This enhancement streamlines the Fellowship experience by eliminating the separate five-year renewal process while preserving the rigor and prestige of earning the Fellow of the Academy designation.

No. The eligibility requirements and approval process remain the same. Candidates must continue to meet the Academy’s established criteria and demonstrate sustained contributions to the profession and the Academy.

Once you’ve earned the Fellow of the Academy designation, maintaining your Fellowship is as simple as renewing your Academy membership. There is no longer a separate Fellowship renewal application or five-year review process.

Current Fellows will automatically transition to the appropriate Fellow membership category. No additional application or documentation is required.

Select the category that reflects both your membership type and Fellowship status: Professional Member Fellow, Professional Member Fellow with Distinction, or Associate Member Fellow. A $25 annual fee will be built into your membership renewal fees to cover administrative costs.

Yes. Fellowship will become a membership category, so you’ll continue to renew your Academy membership annually and select the appropriate Fellow category during the renewal process.

No. Fellowship remains one of the Academy’s highest professional honors. The standards for earning the designation have not changed; this update simply streamlines how Fellows maintain their designation after earning it.

To maintain your Fellow membership category, you must remain an active Academy member. If your membership lapses, contact the Academy’s Membership team at membership@oandp.org for information on reinstatement.

If your Fellow status lapsed within the last five years while you maintained continuous Academy membership, you are eligible to restore your Fellow status. Contact rsparks@oandp.org to inquire about rejoining the program.

Recently renewed Fellows may contact rsparks@oandp.org to have their account reviewed on a case-by-case basis.