Call for Applications: IUPLR/UIC Mellon Fellows Program, 2021-22

The Inter-University Program for Latino Research is now accepting applications for the IUPLR/UIC Mellon Fellowship Program (academic year 2021-22). This is a comprehensive program that provides financial, writing, and professionalization support to doctoral students in the humanities who are writing dissertations in Latino Studies. The fellowship includes a $25,000 stipend, participation in an intensive summer institute and an academic conference, a year-long structured writing program, outside faculty mentorship, and ongoing professionalization support. Please read more about the mission of the fellowship here: https://mfp.lals.uic.edu.

Eligibility and Requirements

• Fellows must be affiliated with the six designated research centers listed below. Applicants must have advanced to candidacy (ABD status with defended proposal) and be completing a Latino Studies dissertation in the humanities or in a humanities-adjacent discipline.
• Applicants should already have a significant portion of the dissertation drafted and anticipate defending their dissertation by the end of the fellowship year.
• Applicants should be planning to pursue an academic career in teaching and/or research.
• During the fellowship year, students must be enrolled at their home institution. Fellows must forego other employment during the year.  
• Selected fellows are required to participate in the IUPLR/Mellon Summer Institute in the summer of 2021 (may be online pending Covid-19), attend and present in a Latino Studies conference (pending), and take part in a year-long highly structured mentorship, professionalization, and writing program. Failure to participate in all aspects of the program may result in the loss of funding. 

IUPLR will select fellows affiliated with the following six designated research centers:

• The Center for Mexican American Studies and the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies at the University of Texas at Austin (Karma Chávez)
• The Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Houston (Pamela Quiróz)
• The Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA (Chon Noriega)
• The Dominican Studies Institute at CUNY (Ramona Hernández)
• The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at CUNY (Edwin Meléndez)
• The Latin American and Latino Studies Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (Ralph Citrón)

To apply, please submit the following materials by Feb. 15 to the online portal at https://mfp.lals.uic.edu

• CV
• A one-page statement that describes your dissertation, timeline to completion, your professional goals, and how you would benefit from the program.
• All completed chapters compiled into a single PDF. This must include an annotated outline with chapter titles, brief chapter summaries, and percentages of each chapter completed. If you do not have any chapters completed, you may just submit the projected outline.
• Two recommendation letters (one from the applicant’s dissertation chair and second from a Latino Studies-affiliated faculty) sent to jlboles@uic.edu.
• Email of recognition sent to the Mellon Coordinator from the Director of the IUPLR center at the applicant’s home institution sent to jlboles@uic.edu. Applicants are required to meet with the director or representative of their center before they apply to assess eligibility and obtain an email of recognition to submit with their materials.
• UCLA doctoral students interested in applying are to contact Rebecca Epstein, Assistant Director, UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center, repstein@chicano.ucla.edu

*Note: Fellowship is currently pending funding.