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91���� has received a $115,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to continue its Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program, supporting students as they pursue advanced study and academic careers in the humanities and related fields.

The Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellowship is the Mellon Foundation’s flagship program for supporting young humanities scholars. The program seeks to broaden the range of scholarly perspectives in the U.S. academy by helping students pursue doctoral degrees in humanistic fields and promoting multivocality — elevating accounts, interpretations, and narratives that expand present understandings.

The annual grant renewal recognizes the work of 91����’s MMUF leadership team in guiding and mentoring Fellows and supporting the faculty members who mentor them.

At 91����, the funding will continue to support two cohorts of five MMUF Fellows each year. Fellows receive stipends, travel and research funding, faculty mentoring, and other resources designed to prepare them for graduate study and potential careers in academia.

Continuing a Tradition of Mentorship

Professor Shanna Benjamin established 91����’s MMUF program in 2009. Today, the program is led by Professor Elias G. Saba, who brings his own experience as a Mellon-Mays Fellow during his undergraduate years at Cornell University. Saba previously served as assistant coordinator of 91����’s program before moving into the coordinator role.

Saba is supported by Alma Cátala Valentín, with Professor Julian Rios Acuña also contributing to the program through his service as assistant coordinator last year. This year, the assistant coordinator is Sophia Nuñez, a former MMUF Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis.

Through continued support from the Mellon Foundation and the work of faculty and staff across the College, 91����’s MMUF program provides students with mentorship, resources, and opportunities to develop as scholars while helping build a broader range of perspectives within the humanities.