UW’s WORTH Institute Launches Faculty Fellowship Program, Announces Inaugural Fellows

Designed to advance applied research, workforce development and statewide engagement that strengthen Wyoming's visitor economy, the Kemmerer Faculty Fellowship Program has been launched by the University of Wyoming's Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Institute.

Recognizing their ongoing leadership and contributions to workforce development, curriculum innovation and industry engagement, Sara Ghezzi and Bonnie Johnson were selected as the inaugural Kemmerer Faculty Fellows for the 2025-26 cycle.

The fellowship program is made possible through the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Faculty Excellence Fund, established through the generosity of Jay and Karen Kemmerer. The program is designed to foster faculty excellence and expand the impact of UW faculty working in areas aligned with outdoor recreation, tourism and hospitality.

"The Kemmerer Faculty Fellowship is about integrating faculty into the full capacity of the WORTH Institute," says Daniel McCoy, director of the WORTH Institute. "We created a platform where faculty can leverage applied research, workforce development and statewide engagement to deliver real impact for Wyoming's communities and industries."

The WORTH Institute is inviting applications from UW faculty for the 2026-27 fellowship cycle. The program is open to tenure-track, tenured and non-tenure-track faculty whose work aligns with one or more of the institute's focus areas:

-- Applied research and economic analysis.

-- Workforce development and curriculum innovation.

-- Statewide engagement and extension.

-- Interdisciplinary collaboration and partnership development.

The fellowship provides faculty with a stipend and access to the full resources of the WORTH Institute, including research expertise, stakeholder networks, extension support and communications capacity.

Fellows are expected to produce a tangible outcome such as applied research reports, workforce training programs, community initiatives or externally funded projects that advance Wyoming's visitor economy.

Ghezzi and Johnson were selected in recognition of their existing collaboration with the WORTH Institute and their demonstrated impact in advancing workforce development and applied programming.

"These inaugural fellows represent exactly what this program is designed to support: faculty who are deeply engaged in solving real-world challenges and building meaningful partnerships across Wyoming," McCoy says.

"This fellowship creates the ability to connect curriculum, industry needs and student opportunities in a more intentional way," Johnson says. "It supports us in continuing to develop and advance our academic programs in a way that responds to Wyoming's workforce needs."

For more information about the Kemmerer Faculty Fellowship Program, visit the WORTH Institute website here.

The fellowship application can be found here. Applications for the 2026-27 cycle are due Friday, April 17.

For more information, call Zach Blair, Jay Kemmer WORTH Institute public relations coordinator, at (307) 766-5063 or email [email protected].