Mellon Interdisciplinary Humanities Initiative

The Mellon Interdisciplinary Humanities Initiative is a four-year grant awarded by the Mellon Foundation in support of interdisciplinary work rooted in the humanities. The initiative consists of three main elements: the interdisciplinary humanities undergraduate research fellowship program for students every summer; professional development opportunities for faculty research mentors who are interested in working with the community; and development and implementation of new courses that will pair faculty, students, and community organizations in addressing complex issues through a humanities lens. All seek to further fortify the importance of the humanities in the Scripps curriculum and in our lives.

Summer Fellowship

Scripps students are provided the opportunity to conduct faculty-mentored research and pursue an interdisciplinary research project or a creative project based in the humanities over the summer.

Clinic Courses

These courses offer an interdisciplinary approach to learning about real-world problems and solutions by taking the skills and material learned in the classroom and applying them to a societal context. Each class connects students to a community partner that is actively engaged in the work. Example courses include Practicing Abolition Democracy and Cultural Competence in the Health Professions.

Local Organizations

The Mellon Interdisciplinary Humanities Institute seeks to form partnerships with organizations in Claremont and neighboring communities.

Meet the Team