Program Overview
The Humanities Scholar Collective (HSC) is a four-year Mellon Foundation grant funded program that supports community college faculty within the Virginia Community College System to conduct original humanities-centered research in fields including literature, history, cultural studies, digital humanities, and civic inquiry. Faculty referred to as the Mellon Faculty Fellows, will be paired with a student mentee and will be guided through the full research lifecycle with the goal of deepening research identity and expanding access to high-impact practices.
HSC is open to all full-time and adjunct faculty within the VCCS with a background in the humanities and/or an interest in pursuing interdisciplinary research. The faculty fellows will be required to complete an application and provide a letter of support from their dean or department chair. Each fellow and student mentee will be awarded a stipend or course release during the fellowship. Faculty will have a choice between a semester or an academic year timeline for their research. Projects are not limited to academic publication and creative projects are encouraged.
Applications will open October 2026. The first cohort of fellows will begin their research in spring 2027 and 12 fellows will be selected each year. Every effort will be made to select fellows from each of the 23 community colleges within the VCCS. Students throughout the VCCS will be invited to apply for the mentee fellowship once the cohort of Mellon Faculty Fellows has been finalized.
The Mellon Faculty Fellows will participate in monthly symposia focused on research design, equitable student mentorship, and scholarly dissemination presented by four-year and community college faculty researchers. Fellows will also be required to present their projects at state and national humanities-focused conferences and travel support will be provided through the grant.
The Humanities Scholar Collective (HSC) will elevate the scholarly profile of VCCS faculty, enrich the humanities, strengthen cross-college collaboration and expand equitable access to humanities research.
HSC Application
To apply to be a Mellon Faculty Fellow, click here:
