Established in the 1988/1989 academic year, 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, former president of Morehouse College, and mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Founded with an initial cohort of eight member institutions, the program has grown to include 47 programs, including three consortia.
To date, the program has produced more than 1,200 PhDs, more than 800 of whom are currently college professors. Numerous others have taken their valuable humanities training into venues ranging from museums and nonprofit organizations to publishing houses and government positions. At any given time, about 800 MMUF fellows are enrolled in PhD programs, while the fellowship supports approximately 500 undergraduate students each year.
Through programs that emphasize mentoring, research support, and student cohort building, Mellon partners with member colleges and universities to identify and support students of great promise and to help them become scholars and professionals of the highest distinction.
MMUF is proud of its legacy of leading scholars whose perspectives greatly enrich research and teaching in their fields.
Applications for the 2026-2027 year of the MMUF program will open in January 2026
Program Description
During the Fall Semester, fellows will enroll in a 3 unit seminar course that supports various aspects of the Fellows’ personal and professional development in preparation for graduate study in their respective fields. This work includes designing and executing a research project in conjunction with requirements for their major. In the fall, fellows attend the MMUF regional conference, where they meet fellows from other campuses and learn more about the graduate and professional support networks offered by the Mellon Foundation.
During the summer, students will participate in a consortium program with the five CSU MMUF campuses. This program will introduce new fellows to academic humanities and help them develop their research projects with the support of a faculty mentor.
- $4000 term stipends for each year in the program (2 years)
- $4500 summer stipends to conduct research with a faculty mentor (2 years)
- $800 research and travel expenses each year in the program
- $1000 for GRE prep and $300 for doctoral applications for fellows in their final year of the program
- Up to $10,000 repayment in undergraduate/graduate student loans, once entered into a Ph.D. program
- Guest lectures and social/cultural activities throughout the year
- Ongoing professional advising and moral support MMUF fellows benefit most from continuing their studies with other students moving toward similar goals, including MMUF fellows at other institutions, creating a local, regional, and national cohort and support system.
- Students must have a major in a humanities or social science discipline and/or be planning to pursue academic graduate study in those fields. For a list of eligible fields, see here. The MMUF does not support students pursuing graduate study for a professional or performance career—law school, commercial art careers, education administration (for instance, to be a high school principal), etc. Students with questions about their eligibility should contact the program coordinator.
- The MMUF program runs a minimum of one academic year (fall and spring semesters) and a maximum of two academic years. Students must be enrolled undergraduates while in the MMUF, and in most cases should be graduating at the same time they’re completing the program. If you have freshman standing and/or will be completing your undergraduate degree more than two years from the semester of application, you should probably wait to apply next year.
Selection Criteria
Applicants would be selected for Cal State LA’s MMUF Program based on the following criteria:
- Academic promise (e.g., GPA, recommendation letters, essay);
- Potential for a faculty career in academia in core Mellon fields of study, particularly in the arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences;
- Willingness to consider graduate school in MMUF-approved humanities-based disciplines;
- Commitment to participating fully and enthusiastically in all aspects of the MMUF program, including attendance at conferences, meetings, and activities; and
- Status as a US citizen, permanent resident, as well as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or undocumented status.
- A 500-word personal essay describing interest in one of the MMUF-approved disciplines, potential
career goals/interests in the professoriate, how the MMUF Program would be integral to their life
history and academic goals, and what they hope to achieve in the program. This essay can be submitted through the "Apply Now" tab below. - One letter of recommendation from a college or university faculty member who can document
academic potential. The letter-writer should send their recommendation directly to [email protected].
The MMUF Program
MMUF fellows benefit most from continuing their studies with other students moving toward similar goals, including MMUF fellows at other institutions, creating a local, regional, and national cohort and support system. All students are welcome to apply to the MMUF Program.