Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and established in 1990 at Brown University, the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) is committed to broadening the range of scholarly perspectives in the US academy, with a focus on the humanities and the humanistic social sciences. Its name honors Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, the noted African American educator, statesman, minister, and former president of Morehouse College.

Nationally, the program has produced more than 1,200 PhDs, almost 800 of whom are currently college professors and 300 of whom are pursuing other careers. Each year, about 800 MMUF fellows are enrolled in PhD programs, while the fellowship supports approximately 500 undergraduate students nationally.

MMUF fellows at Brown participate in structured summer programming (including the required Brown Summer Scholar Start Up Program), ongoing mentoring and research development during the academic year, and regional MMUF conferences. While the undergraduate fellowship focuses on mentoring, research development, and preparation for doctoral study, MMUF support extends beyond the undergraduate years. Fellows who pursue PhD study in eligible fields benefit from national MMUF programming, including professional development opportunities, research funding support, and engagement with a broader community of scholars throughout graduate school and into postdoctoral and faculty careers.