<< Go Back to Faculty Development Applications Mellon Graduate Hours Fellowship Overview The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and American Indian College Fund have partnered to support faculty members at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) who need to complete graduate credit hours in the fields they teach to meet accreditation requirements. The Mellon Graduate Hours Fellowship specifically supports faculty seeking to complete graduate credits in the humanities and humanistic social sciences, which includes sociology, history, Native American studies, linguistics, and the arts. Fellowships are awarded for a period of up to three consecutive semesters and up to $15,000. The fellowship award amount is based on the applicant’s budget and required graduate credits (minimum of 6 and maximum of 18). Fellowships may be used for tuition, fees, required equipment or supplies, and books. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must meet all the following criteria: · Be a current TCU faculty member who needs graduate credits to continue teaching current courses or to teach in a new subject area, in order to meet accreditation requirements for highly qualified faculty. Priority is given to faculty members who are full- or part-time permanent faculty. Adjunct instructors (including TCU staff and administrators) who teach at least one course regularly are also eligible to apply. · Be admitted to or enrolled in an accredited institution that offers the graduate credits needed. The Mellon Graduate Hours program funds graduate courses in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. Please see this list for preferred fields of study. · Be committed to completing the necessary graduate credits (minimum of 6 and maximum of 18) within three (3) consecutive semesters of receiving the fellowship. · Be committed to serving as a faculty member at a TCU for at least two years after completion of the fellowship. · Have demonstrated a commitment to American Indian and Alaska Native higher education and student success. Application Checklist Applicants must submit the following documents and information to receive full consideration during the committee review process: · Application · CV/résumé · Personal statement (500-1,000 words) · Academic plan · Detailed budget · Proof of admission to an accredited institution · Unofficial transcripts from undergraduate degree or previous graduate studies · Recommendation letter from the chief academic officer Selection Process The fellowship review committee will assess and rate the quality of applications using the following criteria: · Demonstrated need for 6-18 graduate credits to continue teaching in current field or to teach in a new field · Level of support from chief academic officer · Academic ability to complete 6-18 graduate credits within three consecutive semesters · Demonstrated commitment to American Indian and Alaska Native higher education and student success · Demonstrated persistent and respectful engagement with communities served by TCUs · Academic record and competence displayed in the application, especially the clarity and completeness of the written materials · Commitment to remain as a TCU faculty member for two years after completing the fellowship Application Deadline Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through May 15, 2022. Applications will be reviewed within 4 weeks after all application materials (including the recommendation letter) have been submitted. Do not hesitate to contact Heidi Normandin, Program Officer of Faculty Development, at 303-426-9909 or hnormandin@collegefund.org with any questions.Personal Information:SalutationSelect an optionMr.Mrs.Ms.Dr.Mx.NoneFirst NameFirstLast NameLastDate of BirthTribal Affiliation(s)(if applicable)PhoneEmailHome Mailing AddressCitySelect an optionAlabamaAlaskaArkansasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWisconsinWyomingState/ProvinceZip/PostalTribal College/University (TCU)Title/PositionAcademic Department at TCUTeaching ResponsibilitiesAcademic Information:Bachelor’s Degree Received and YearBachelor’s Degree-Granting InstitutionMaster’s Degree Received and Year (if applicable)Master’s Degree-Granting Institution (if applicable)Institution at which you will take 6-18 graduate creditsList of courses (with number of credits) you will take by semester/quarterGrants and Honors:List other grants or fellowships you have been awarded.List other grants or fellowships for which you are applying.List academic honors and awards you have received.Applicant’s Permission for the College Fund to Access National Student Clearinghouse DataBy signing below, I give the American Indian College Fund permission to access my information through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) database. The types of information accessed in NSC pertain to the semesters you were enrolled, degrees earned, institutions awarding degrees, and years the degrees were attained.Your browser does not support e-Signature field.Commitment to Teach at a Tribal College/University The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the American Indian College Fund share a goal of increasing and enriching faculty excellence in the humanities and humanistic social sciences at tribal colleges and universities (TCU). Therefore, we ask applicants to commit to teaching at a TCU for two years following completion of the Graduate Hours Fellowship.Should I be selected as a recipient of the Graduate Hours Fellowship, I hereby commit to serving as a TCU faculty member for at least two years after the fellowship period.Your browser does not support e-Signature field.Recommendation Letters Please provide the name and contact information of the academic officer (e.g., academic dean, provost) who will provide a recommendation letter. Please share this link with your recommender. This page provides instructions for writing and uploading the letter. Reference NameReference TitleReference EmailPersonal Statement Please attach a personal statement of 500-1,000 words (no longer) that describes: your journey to becoming a TCU faculty member, including why you became a faculty member/instructor and your future career plans, the course of study you will focus on in your graduate courses and how this education relates to your career goals, and how completing the necessary graduate credits will contribute to your students' sucess, courses, and/or TCU overall. If your graduate credits are in a field outside of your current faculty responsibilities, explain the importance of completing those courses to continue teaching at your TCU. Please also share any significant experiences or information about you that would help the review committee to understand the importance of the graduate courses to you, your professional growth as a faculty member, and/or your tribal college. Personal Statement UploadChoose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded fileItemized Budget Please provide an itemized budget for the fellowship period (up to 3 semesters) in a Word table or Excel spreadsheet, with a breakdown of your expenses by semester/quarter. Eligible expenses are tuition, fees, required supplies and equipment, and books. You are welcome to use this spreadsheet template.Itemized Budget UploadChoose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded fileAcademic Plan Please outline the courses you will take in each of the three consecutive semesters/quarters. Include the course name, number of credits, and semester/quarter. Academic Plan UploadChoose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded fileCurriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé Please attach your most current CV or résumé.Curriculum Vitae UploadChoose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded fileUnofficial Transcript Please attach an unofficial copy of your undergraduate transcript or graduate transcript (if you have a master’s degree or doctorate), whichever is most recent. Unofficial Transcript UploadChoose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded fileAcceptance to Postsecondary Institution Please attach a document (e.g., acceptance letter or email) showing you have been admitted to a graduate program in the humanities or humanistic social sciences. If you have already started taking graduate courses toward your 18 credits, you can upload an unofficial transcript of these course(s) in place of an acceptance letter.Admission Letter or Unofficial Transcript UploadChoose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded fileRecommendation Letter Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from the chief academic officer. We encourage you to request the recommendation letter as soon as you decide to apply for the fellowship. Please send your recommender a link to the recommendation letter page, where they will find detailed instructions for writing and uploading their letters. We cannot begin reviewing an application until we have received all required documents, including the recommendation letter. Application Checklist of Required Documents Please review the checklist and confirm you have submitted the following documents and information.ApplicationPersonal statementItemized budgetAcademic planCurriculum vitae (CV)/ résuméUnofficial transcriptAcceptance letter (or proof of enrollment if already started)Recommendation letter: Your recommender can upload their letter on the recommendation letter page.Submit ApplicationPlease do not fill in this field.
