PRESS RELEASE
Cal State LA receives $453K in funds to increase opportunities for humanities students
Los Angeles - California State University, Los Angeles has received a $453,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation through the California University Foundation to provide increased academic opportunities and financial support for students in humanities who will pursue a Ph.D. immediately after completing their bachelor’s degrees. The grant will establish the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program, which will offer mentoring and training to 16 students. The program at Cal State LA will consist of tiered developmental experiences. During two consecutive immersive summer experiences, fellows will be exposed to humanities-based scholarship. During the academic year, fellows will focus on research, professional development, and the graduate school application process. “The grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will help us develop the next generation of humanities scholars,” said William A. Covino, president of Cal State LA. “I look forward to the contributions our Mellon Mays fellows will make through scholarship and research.” Pamela Scott-Johnson, dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, and Cheryl Koos, associate dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, served as the senior officer and principal investigator, and co-principal investigator for the grant, respectively. Enrique Ochoa, professor of Latin American studies and history, has been named the program’s faculty coordinator.
“A unique feature of the Cal State LA program will be a collaborative and thematic project that incorporates the rich cultural context of Los Angeles,” Scott-Johnson said. “Students’ participation in the MMUF program will increase their potential for entry into graduate programs in their chosen disciplines and strengthen their long-term career capacity.” The goal of the MMUF is to increase diversity in the faculty of the nation’s colleges and universities. A five-campus CSU consortium received sub-grants to offer the program. The consortium includes CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, CSU San Bernardino and CSU Dominguez Hills. The campuses received funding totaling $2,211,000.
___
California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 28,000 students and has more than 245,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex and the TV, Film and Media Center. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.