Information for Applicants

Application Requirements

• Applicants must hold a full-time faculty appointment at rank of full professor (including professor of practice) or tenured associate professor in a university or college program focusing on the STEM fields and have had some experience in personnel and budget management.
• Applicants must be nominated by a senior official within their college or school, usually the dean or provost. We strongly suggest that each applicant discuss the application with their nominator before applying. Please contact us at ELATES@Drexel.edu or at if you have questions about who should serve as nominator.
• Applicants must have TWO (2) recommendations. One must come from a direct supervisor, and the other from a senior colleague (preferably from outside your home department). A nominator cannot also be a recommender. If the applicant’s direct supervisor is the nominating dean, then the applicant’s recommendations must come from two other individuals, one of whom is senior to the applicant.
• Applicants must submit an essay showcasing demonstrated commitment to increasing representation of women in leadership in STEM.
• Note that those who are re-applying to ELATES must add a cover letter to the required CV with an update of accomplishments since the last application.

Application Process

• Applicants register for the online application system, start a new application and initiate the process of inviting nominators and recommenders to submit their materials. The system will generate an email containing a unique link that will allow nominators and recommenders to access the application. We encourage applicants to enter the system early in order to start an application and to invite nominators and recommenders. Applicants can save and exit the application after the invitation screen and return to complete it at a later time. See Application User Guide [PDF] for more information.
• Applicants will receive electronic notification from ELATES when their portion of the application is complete and when their nomination and recommendations are complete.
• Nominations and recommendations are constructed as short essays to describe the candidate’s qualifications and institutional support. Essays may be initiated in the online system as soon as the invitation is received.

A strong candidate application presents evidence for leadership potential. This includes:

• Description of leadership experiences that have included strategic risk-taking.
• A track record of formal and informal professional development, including mentoring and program participation outside their specialty field.
• Rationale for seeking leadership roles and a realistic assessment of likely internal and external leadership opportunities over the five years following the fellowship program.
• Demonstrated commitment to women in leadership, particularly in STEM fields.

Tentative Program Schedule

Fees and Additional Costs

The early-bird program fee for the 2025-2026 program year is $13,500 (apply by December 15, 2024). The regular program fee is $15,000. ELATES' program fee covers 15 days in session, distance learning activities throughout the fellowship year, course materials, conference site expenses and special events.

In addition to the program fee, the sponsoring institution is responsible for travel plus room and board for the three in-residence sessions (approximately $7,000). Travel and lodging for deans/provosts attending the Leaders Forum on March 12, 2026 is the responsibility of the sponsoring institution. Meeting materials and meals are provided for Forum participant.