This transformative program will empower students by providing real-world experience while benefiting local agencies that rely on interns to advance their work.
Dr. Robert Bookwalter, principal investigator for the grant and dean of the college, will lead the initiative with the support of faculty members Dr. Richard G. Jones Jr., chair of Communication Studies; Dr. Eric Lassiter, director of Graduate Humanities; Dr. Del Chrol, chair of Humanities; and Dr. Greta Rensenbrink, chair of History.
The program is designed to significantly enhance opportunities for students in humanities majors, including English, Humanities, Communication Studies, History, Philosophy, Latin and Modern Languages. By providing funding for paid internships, the program addresses a critical barrier for both students and agencies: the lack of financial resources to support unpaid internships. Students will earn an hourly wage for their work, while faculty mentors and agency supervisors will receive stipends to facilitate and oversee the internships.
“This project will dramatically increase the number of professional internships for students in the College of Liberal Arts while expanding capacity for dozens of service agencies in the region,” Bookwalter said. “Thanks to the Mellon Foundation, over 300 liberal arts students will be adding professional community experience to their college credentials through this program. Thanks to a commitment from Marshall University and the Marshall University Foundation, the program is designed to continue beyond the five-year grant period, benefiting students for years to come.”
“This grant is part of Mellon’s ongoing effort to encourage more undergraduates to study the humanities,” said Phillip Brian Harper, program director for Higher Learning at the Mellon Foundation. “By enabling students to see a direct connection between humanities coursework and meaningful paid employment, we seek to counter the widespread misconception that humanities study is impractical and does not provide useful career preparation.”
The initiative will more than double the number of internship opportunities available to humanities students at Marshall. By bridging the gap between classroom learning and professional experience, students will gain valuable skills and insights that enhance their education and career readiness. At the same time, community agencies will benefit from the energy and expertise of Marshall’s students, furthering their missions.
As part of the grant’s long-term vision, the Mellon Foundation will match up to $1 million in endowed funds to help sustain the program beyond the initial five-year period. This endowment will ensure that enhanced internship opportunities remain available for Marshall students well into the future.
The program is set to launch in the spring 2025 term, with plans to scale up significantly in subsequent years.
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About Marshall University
Marshall University is a comprehensive public university with a rich history as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in West Virginia. Founded in 1837, Marshall University advances the public good through innovative, accredited educational programs. With a student population of close to 12,000 students, Marshall offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs and is designated as a Carnegie Institute R2 high research activity university.
About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at www.mellon.org