emerging scholars program 2026

RSA is pleased to announce the launch of the Second Cohort of the Emerging Scholars Program for 2026-2027. This initiative aims to clarify the practices and principles of academic life to equip a new generation of rhetorical leaders and expand the future possibilities for the Rhetoric Society of America (RSA) and the field of rhetoric.

Rooted in our dedication to anti-racism, the decolonization of rhetoric, access as a core praxis, and the diversification of the professoriate, the program offers a comprehensive mentoring experience. It brings together emerging leaders in rhetoric with established scholars and educators through a series of both in-person and virtual engagements. These meetings will aim to expose and make transparent the “hidden curriculum” of academia, facilitating accessible pathways to success. Participants will develop and expand their professional networks, engage in horizontal mentoring, and foster non-competitive, collaborative academic practices.

In 2025, after the in-person program concluded, participants continued to build their community in the following virtual events, each of which featured prominent rhetorical scholar leaders:

June 2025: Follow-up on Boundary Setting and Self-Care

August 2025: Thriving in Academic Institutions

October 2025: Sustainable Writing Processes and Practices

Additionally, Cohort 1 will be leading a session at RSA 2026 in Portland, on Saturday May 23, 2026 at 11:00 am.

Overall, the Emerging Scholars Program is more than a few days together networking and professionalizing. It is an ongoing transformative endeavor to build sustainable scholarly communities.

The Emerging Scholars Program Cohort 2 in-person program will be held April 17-18 in Chicago. We welcome applications from individuals committed to fostering a more inclusive and representative climate within rhetorical studies and centering work that is frequently overlooked and ignored within mainstream research. We hope applications will represent a range of academic institutions. Eligible applicants should be members of RSA and doctoral candidates or early career faculty members. Applicants will also be asked to provide a recent CV and a short reflection regarding their goals, pedagogical/research interests, and what they would hope to get out of this program.

You must be logged into your RSA member account to access the application. The application deadline is December 15, 2025.

Thank you for your interest in RSA’s Emerging Scholars Program. Please login to your RSA account to submit an application. You can join or renew any time at https://rhetoricsociety.org/membership-join/

We understand that people have different career paths, so if you understand yourself as still early in your career goals you are welcome to apply.

Please email [email protected] or the IDEA chair, Jennifer Lin LeMesurier ([email protected]) with any questions.

 The Emerging Scholars program is made possible due to a generous grant from The Waterhouse Family Institute for the Study of Communication and Society