Officers Teaching Fellowship (ROTF) has been designed to support applicants across all academic disciplines, and past fellows have taught courses in various disciplines across the humanities and social sciences.

Q: Will fellows be expected to publish academic papers during the teaching fellowship? 

A: The Chamberlain Project does not require fellows to publish academic papers during the fellowship.  Host institutions may have academic publishing requirements and this would be stipulated during the negotiation process.

Q: Are hybrid/remote fellowships acceptable?

A: Flexible work arrangements can be set by the host institution if it fulfills the mutual needs of the applicant and the host. The Chamberlain Project encourages in-person instruction and campus engagement but will support flexible work arrangements.

Q: Are single-semester fellowships available?

A: No. Fellows are expected to teach at least one course per semester/trimester/quarter at a partner institution for the full school year.

Q: Are there limits on the number of fellows in a given year?

A: At this time, The Chamberlain Project will accept a maximum of four Chamberlain Fellows and two ROTF Fellows in a given year.

Q: Does the Chamberlain Project set student learning outcomes for the Fellows’ courses? 

A: No. Fellows are expected to develop appropriate student learning outcomes in alignment with their department’s requirements and expectations. Chamberlain Fellows have consistently received strong course evaluations from students and inspired future academic curiosity and learning.

Q: Are there any reporting requirements for host institutions and fellows? 

A: Yes. For host institutions, a brief year-end, post-fellowship report (including a short review of the fellow’s engagement on campus and the perception of the program) is requested. 

Fellows are required to submit a post-fellowship report to the Chamberlain Project and the host institution outlining accomplished activities.

Q: Do Chamberlain Fellows engage in campus life? 

A: Yes. Chamberlain Fellows are required to be active participants in the campus community to advance the goal of bridging the civil-military divide. Past examples of campus engagement include advising student groups and mentoring students, participating in department events and activities, and involvement with the ROTC program or Veterans Center. 

Q: Are fellows paired with an advisor and/or mentor?

A: Yes. The Chamberlain Project holds an annual summer meeting and aims to pair new fellows with past fellows to offer support, guidance, and peer mentorship. 

Q: Are there networking opportunities for fellows?

A: Yes. During the summer before the fellowship begins, the Chamberlain Project organizes a virtual meeting to introduce new fellows to project alumni. The Chamberlain Project periodically sponsors programming to foster networking such as in-person lectures. Throughout the fellowship, fellows are encouraged to share events of interest and support each other’s endeavors. 

Q: Are there any articles that speak to the fellowship experience? 

A: Yes. One recommended reading is an interview in the Wesleyan Argus with Col. Robert Cassidy, where he shares his reflections on his time as a Chamberlain Project Fellow. Read more here.