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NASPAA invites applications for the 2025–2026 NASPAA NEXT cohort, a yearlong leadership development program for early career faculty (Assistant Professors) in public service education. This initiative supports the 2025-2026 Presidential Vision to build a bench of leaders who will shape the future of NASPAA and the field of public service education.
Program Theme
Building the Bench: Cultivating the Next Generation of Public Service Leaders
This theme reflects NASPAA’s commitment to strengthening leadership pipelines across generations. Through mentorship, collaboration, and strategic learning, participants will explore how to:
- Develop a plan for a sustainable path to leadership in public service education.
- Foster inclusive and ethical leadership practices.
- Engage with global and intergenerational perspectives.
- Contribute to the future governance and strategic direction of NASPAA.
Program Overview
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Duration: October 2025 – October 2026
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Format: Four, required virtual webinars + in-person panel at NASPAA 2026
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Cohort Size: 10–15 early-career faculty
Key Components
- Orientation at the October 2025 global conference (1 hour)
- Four interactive webinars focused on building leadership pipelines.
- Peer learning and cross-institutional collaboration.
- Mentorship and leadership development.
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Culminating Experience: Cohort-led lesson-learned/“what’s next” for NASPAA Next 2026 cohort at the 2026 NASPAA Conference.
Program Timeline
Fall 2025
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October: Kickoff and cohort orientation and co-design webinar series, selecting dates, and based upon cohort needs at the Flagstaff, AZ Conference (1 hour), led by Drs. Rinfret, Sowa, and AbouAssi.
Webinar Series: Building the Pipeline
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November 2025 – Session 1
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January 2026 – Session 2
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March 2026 – Session 3
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May 2026 – Session 4
Fall 2026
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April/May: Planning topic area to convene a workshop/charette at for the NASPAA Next 2026 cohort.
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October: Present at NASPAA 2026 Conference.
Participant Expectations
Participants are expected to:
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Attend and actively engage in all four webinars.
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Participate in peer learning and activities.
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Collaborate with the cohort to design and deliver a charette or workshop at the 2026 NASPAA Conference.
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Commit approximately 3–5 hours per month to the program.
Eligibility
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Assistant Professors in their fourth, fifth or sixth year, or Associate level (recently received first promotion within the last year) at NASPAA member institutions.
- Strong interest in future leadership, inclusivity, and innovation in public service education.
- Commitment to full participation from October 2025 to October 2026.
- Preference will be given to applicants from small, comprehensive, and minority-serving institutions.
Application Instructions
Submit a single PDF including:
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A statement of interest (max 500 words) outlining your leadership goals and alignment with the call for applications, and meeting the requirements of the program.
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A current CV.
Deadline to apply: August 25, 2025
Accepted applicants are required to attend the 2025 orientation at the NASPAA Global Conference in Flagstaff, AZ
Submit applications to: Dr. Sara Rinfret, sara.rinfret@nau.edu
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