Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship
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
If you are interested in applying to the Mellon Mays program, contact Dean Ekaterina Pirozhenko, ep399@cornell.edu.
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, along with an application form and instructions.
When applying, you will be asked to provide an official transcript and fill out an application that requires letters of recommendation and two essays.
MMUF Application Deadline: February 15, 2021
Links to forms:
Program Contacts
Samantha N. Sheppard, Ph.D.
Mary Amrstrong Meduski '80 Assistant Professor of Cinema and Media Studies
Faculty Director, Cornell's Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Program
Department of Performing and Media Arts
Cornell University
430 College Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14850
sheppard@cornell.edu
https://www.samanthasheppard.com
Ekaterina Pirozhenko
Advising Dean
MMUF Administrative Director
Senior Lecturer, Department of German Studies
Office of Student Services and Admissions
KG17 Klarman Hall
607-255-4833
ep399@cornell.edu
Brittnie Hamlin Riccardi
Assistant Registrar of Student Records
Office of Student Services and Admissions
KG17 Klarman Hall
blh98@cornell.edu
In the News
2020 Mellon Fellows:
October 31, 2017: Allen Porterie: "Syrian political satire 'Hamlet Wakes Up Late' to premier at Cornell"
August 18, 2018: Raven Schwam-Curtis: "MMUF Scholar explores intersection between African, Asian cultures"
November 21, 2019: "Student Spotlight: Diana Ceron '20"
April 2, 2020: Allen Porterie: "Exceptional student work honored through dramatic writing competition awards"
April 23, 2020: "Senior student spotlight: Raven Schwam-Curtis '20"
May 7, 2020: Raven Schwam-Curtis: "Access Fund eased pandemic's burden on students"
May 11, 2020: Raven Scwam-Curtis: "All My Classes Have Challenged Me Deeply"
May 26, 2020: "Senior student spotlight: Allen Porterie '20"
Allen Porterie: "From the perspective of the stage"
Allen Porterie: "Drama Book Award" 2020
2019 Mellon Fellows:
May 10th, 2019: "Benjamin Montaño: Caring about my friends only solidified my conviction that I had to stand by their side and engage in solidarity"
April 26th, 2019: "Karen Monique Loya: You never know when you will learn something that will change the course of your academic interests"
January 4th, 2019: "Benjamin Montaño: Senior studies how architecture shapes community life"
2018 Mellon Fellows:
May 11th, 2020: Ruby Bafu'18: awarded the prestigious NSF fellowship
August 29th, 2018: "Raven Schwam-Curtis: MMUF scholar explores intersection between African, Asian cultures"
August 28th, 2018: "Karen Loya: Senior investigates Latinx identity formation in higher education"
August 20th, 2018: "Abi Bernard: ‘Serendipity’ leads to summer research for history major"
June 21st, 2018: "Allen Porterie: Summer research project explores black masculinity in theatre"
May 2nd, 2018: "Kevin Cruz Amaya: 'Find a community that genuinely embraces and supports who you are'"
May 2nd, 2018: "Paola A. Camacho-Lemus: 'Find work that fulfills your sense of purpose'"
April 26th, 2018: "Leighton Fernando Cook: ' Study abroad helps students immerse themselves in the foreign'"
April 25th, 2018: "Jendayi Brooks-Flemister: 'Not one student at Cornell can say they've had the same experience as another'"
April 25th, 2018: "Courtney Carr: 'I value the flexibility in a liberal arts education'"
April 25th, 2018: "Jose Armando Fernandez Guerrero: 'A liberal arts education is about developing critical thinking and interpersonal communication skills'"
April 25th, 2018: "Salvador Herrera: 'In all of our differences I have only found more points to bond over'"
Cornell Chronicle:
May 18th, 2017: "Mellon Mays fellows share research at Cornell conference"
March 11th, 2014: "Mellon Mays celebrates 25th year with symposium"
September 3rd, 2014: "Mellon Mays program: 25 years of diversifying faculty"
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.