The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) is a two-year research program that provides research opportunities, financial support, mentoring, graduate school preparation, and professional development. The program is part of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and works to build up communities by supporting the arts and humanities.
The University of New Mexico’s MMUF accepts up to five new fellows every year. Students are encouraged to apply during their sophomore year.
Honor College Associate Professor Myrriah Gómez says that students do not need prior research experience to apply, and they don’t need to have a mentor identified. She says the program was designed for students interested in a career in academia.
“Anybody who’s interested in pursuing a long-term research project can apply,” Gómez said. “This program is great for students conducting research in the humanities and social sciences but might not know where to start.”
Gómez said one of the things the participants appreciate about the program is the community of like-minded people and having additional support from program staff.
“We want to help students to realize their greatest potential as graduate students and prepare them to become successful faculty researchers and role models for future generations,” Gómez said.
Gómez recently returned with the 10 UNM Mellon Mays fellows from a trip to Stanford University for the Western Regional MMUF Conference. There, students had the opportunity to present in one of three formats. First-year fellows participated in round table discussions about their research plans. Other students participated in the poster showcase and oral presentations.
The research conference also allowed students to participate in workshops about applying to and succeeding in graduate school. The conference is the main event for the fall semester and gives each cohort a chance to talk about their research with other students from other schools.
Applications are now being accepted for the next semester, and the deadline to apply is Jan. 9, 2026. In order to be eligible for MMUF, students must have two years left before graduating, a GPA of 3.5 or higher, be a full time UNM student, and plan to pursue a Ph.D. and academic career in an MMUF eligible field. Undocumented students are eligible to apply.
MMUF, in collaboration with the Undergraduate Research and Design Network, will have an information session Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Honors College Forum. The session will feature MMUF fellows for a student panel.
