Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program

Under the terms of the Mellon grant, participation in the program is open to talented undergraduates who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and to diversifying the academy. Students must be planning graduate study toward a Ph.D. in one of the following fields:

• Area Studies (i.e. Women’s Studies, African American Studies)
• Anthropology
• Art History
• Classics
• English
• Film, Cinema and Media Studies (theoretical focus)
• Ethnomusicology and Music Theory
• Foreign Languages and Literatures
• Geography and Population Studies
• History
• Linguistics
• Literature
• Performance Studies (theoretical focus)
• Musicology
• Philosophy and Political Theory
• Religion and Theology
• Sociology
• Theater (theoretical focus)

Learn more about the program at the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF) home page.

Please submit completed MMUF applications to Amy Onstot in the Academic Support Office (A1234 ARH/Humanities & Social Studies ) by Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. For copies of the application or if you have questions, please contact faculty coordinator Professor Elias Saba or Amy Onstot.

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program Loan Repayment

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows who have entered a Ph.D. program in a Mellon-designated field within 39 months of graduation from Grinnell are eligible for up to $10,000 in loan repayment benefits. For each year of full-time graduate study, one-eighth of your undergraduate debt (up to $1,250) can be paid by the Mellon Foundation through Grinnell College. Students who complete their doctorate are eligible for an additional $5,000 in loan repayment. Please refer to the MMUF website for additional details on the loan repayment program.

How to Arrange For Loan Repayment by the Mellon Foundation

1. Complete the Application for Loan Repayment, and have a certifying official (graduate school dean or registrar) complete Section 9 at the end of each academic year that you were enrolled as a full-time student.
2. Send the form to Office of Financial Aid, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112-1690. An email confirmation will be sent to you each time a portion of your debt is paid by Grinnell College.

The fellow is responsible for any additional interest and/or principal payments required by the loan servicer. The fellow is also responsible for communicating with the loan servicer regarding eligibility for deferment of repayment based on graduate school enrollment or other applicable criteria.