ARCS Program

The Advancing Research, Creativity & Scholarship (ARCS) Program is a new platform designed to support and expand your research, creative work and development This initiative honors and strengthens the vital work of our Renewable Contract Assistant, Associate and or Full Professors across campus.

The ARCS program offers a range of support designed to meet you where you are and help you grow as a scholar. Through accessible workshops and programming, ARCS will provide resources to transform your teaching, service and community engagement into publishable scholarship. You’ll also have access to competitive funding opportunities and a collection of resources available in a dedicated online site. Whether you’re just beginning to explore research, revisiting an idea you’ve had on the back burner, or looking to expand your portfolio—ARCS is here for you.

We’re building a community of renewable contract professors who support one another as scholars, share expertise, and amplify each other’s work.

This is more than a program—it’s an investment in the meaningful, mission-driven work you do every day. It’s a recognition of your role as a scholar, and an invitation to grow.

We’re proud to walk alongside you as you take your next steps. I hope you’ll explore what ARCS has to offer—and I look forward to seeing the powerful work you’ll continue to create.

The ARCS funded projects reflect a broad and strategic investment in five primary areas of impact. Several initiatives advance artificial intelligence and digital learning innovation, including studies on AI in heritage language education, student AI skill development, technology-enhanced pedagogy, and digital collections work. A second group centers on student success and well-being, supporting projects that promote academic guidance and holistic wellness through tools such as a digital meditation program and a scholarly-support podcast series. The portfolio also strengthens humanities, arts, and cultural scholarship through work that deepens understanding of early modern English–Italian relations and expands digital preservation within fashion archives. Additional projects contribute to public policy, community engagement, and social impact, including statewide surveys of local governments, efforts to restore equitable access to urban nature, and feasibility studies promoting healthier eating practices. Finally, several awards advance scientific and environmental research, supporting climate studies, chemical reaction research, and the acquisition of essential research equipment. Collectively, these projects demonstrate a balanced commitment to innovation, student development, scholarly excellence, and community-serving research.