The MMUF program's support for fellows continues beyond graduate school into their postdoctoral and faculty careers. The Social Science Research Council and the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, under grants awarded by the Mellon Foundation, offer two major events designed to support Mellon PhDs as they navigate the milestones of their faculty careers: the PhD Retreat and the Junior Faculty Career Enhancement Fellowship.
In addition, fellows who complete the PhD in eligible fields may apply to receive a final payment of $5,000 to be used toward payment of their undergraduate or graduate school loans. Fellows who wish to request this final payment should contact the MMUF coordinator their undergraduate institution.
The final component of the SSRC's sequential series of graduate initiatives is the PhD Retreat, which brings together Mellon PhDs for three days in January every other year. This event is designed exclusively for those fellows who have completed the doctorate, with preference given to those who are at the reappointment stage or close to tenure. The PhD Retreat is an opportunity to reflect on the transformative journey Mellon PhDs have made from college to graduate school to the completion of the doctorate and to discuss issues and milestones they are now confronting as young faculty members; in past years, the program has focused on teaching, research, publication and funding. Finally, the Retreat provides an opportunity to revive and solidify relationships with colleagues and mentors, expand professional networks, and re-commit to the mission of MMUF.
The Junior Faculty Career Enhancement Fellowship, administered under a Mellon Foundation grant by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, seeks to increase the presence of underrepresented minority junior faculty members and other faculty committed to eradicating racial disparities in core fields in the arts and sciences. The JFCEF is open to junior faculty who have completed their third year of teaching and are preparing for tenure. This competitive program provides participants with a year-long sabbatical, a senior faculty mentor, and a three-day retreat.
Eligibility
Eligible faculty must:
The Award
Requirements