IMPACT, fellowship, DEI, diversity, equity, inclusion, IMPACT Fellowship Program
This website uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are used for visitor analysis, others are essential to making our site function properly and improve the user experience. By using this site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Click Accept to consent and dismiss this message or Deny to leave this website. Read our Privacy Statement for more.
My Profile | Contact Us | Sign In
NPA IMPACT Fellowship Program

NPA IMPACT Fellowship Program

What is the IMPACT Fellowship Program?

Entering its fourth year, the NPA IMPACT Fellowship Program (“IMPACT”) provides outstanding opportunities for personal and professional achievement for exceptional early-career researchers from underrepresented communities.

"The IMPACT Fellowship Program is a game-changing experience. It's hard to overstate its effect on postdoctoral scholars, creating a safe and inclusive community while sharing powerful new tools for success."
Thomas P. Kimbis, executive director & CEO, NPA

Through a 16-month, interactive fellowship that uses a variety of tools, IMPACT empowers participants to strategically build upon existing skills, recognize opportunities, and advance more confidently in their careers. IMPACT Fellows are expected to use the knowledge, tools and resources they gain from the program to implement activities or initiatives.

'22-'23 IMPACT report Partner Brochure

IMPACT Program Components

Peer mentoring and networking circles, providing a new inclusive and empowering means of connectivity for Fellows. Peer mentoring builds community, encourages vulnerability, and instills confidence.
Mentoring with leaders in academia or industry outside the Fellows' home institutions, creating new connections and allowing open dialogue. Fellows can build safe personal and professional connections that can last a lifetime.
Fellows engage in small group discussions with leaders in a variety of fields and employer types, who preferably represent or are strong allies of marginalized communities. Dedicated time with NPA SmartSkills monthly speakers in small groups to engage and build connections.
CliftonStrengths self-assessment is a first for many postdocs, with interpretation by experts. Identifying and building on newfound strengths across the Fellowship was cited as “critical” by participants.
Fellows meet, discuss and engage in person during a dedicated day-long session prior to the NPA's Annual Conference. This live, interactive event features external experts presenting on critical needs for professional and personal success, along with Fellows socializing aspects of their individual projects and providing program feedback.
Fellows propose, present, defend, and hone project ideas among their peers and project development experts. At the heart of IMPACT, Fellows complete their projects - and their fellowships - within their home communities, enabling dozens, hundreds, or thousands of additional individuals to benefit as the Fellows employ skills enhanced during IMPACT.

"The IMPACT Fellowship has been the most rewarding experience of my postdoc this year; above all academic and research endeavors."
'22-'23 IMPACT Fellow

IMPACT Fellow Institutions

Baylor College of Medicine

Purdue University

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Brown University

Queen's University

University of New Mexico

Case Western Reserve University

Rutgers University

University of Pennsylvania

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology/Harvard Extension School

The Scripps Research Institute

University of South Florida

Columbia University

University of California - Berkeley

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Florida International University

University of Chicago

Utah State University

Fox Chase Cancer Center

University of Delaware

Virginia Tech

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Washington University in St. Louis

Princeton University

 








"My IMPACT project was truly a major impact for more than just postdocs and students—admin and faculty now feel comfortable and willing to share their time and resources because they too can see the very real impact they can have on our trainees."
Kimiko LaQuann Krieger, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate, Baylor College of Medicine, '21-'22 IMPACT Fellow. Networking event for Black students, postdocs, staff and faculty in celebration of Juneteenth

Individual IMPACT Projects

  • Establish trust and relationships to effectively conduct medical outreach in Indigenous communities.
  • Host networking event attended by Black postdocs, faculty, staff, and students in celebration of Juneteenth.
  • Build and share practical professional development tools for postdocs.
  • Highlight needs and experiences of first-generation minority college students.
  • Develop grant writing program for postdocs who have little or no grant writing experience.
  • Create and disseminate video testimonies about needs and challenges faced by minority and international postdocs.
  • Lead seven-part, university-wide, DEI workshop series for postgraduates and postdocs.
IMPACT Fellows

Meet Fellows from current and past IMPACT Fellowship classes.

Partner With Us

The NPA seeks formal partners to support the needs of underrepresented postdocs.

Learn More
Program Curriculum

The 2024-2025 IMPACT Program cycle runs from Sept. 2024 to Dec. 2025.

Apply now

Applications for the '24-'25 IMPACT Fellowship Program class are closed.

Questions?

If you have questions or would like more information about the IMPACT Fellowship Program, contact the NPA's Diversity Officers.

National Postdoctoral Association
4701 Sangamore Rd.
Suite 100n, #6043
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-984-4800

The NPA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.