Public Humanities Graduate Summer Research Fellowship

The Center for the Humanities is pleased to offer a summer fellowship program in public humanities research and practice for summer 2026 for MA/PhD students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences in the School of Arts & Sciences. We will award multiple grants of up to $5,000 each in support of two months of project work by graduate students in the public humanities. The goal of the fellowship is to foster public engagement by funding original writing and public-making activities that enable WashU graduate students to connect with publics beyond the campus.

The primary responsibilities of fellows will be to produce original public writing and develop a program or event that draws on their existing research projects for the purposes of connecting with a broader audience. Preference will be given to those proposals that have clearly articulated goals for both addressing and engaging with a defined audience, and a clear understanding of that audience (beyond merely the “off-campus public”). For instance, proposals could outline projects like developing a reading group with a local library, working directly with K-12 educators, convening an event in a public space, conducting interviews or shadowing people whose work is related to your scholarly project, undergoing training in a skill that will enhance your research methodology, and more. This funding is not intended to support conference travel, research travel, or travel associated with field work in service of a thesis or dissertation. 

We encourage projects that think about and engage with communities all over the world, not just St. Louis. If your project idea engages with international sites and contexts but you are concerned about committing to international travel at this time, please consult with Meredith Kelling.

All grant activities are to take place before September 1, 2026. All fellows will present on their summer projects and the results of their work at a symposium in mid October, as well as write a shorter, public-facing piece on their experience. Students who are graduating in May 2026 are not eligible for this opportunity, though those intending to graduate in August 2026 are able to apply.

Important dates & details

For students applying during the 2025–26 academic year

Application deadline: Friday, April 10, 2026

Award notification: Friday, April 24, 2026

Grant amount: Up to $5,000

Grant period: May 2026–September 2026

Eligibility: MA/PhD students in humanities and humanistic social sciences fields enrolled in the school of Arts & Sciences at WashU, at any stage in their graduate career. Please note that May 2026 graduates are not eligible to receive funding for summer 2026.

How to Apply

Submit applications to cenhumapp@wustl.edu by April 10, 2026. Please include your name in the file name and save application as a Word document.

1. Narrative description of the proposed summer public humanities project 
A narrative description of the project, not to exceed 1000 words, that details the disciplinary and intellectual underpinnings of your proposed work and your plan to curate your project for an audience beyond the dissertation committee.  Why does this project matter, and to whom? What is the intended outcome of your project? 

Please include a working title for your project. 

We strongly encourage fellows to include a detailed description of their outreach and documentation plans that articulates both how you will connect your work with that particular public and how you will document your project. All fellows should factor in the costs of documenting their research / programming experience for the fall symposium. 

2. Budget
Please provide an estimation of any costs associated with your project, including travel, events, documentation (photography, recording, evaluation) and research costs.

3. Current transcript - We accept copies of unofficial transcripts.

4. Reference
A brief note (1-2 sentences) via email from your advisor, chair or DGS in support of this application and your plans to pursue the project over the summer. These notes of support can be sent by email to cenhumapp@wustl.edu.

Contact Meredith Kelling, assistant director for student research and engagement, with any questions.