Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship

Apply

Apply

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program application is closed. The deadline to apply for 2024 was February 5th by 11:59PM.

All application materials must be submitted via the College's online application portal, UFunds, before the deadline. The system will not accept late applications.

Finalists are invited to interview with the MMUF Faculty Advisory Board in early March. Final notifications are emailed shortly thereafter.

Application Requirements

  1. Two essays (guidelines provided below)
  2. A resumé highlighting activities that demonstrate a commitment to eradicating racial inequality and any research you have done
  3. The student's internal academic record and, if a transfer student, transcripts from any other college or university attended
  4. Recommendation letters from 2 professors (not graduate students) who know your academic work

MMUF staff is eager to help you with every stage of the fellowship application process. Interested students are strongly encouraged to review the Brown MMUF application portal and to reach out to Dr. Poloma for an advising appointment as soon as they begin thinking they might apply.

Prospective applicants are also encouraged to speak to current Fellows and/or Mellon Advisory Board members, to consult with potential Faculty Mentors about their research ideas, and to take advantage of the asynchronous application resources, including tips and strategies for developing a competitive fellowship application on the Brown MMUF applicants web portal.

Application Essays

The application essays are a critical part of your application.

  • Explain your concentration plans, including how you see yourself as a researcher in this field, and any courses, texts or scholars within your discipline who have influenced your intellectual interests;
  • Discuss the kind of research project you would like to begin undertaking this summer - including your research question(s) and/or methodology for approaching these questions, if known (note: Fellows should be prepared to participate in research activities at Brown during the summer following the sophomore year, unless they can present an alternative plan for summer research);
  • Describe your future academic plans, including the anticipated doctoral degree(s) you hope to seek, your chief motivation for graduate study in your discipline, and your short term/long term career goals;
  • Address how you plan to fulfill the stated goals of the Mellon Mays Fellowship Program, including why and how equity and diversity advocacy in higher education is meaningful in regard to your academic experience.

Recommendation Letters

    Two recommendation letters are required.

    • Letters should come from faculty (not graduate students) who have taught you as an undergraduate. Faculty may hold full-time or visiting positions at Brown or at another college or university.
    • We urge you to review the suggestions for requesting letters of recommendation on the The College's Fellowships website. The site recommends asking for letters of recommendation at least two weeks prior to the deadline. For MMUF, we recommend you request letters at least 3-4 weeks prior and that you send a reminder just before the deadline, as well as a hand-written thank you note.
    • Upon listing a faculty member, UFUNDS will automatically send an email to that person requesting the recommendation letter. You must ask the faculty members if they are willing to write on your behalf before saving your application. We recommend that you begin your application and enter your recommenders' names at least several weeks prior to the deadline, even if you are not yet ready to submit your application, so that they will receive the automatically generated email well before the deadline.

    Mellon Faculty Mentors

    All Mellon Fellows must have a committed faculty mentor. Having a committed mentor at the time of applying can strengthen your application. If you have a mentor in mind, include a letter of recommendation from this person. Note that recommendation writers should know your academic work.

    Visiting and adjunct faculty members can form part of your advising network, but should not be the primary Faculty Mentor.

    We recommend that MMUF applicants make every effort to secure a faculty mentor by the time the application is submitted. Having a committed mentor at the time of applying can only strengthen your application. In approaching potential Faculty Mentors, please keep in mind the following suggestions. 

    • A strong mentor is someone who not only knows your field of study but who is also interested in guiding your intellectual growth as a scholar. You should feel comfortable sharing your ideas with this person and taking this person's feedback. 
    • If you have a mentor in mind and they have taught you in the classroom, include a letter of recommendation from this person. They can speak both to your academic work and share their willingness to advise and mentor you as you develop your research project.
    • Visiting and adjunct faculty members can form part of your advising network, but should not be the primary Faculty Mentor.
    • If you do not have a committed Mentor, and you are selected for the fellowship, we will assist you in identifying an appropriate Mentor.