The Mellon Foundation aims to support and enrich the humanities and the arts, with a special focus on higher education and scholarship, by funding various programs that enhance the quality of education and the diversity of voices within academia. It seeks to ensure that a wide range of perspectives, especially those historically underrepresented, are included and valued in academic discourse and research.
The Mellows Mays Graduate Assistance Program (GAP) aims to support graduates from the Mellon Mays Fellowship in maintaining their ambitions for graduate school and an academic career. This program acknowledges the challenges that diverse perspectives face in higher education and strives to increase these perspectives within graduate studies and faculty positions. GAP offers structured activities, resources, and support mechanisms for fellows during their gap years, including predoctoral coaching, mentoring, and intensive boot camps to prepare for graduate school. Fellows are placed on tracks tailored to their timeline for applying to graduate school, ensuring personalized guidance and support.