Texas A&M Doctoral Students Selected as SEC Emerging Scholars

The four students met and attended a recent professional development workshop with scholars from other SEC institutions.

Four Texas A&M doctoral students were selected as Southeastern Conference (SEC) Emerging Scholars. Dallas Freitas (Chemistry), Erik Hoempler (Management), Anneke Snyder (English), and Chandler Wilkins (Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning) attended this month’s SEC Emerging Scholars Workshop in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

SEC Emerging Scholars is an initiative of the provosts of the conference’s member institutions. The program provides professional development and networking opportunities for doctoral students and/or post-docs considering careers in higher education. The goal is to prepare these scholars for success on the faculty job market. 

This year’s workshop featured panel discussions and directed Q&A sessions. Topics covered at the workshop ranged from strategies for conducting academic job searches to crafting effective application materials, mastering job interviews and presentations, negotiating job offers, and navigating early-stage faculty challenges. Additionally, scholars had the opportunity to participate in various networking social events, allowing them to interact with faculty and staff leaders from different SEC institutions that could perhaps lead to inroads for landing faculty positions at those institutions.

Faculty and staff from each institution accompanied their institutions doctoral students and post-docs, helping lead sessions and providing guidance and feedback. Dr. Michael Johnson, Interim Associate Provost for Faculty Success and Interim Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs, attended and delivered a presentation at the event on early-stage faculty expectations and success tips. Graduate and Professional School Associate Dean Dr. Charles Criscione also represented Texas A&M. 

“Collectively, our SEC Scholars showcased the diverse and excellent graduate education programs offered by Texas A&M,” Criscione said. “Individually, each of our SEC Scholars are amazing in terms of both their teaching and research impacts they have already contributed to the A&M, state, or national communities. They will be very competitive for academic positions in their respective disciplines.”  

Prior to the event, the students attended a pre-workshop session to present their research to faculty volunteers Drs. Alison Altman, Spenser Essman, Jason Crider, and Ivis Garcia, each representing the scholars’ home departments. 
Dr. Fuhui Tong, Dean of Texas A&M’s Graduate and Professional School, praised this year’s group of scholars. 

“These students have shown extraordinary dedication to their education and to their development as leading scholars of tomorrow,” Tong said. “Each one of our SEC Scholars has shown us a glimpse into the future of academia, and Texas A&M’s programs are setting the pace. I look forward to seeing these students inspire others through their research and teaching.”  

This year’s scholars applied and were selected by a committee in the Graduate and Professional School based on student submitted materials: a personal statement expressing interest in an academic profession and a teaching statement. To learn more about the program, visit the SEC Emerging Scholars website. 

Texas A&M will host the SEC Emerging Scholars Workshop in 2027.