Fresno State is one of five public colleges and universities receiving funding from the Mellon Foundation to establish paid internship programs for humanities majors.
With the funding, Fresno State’s College of Arts and Humanities will design, implement and scale an internship program for its humanities majors that allows them to put theories learned during coursework into practice. By creating new internship courses, Fresno State will embed career preparation into the curriculum and transform student perspectives around the study of the humanities.
The Mellon Foundation, which was established in 1969, is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. It is awarding $25 million total toward five institutions: Fresno State, City College of New York, Old Dominion University, University of Missouri at Kansas City and University of North Carolina Greensboro.
“As a humanist who deeply appreciates the inherent gifts of the humanities — creativity, critical thinking, empathy and an awareness of how the past informs the present and creates a potential for the future — I am profoundly grateful to the Mellon Foundation for its generous support, which provides an extraordinary opportunity for our talented students,” said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, president of Fresno State. “By integrating career preparation into our curriculum, we are transforming the educational experience of our students, and empowering them with tools for a lifetime of personal and intellectual growth.”
Fresno State and the four other institutions were selected to receive the funding because of their demonstrated commitment to humanities education. The funding is part of an ongoing commitment from the foundation to expand access to humanities-based learning.
It is also an effort to enhance awareness about post-collegiate employment prospects for humanities majors, thus promoting the study of the humanities among undergraduates. Each institution will continue its internship programs in perpetuity following grant funding, significantly impacting the experience of humanities majors throughout the nation for years to come.
“With this transformative grant, our students will apply and hone their humane perspectives and analytical, multilingual skills developed at Fresno State via paid internships beyond the classroom. Through earning income while also receiving academic credit towards graduation in their internships, our humanities students will become leaders by making an immediate impact on our Valley and creating a brighter future for themselves and their families. The Mellon Foundation’s vision for uplifting society through the humanities is truly inspiring,” said Dr. Honora Chapman, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State.
Despite reports from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences that show both the employment and compensation rates of humanities bachelor’s degree holders as competitive with their counterparts in the behavioral, social and life sciences, widespread misconception about humanities study being disconnected from the world of work continues to persist. The Mellon Foundation’s humanities internship grants aim to make internship participation more widely available for humanities majors, thereby increasing awareness that humanities study continues to offer viable career pathways to students.
(Written by Esra Hashem, Director of Strategic Communications, University Marketing and Communications)
