Program Benefits

 The Claremont Colleges’ Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows in good standing will be eligible for the following benefits:

Two Summers of Funded Research and Professional Development:

• During the summers as rising juniors and seniors, Fellows will receive funding to participate in a summer research program.
  • Rising juniors will engage in a program at the Claremont Colleges. The program includes workshops on research and writing, developing an identity as a scholar, graduate school, and navigating future academic careers. Workshops will initially be attended virtually, and students will return to campus prior to the start of the fall semester for an in-person retreat. Fellows work with a Faculty Research Mentor to develop the first stages of their research project throughout the summer.
  • Rising seniors will attend a structured research program at another institution. They will be expected to be in residence at that institution for the duration of the summer program.

Two Years of Funded Academic Year Research and Professional Development:

• During the junior and senior years, Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in funded academic year research and professional development. Fellows in good standing will receive $4,000 per academic year. The purpose of the funding is to facilitate the Fellow’s program participation and research activity by relieving the need to undertake other work responsibilities. During the junior and senior years, Fellows will be enrolled in a weekly MMUF seminar for credit, which will feature faculty speakers, workshops, research presentations, grant application and graduate school preparation, and more.

Support for Travel, Research, and Graduate School Preparation:

• Travel and research grants of $800 are available to each fellow to attend conferences and graduate schools, and to pursue research activities. Additionally, each senior fellow receives $1000 for GRE preparation and $300 for application costs.

Mentorship:

• Undergraduate fellows benefit from the mentorship of both current doctoral students and faculty at the Claremont Colleges. The MMUF program at the Claremont Colleges aims to provide wraparound support for each MMUF fellow. Fellows will be supported by their Faculty Research Mentor, Graduate Student Mentor, the Mellon Academic Coordinator, and the MMUF Director.

While in their doctoral program, fellows in good standing will be eligible for the following:

• MMUF Graduate Network: Upon graduation, fellows become eligible to be a part of the MMUF Graduate Network that offers a host of opportunities:
  • The Graduate Student Summer Conference
  • The Proposal Writing and Dissertation Development Seminar
  • The Graduate Writing Seminar
  • The Dissertation Writing Retreat
  • The Preparing for the Professoriate Seminar 
  • The MMUF-SSRC Lecture Series
  • The PhD Retreat

• Financial Support: Fellows are eligible to apply for opportunities including Predoctoral Research Grants, Travel and Research Grants, and Dissertation Grants.

• Loan Forgiveness: Fellows are eligible for up to $10,000 for the repayment of undergraduate loans, provided they pursue graduate study in a Mellon-eligible field or discipline. The program repays guaranteed student loans in installments. The first $5,000 is disbursed in yearly increments of up to $1,250 for the first four years of graduate school. The second $5,000 is paid upon receipt of the doctoral degree.

Once in a tenure-track role, fellows are eligible for the Junior Faculty Career Enhancement Fellowship.