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Center for Integrated Professional Development

Learning about & Incorporating Intellectual Property (IP) into a Class Project

Organized in collaboration with Hagge Innovation Institute, the George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, and the Center for Integrated Professional Development

2026 Intellectual Property Faculty & Student Upskilling

Faculty and Course Instructors are invited to submit a proposal to participate in the Summer 2026 course design cohort, Learning about & Incorporating IP into a Class Project. Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship, a core value named in Illinois State’s Excellence by Design, 2024-2030, articulates the value of experiential learning. This workshop will engage course instructors in robust hands-on experiences that will enable them to create an innovative course project with real-world implications.

The Class Project will

  • Afford course instructors the opportunity to learn about and integrate intellectual property (IP) into their class through the creation of a project (individual or team) that has IP components.
  • Act as a bridge to other resources on campus for students who wish to further explore IP during or after the class.

By the end of this professional development experience, instructors will be able to:

  • Understand the key pillars of IP and how it applies to their course content.
  • Develop a meaningful assignment including assessment.

Through participating in the redesigned course, students will be able to:

  • Understand the key pillars of IP and how they apply to the targeted class.
  • Become knowledgeable of other campus resources where they can further develop their interest in IP.

Dates of Workshops (Participation required at all sessions)

Content Review & Research: May 1 – June 22, 2026

  • Asynchronously, participants will explore resources created by an IP expert and Illinois State alumnus.
  • Participants will research how that content is relevant to their chosen class. The focus will be on patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Virtual Session: End of May, date and time TBD by the cohort participants

Participants will attend a virtual synchronous session (~60 minutes) on IP to ask a lawyer, Jeff Hahn (COB), questions about the IP content and brainstorm IP assignment ideas.

Assignment Due: July 15, 2026

  • As part of the cohort, participants will develop an assignment (individual or team) with an assessment for use in a class for fall ‘25 (can also use spring ’26 in the same class, but this is not required).

Cohort leaders will provide resources and individualized support to participants.

Reflection Phase: Spring 2027 (early May 2027. Date TBD)

  • Cohort participants will share their class IP assignments and outcomes with each other to help develop a community of best practices around IP in courses at Illinois State.
  • Anonymous artifacts from student assignments will be shared.

Eligibility and Award Amounts

Eligibility

This is a university-wide initiative. All tenured, tenure-track, and full-time non-tenure-track instructors, as well as staff with teaching responsibilities, are eligible to apply. Five (5) course instructors from any discipline will be selected, with preference for participation across multiple colleges.

Award Amount

Participants will receive a $1,500 stipend for completion of all required engagement and work. ($750 Summer 2026 and $750 May 2027, upon completion of the requirements and participation in the Reflection Phase).

Selection Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated by prior cohort participants, the Director of the Hagge Innovation Institute, and CIPD. The intention is to attract instructors from across the entire campus. Reviewers will evaluate all proposals and prioritize submissions that have a clear connection between IP and course content.

Proposal Details

Applicant Information

  • Name
  • Rank
  • Department/School
  • Proposed Course No and Title
  • Semester of anticipated delivery of redesigned course
  • Approximate Course Enrollment
  • Students Enrolled: Majors/Minors, Level- year in school, graduate, undergraduate, General Education Course (Ex: Juniors and Seniors, Marketing Majors, General Education course)

Please provide an approximately 250-word narrative explaining your interest in this project.

Also, explain how you envision integrating IP into an existing course and why it is important.

Attach a copy of the syllabus for the course you are planning to incorporate this project.

Call for Proposal opens on March 16

Please note: Due to work expectations and stipend considerations, individuals are limited to participating in one Center for Integrated Professional Development Design Cohort experience, including (Re)Design Your Course for Civic Engagement, as part of Summer Institute.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Dana Karraker at dmkarra@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-5110.