Workshop FAQs
General Information
- What is the Humanities Without Walls Career Diversity Summer Workshop?
- Is the workshop like a graduate seminar?
- How is the workshop structured?
- Will I have time to work on my dissertation, journal articles, or other non-HWW related projects?
- How does Humanities Without Walls define the “humanities”?
Current Fellows
Future Applicants
- If my university is not part of the HWW consortium, can I still apply for the workshop?
- Can social scientists apply to the workshop?
- Can international students apply to the workshop?
- Do both letters of recommendation need to be from faculty members at my home university?
- Can I send additional updates to my CV or other application materials after my application has been submitted?
- When will I hear if I have been awarded the fellowship?
General Information
What is the Humanities Without Walls Career Diversity Summer Workshop?
The Humanities Without Walls (HWW) Career Diversity Summer Workshop is an intensive two-week interactive experience for PhD students in the humanities that is facilitated and curated by the HWW team and our colleagues at the University of Michigan.
The workshop is designed to help participants explore diverse future careers beyond and including the tenure track. Through a series of workshops, participants learn how to leverage their skills and training towards careers in the public humanities, the private sector, the non-profit world, arts administration, public media and many other fields.
Is the workshop like a graduate seminar?
The workshop has been intentionally designed to be as unlike a graduate seminar as possible. Our workshop organizers and presenters have arranged for a series of interactive exercises and experiences that allow participants to articulate and develop their professional skills, find networking opportunities, revise job application materials, arrange informational interviews, and collaborate with their workshop cohort. There are no grades, little required reading, and no written assignments, though some presenters may ask participants to fill out a short worksheet or survey. Nevertheless, all Career Diversity Summer Workshop fellows are expected to arrive in a timely manner, attend and actively participate in all workshop sessions.
How is the workshop structured?
While the overall structure of the workshop stays the same from summer to summer, specific programming differs from year to year due to a variety of factors. These factors include the intellectual, academic, and professional interests of the incoming cohort, which the workshop coordinators consider. Some sessions that take place every year include panels on working at foundations, nonprofits, and making a career out of freelance or project-based work. Typically, there are sessions on resume and cover letter writing, developing a social media presence, or expanding a professional network.
Will I have time to work on my dissertation, journal articles, or other non-HWW related projects?
It is unlikely. The workshop is intensive, approximately running from 9:00am to 5:00pm every weekday, so participants will have limited time available for other responsibilities. Consequently, past Fellows advise incoming participants not to plan to work on dissertations or papers. Participants are encouraged to block the full three weeks for the workshop. Arranging travel during the workshop is discouraged if it will involve missing any sessions.
How does Humanities Without Walls define the “humanities”?
Humanities Without Walls uses the definition of the humanities taken from the 1965 National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act:
“The term ‘humanities’ includes, but is not limited to, the study of the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life.”
Current Fellows
How should I list the fellowship on my curriculum vitae?
Please list this fellowship on your curriculum vitae as:
Fellow, Mellon Foundation/Humanities Without Walls Pre-Doctoral Career Diversity Summer Workshop
How will I receive my award payment?
Marquette University, on behalf of Humanities Without Walls, will issue award checks directly to each of the Fellows via U.S. mail. Award payments will be issued in late July.
Future Applicants
If my university is not part of the HWW consortium, can I still apply for the workshop?
Yes! Doctoral students at non-consortial schools may apply in fall 2022 for the 2023 summer workshop, which will be hosted by the University of Minnesota. This will be a limited submission competition that draws upon a national applicant pool. Please check the eligibility section of the call for applications to learn more about the eligibility for the upcoming workshop.
Can social scientists apply to the workshop?
Doctoral students in social sciences who use humanistic methods or who focus on humanistic subjects of research may apply for the summer workshops.
Can international students apply to the workshop?
International doctoral students currently enrolled at educational institutions in the United States (who will also be enrolled at the time of workshop) can apply for the summer workshop.
Do both letters of recommendation need to be from faculty members at my home university?
No. One of your letters of recommendations should be from your primary adviser or dissertation chair, but the second letter can either be from another faculty member from your home university or from an outside mentor who can speak to your present non-academic engagements. All such outside recommenders should explain who they are and their relationship to the applicant and provide contact information.
Can I send additional updates to my CV or other application materials after my application has been submitted?
No. Application materials may only be submitted once. Please ensure that you submit the most up-to-date and accurate information.
When will I hear if I have been awarded the fellowship?
Fellowship awards will be announced by February 2023 at the latest.