Eligibility
ACADEMIC YEAR 2026-27 APPLICATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN.
DEADLINE: March 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
The Humanities Center seeks both early-career and senior fellows from the faculty. This fellowship is designed as a mutually beneficial, two-pronged opportunity: to contribute to the Center’s mission, programming, and public engagement initiatives, while also providing support for the Fellow’s independent humanities research project.
Fellows will work on a proposed humanities project and will also serve as an active partner in the life of the center. Fellows will support the Humanities Center through agreed-upon service activities in coordination with the WVU Humanities Center Director. Service activities may include delivering public lectures and coordinating and promoting Center events and activities.
Projects may explore any aspect of the humanities—broadly defined—including history, literature, philosophy, arts, cultural studies, digital humanities, or applied humanities. Proposals that foster interdisciplinary collaboration are especially encouraged.
In the narrative, applicants should describe how the grant will support their scholarly or creative work and how the anticipated outcomes will enrich the Center’s public-facing initiatives, programming, or campus engagement. They should further convey their passion for expanding the Center’s reach across the university and beyond and describe how they envision contributing to its mission of advocacy, visibility, and public humanities.
If you are seeking a course release, the narrative should explicitly describe how the activities supported by the fellowship—whether through research or service to the Center—require a reassignment of your current workload.
In addition to the narrative, include an itemized project budget and a brief budget narrative explaining and justifying the costs. Eligible expenses must be direct costs essential to achieving project outcomes and may include, but are not limited to, research travel, publication subvention, summer salary, and/or a course release. Funds may not be used for indirect costs such as equipment, hardware, or software. In the case of a course release request, a chair’s endorsement that approves the potential release and determines the replacement cost (with fringe if required).
For applicants requesting a course release, effort can generally be estimated at approximately 144 work hours over the academic year—commonly associated with a three-credit course release at WVU, or about 12.5% of a full-time 9-month faculty workload. This estimate is intended as a planning guideline and will be refined in consultation with fellows upon appointment to the role.
Selected faculty will be considered a Humanities Center Fellow for the full academic year. If awarded, you are granting us permission to count you as an affiliated faculty member and, if you choose, you may list this affiliation on your CV.
Maximum budget: $7,500.
If awarded, fellowship funds will be available no earlier than July 1, 2026 and must be expended by June 30, 2027.
Application components:
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Project Narrative: In the narrative, describe how the grant will support your scholarly or creative work and how the anticipated outcomes will enrich the Center’s public-facing initiatives, programming, or campus engagement. The narrative should also articulate your commitment to expanding the Center’s reach across the university and beyond, and how you envision contributing to the Center's vision.
Reviewers will assess both the merit of the proposal and its potential impact. Limit to three pages, single-spaced, using Times New Roman (or comparable font) at 11-point or larger. - Research Workplan: Provide a one-page schedule for the period of performance. Describe the tasks to be accomplished, specify which parts of the project the award will support, identify any work already completed, and indicate the expected completion date if the project will extend beyond the grant period. Do not repeat content from the Project Narrative.
- Curriculum Vitae: Submit a two-page abbreviated CV.
- Budget and Budget Narrative: Include an itemized project budget and a brief budget narrative explaining and justifying the costs. Eligible expenses must be direct costs essential to achieving project outcomes and may include, but are not limited to, research travel, publication subvention, summer salary, or a course release. Funds may not be used for indirect costs such as equipment, hardware, or software.
- Letter of Support from Chair or Associate Chair (required only if requesting a course release): Provide a letter of support from your department chair or associate chair verifying support for your proposed course release.