Get Involved with the Center this Year

Now Accepting Applications for 2023-24 Public Humanities Scholarships and Programs

The Center for the Humanities promotes cross-disciplinary, collaborative, and public humanities initiatives across and beyond the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Our research programs enable students and faculty to work together across disciplinary boundaries and our public humanities programs champion innovative and unique collaborations between scholars and the community. As we kick off the 2023–24 year, we share opportunities for students and faculty to get involved with the Center and find fresh avenues for meaningful scholarship this semester and beyond.

For undergraduate students: Iwanter Prize for Undergraduate Research

The annual Iwanter Prize for Undergraduate Research provides an unrestricted $2,000 award to one graduating senior who, through a senior thesis and general academic distinction, demonstrates outstanding humanities-based scholarship of a broad and interdisciplinary nature. Read more about the 2023 Iwanter Prize winners here.

Applications for the Iwanter Prize may come directly from students but must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the thesis advisor. Eligibility is restricted to seniors graduating from the College of Letters & Science who are receiving a degree with a major in a humanities discipline. The Iwanter Prize is made possible by a gift to the UW Foundation by Sidney E. Iwanter, an alumnus of the College of Letters & Science (BA History, 1971).

Deadline for applications: June 1, 2024.

For additional information, please email iwanter@humanities.wisc.edu.

For undergraduate and graduate students: The Public Humanities Exchange

The Public Humanities Exchange program funds innovative public humanities projects that forge partnerships between community organizations and UW-Madison students. The program has two tracks: HEX (for graduate students) and HEX-U (for undergraduate students). This program provides training in community partnership, support for project development and implementation, and funding. Participating students receive a $600 stipend award and up to $2,000 in project funding.

Students are encouraged to propose new, innovative ideas for engagement with the local community through a project, such as:

  • Developing relationships and networks
  • Cultivating and sharing perspectives through storytelling
  • Creating programs and events
  • Providing services

HEX-U (undergraduate) 2023–24 Application Deadlines:

  • Monday, October 2, 2023 (Round 1); begin project in fall 2023
  • Monday, November 6, 2023 (Round 2); begin project in spring 2024
  • Monday, February 12, 2024 (Round 3); begin project in spring 2024
  • Monday, March 18, 2024 (Round 4); begin project in fall 2024

HEX (graduate) applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Questions? A good place to start is to schedule a meeting with Public Humanities Program Coordinator Danielle Weindling (weindling@wisc.edu) to talk about your project ideas

For students and faculty working together: Borghesi-Mellon Workshops

Each year, support from Nancy and David Borghesi and the A. W. Mellon Foundation allow us to support three to five new Borghesi-Mellon Workshops in the Humanities. This program enables teams of UW-Madison students and faculty to explore new and developing fields of inquiry. The workshops are working groups centered on an interdisciplinary topic, broadly conceived, drawn from any period, field, or method of research in the humanities. The workshops have led to conferences, books, and teaching innovations.

Proposals for new workshops should be developed by an interdisciplinary group of at least four individuals, with active student and faculty involvement in the planning process. Workshops funded in the current year may reapply. Full application information is available here.

Deadline for applications: March 25, 2024

For more information about the program and the application process, please contact Associate Director Megan Massino (massino@wisc.edu).

For junior faculty: First Book Workshop

With generous support from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education with funding from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Center for the Humanities is pleased to request applications for First Book, a program supporting the development of nearly completed scholarly manuscripts by tenure-track assistant professors in the humanities and related social sciences. This program is designed to provide helpful and timely feedback to junior faculty preparing their first academic book.

Proposals due: Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Questions should be directed to Associate Director Megan Massino (massino@wisc.edu).