Undergraduate Research

MMUF Program Life and Benefits

Program Life

Students selected to be a Mellon Fellow will be required to participate in the following activities both during two summers and two academic years:

  • Conduct research projects under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
  • Attend workshops and seminars designated to aid student research and writing skills and to assist in preparation for graduate school.
  • Present research on campus and at conferences.
  • Attend social gatherings and meetings.
  • Complete a research paper to be turned in at the end of each summer program. A final paper is also required prior to graduation.
  • With approval, fellows may spend their second summer away from campus to conduct their eight weeks of research.

Benefits

Benefits of participation in the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) begin at the undergraduate level during the two summers and two academic years at Oberlin, and continue through a student’s pursuit of a PhD and beyond.

The benefits of participating in the MMUF program are both personally and academically rewarding. If you're still unsure about applying to become a Mellon fellow, consider the ways in which the program might benefit you.

Undergraduate Benefits
  • A $4,500 stipend (before taxes) annually for eight weeks of full-time research during the summer programming
  • Summer housing on campus covered by the fellowship
  • An $4,000 stipend (before taxes) annually for part-time research during each semester
  • $800 annually for scholar development, including research travel and research supplies related to the fellow’s project
  • Annual travel expenses paid to attend the Mellon Mays Midwest Regional Conference to present research and network with Mellon fellows from Carleton College, Grinnell College, Macalester College, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis
  • On- and off-campus research presentation opportunities
  • Personalized research mentorship from a faculty member whom the student selects at the time of application to the program, including weekly one-on-one meetings with the faculty mentor
Postgraduate Benefits

Postgraduate mentoring and PhD program application support through the Institute for Citizens & Scholars Mellon Mays Gap Assistance Program

Graduate Benefits
  • Research grants, conferences, writing workshops, dissertation-completion funding, writing retreats, and job market preparation provided through the Social Science Research Council’s Mellon Mays Graduate Initiatives Program
  • Repayment of up to $10,000 of undergraduate student loans upon completion of a PhD in an MMUF-eligible field
  • Graduate school preparation through GRE training, professional development, and assistance with application fees to MMUF-eligible PhD programs
Postdoctoral Benefits
  • Travel expenses paid to annual retreat with other MMUF alumni from around the country
  • Sabbatical leave funding for junior faculty members