The 2024-2025 MMUF application is now available. Click here to apply. Applications are due by March 21, 2025.
The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program is the centerpiece of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s initiatives to increase diversity in the faculty ranks of institutions of higher learning. The MMUF program is administered at 48 institutions and a consortium of historically black colleges and universities within the membership of the UNCF. As of 2014, more than 4,000 students have been selected as fellows, more than 500 of whom have earned a Ph.D. and 85 of whom are now tenured faculty members.
The fundamental objective of MMUF is to address, over time, the problem of underrepresentation in the academy at the level of college and university faculties. This goal can be achieved both by increasing the number of students from underrepresented minority groups who pursue Ph.D.s and by supporting the pursuit of Ph.D.s by students who may not come from traditional minority groups but have otherwise demonstrated a commitment to the goals of MMUF. The MMUF program is designed to encourage fellows to enter Ph.D. programs that prepare students for professorial careers; it is not intended to support students who intend to go on to medical school, law school or other professional schools.
Toward a More Inclusive Academy: MMUF at 30
Core Components
Research: Each undergraduate fellow is required to conduct an individual research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Guided research is a foundation of MMUF and provides the opportunity to prepare for advanced scholarly work.
Mentoring: Each Mellon fellow is paired with a faculty mentor, with whom they are expected to meet on a regular basis. Students work with their mentors to develop their scholarly interests into research directions.
Meetings/Workshops: During our two meetings per month, students come together to present their research, exchange ideas and discuss various topics related to academic life and preparation for graduate school. Workshops are conducted on topics such as taking the GRE, writing and research, presenting at academic conferences and applying to graduate school.
Conferences and Publication: Fellows will attend and present their research at the MMUF annual conferences. Conference attendance provides invaluable professional development and networking experience. Fellows are also encouraged to submit their research papers for publication in the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Journal.
Research Prize: Fellows receive funding during the academic year so that they may have more time to focus on their academic work and research. Summer funds are also awarded to conduct research and to travel.
Eligibility
- Academic promise (3.0 GPA or better)
- Interest in pursuing an academic career in an eligible field
- Demonstrated commitment to the goals of MMUF
- Availability for, and commitment to, full and enthusiastic participation in all aspects of the MMUF program, including attendance at conferences and meetings
- US citizens, permanent residents, and DACA status students
All students are welcome to apply for MMUF, though applications are particularly encouraged from African-Americans, Latinos and Latinas, Native Americans and other underrepresented minorities.
Designated Fields
- Anthropology and Archaeology
- Area/Cultural/Ethnic/Gender Studies
- Art History
- Classics
- Geography and Population Studies
- English
- Film, Cinema and Media Studies (theoretical focus)
- Musicology, Ethnomusicology and Music Theory
- Foreign Languages and Literatures
- History
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Performance Studies (theoretical focus)
- Philosophy and Political Theory
- Religion and Theology
- Sociology
- Theater (theoretical focus)
Important Dates and Forms
The 2024-2025 MMUF application is now available. Click here to apply. Applications are due by March 21, 2025.
Upcoming MMUF Info Sessions:
- February 4, 2025 5:00 - 6:30 PM (Klarman Hall G42)
- February 11, 2025 5:00 - 6:30 PM (Klarman Hall G42)
- Interested A&S sophomores and juniors will have a chance to meet program staff and current Mellon Fellows.
You may also be nominated to apply by a Cornell faculty. If so, you’ll receive a letter encouraging you to apply to the program.
When applying, you will be asked to fill out an application that requires letters of recommendation and two essays.
Links to additional forms:
- Loan repayment form (for fellows currently in graduate school)
Program Contacts
Dr. Chelsea Mikael Frazier
Assistant Professor
Faculty Director, Cornell's Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program
Department of Literatures in English
Cornell University
250 Goldwin Smith Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
chelsea.frazier@cornell.edu
https://english.cornell.edu/chelsea-mikael-frazier
Office of Student Services and Admissions
KG17 Klarman Hall
as-studentservices@cornell.edu
About Benjamin Mays
Benjamin Elijah Mays (1895-1984) was an educator, college president, and civil rights activist. His tenacious stand against racial discrimination and broad social vision inspired Martin Luther King, Jr.; his commitment to education earned Mays 49 honorary degrees. Read more about Benjamin Mays.