The Annual Doctoral Consortia hosted by the Southern Management Association (SMA), will be held at the TradeWinds Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida on October 28^th, 2026 as part of the Annual Meeting, October 27 – 31, 2026.

SMA hosts two doctoral consortia, one for students in the early stages of their doctoral program (Early stage) and one for students who have advanced past the comprehensive exam stage (Late stage). Topics vary, but both consortia are day-long programs designed to provide a better understanding of key factors underlying faculty career success in research, teaching, and service. The consortia also emphasize opportunities for students to network and begin integrating into the profession.  As in years past, the program will feature nationally recognized scholars who will lead sessions on significant issues of research, teaching, and professional service.  Each session provides time for questions and discussion.   

SMA awards $550 stipends to participants, and registration fees are waived. Students must attend the entire program to receive the stipend; stipends will be awarded only to those participants who are present at the Business Meeting on the evening of Thursday October 29. Breakfast and lunch on the day of the Consortia will be provided, courtesy of SMA. Due to the popularity of the Doctoral Consortia, all applications should be submitted by June 30^th, 2026.  All applicants must complete and submit the registration form below. 

Also, applicants should have their Ph.D. coordinator endorse their nomination via the link below. Please note that applications without Ph.D. coordinators’ endorsement are not considered so be sure to forward this link to your Ph.D. Program Coordinator.

SMA Doctoral Consortia Faculty Nomination Form

For the early-stage consortium, preference will be given to students in the first or second year of their doctoral programs; for the late-stage consortium, preference will be given to students in their dissertation phase. SMA especially welcomes students who have not previously attended an SMA Doctoral Consortium. Multiple students from one program may be admitted if space is available. To facilitate this process, when there are multiple applicants from a single program, the Ph.D. coordinator must rank-order applicants for selection to the consortium. Please submit questions electronically to Dr. David Arena Jr., University of Texas at Arlington, david.arena@uta.edu, for early-stage applicants and Dr. Wendy Bedwell-Torres, University of Memphis, wendy.torres@memphis.edu, for late-stage applicants.