Mellon Foundation grant will support UH Latino Humanities Studies
The University of Houston is part of a 16-university consortium of Tier One Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) that has received a $5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The grant will fund a national initiative in Latino Studies called “Crossing Latinidades: Emerging Scholars and New Comparative Directions.” Specifically, the grant will help UH to “enhance teaching, research, cultural programming and archives in the area of Latino humanities studies as well as prepare rising Latino researchers and scholars for faculty positions in humanities studies.”
“University of Houston graduates are leading humanities and Hispanic studies initiatives at premier institutions across the country,” said UH President Renu Khator. “The Mellon Foundation grant positions UH and the other members of the consortium to develop important pipelines for transitioning Latino undergraduates to graduate studies, and graduate and post-doctoral students to the become the next generation of professors and leaders in these fields of study.”
“UH’s participation in this consortium allows us to adopt best practices for supporting the professional development of Latino students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty members in the humanities,” said Mark Clarke, UH associate provost for faculty development and faculty affairs. “Effective training and mentor programs, and the creation of robust inter-institutional transfer pathways for these scholars to move amongst consortium members lays a strong foundation for their professional development and future success in the academy.”
It’s great news for Houston students. We hope to see more initiatives like this one benefit Houston and other communities around the country.
Sandra Fernandez is a professional communicator, tech enthusiast, book lover, and blogger. You can find her main blog at SandraSays.com and more of her writing at HispanicHouston.com.