Benefits of MCEAS Consortium Membership

Undergraduate Institution

  • A multi-stage workshop for selected undergraduate thesis students and their advisors is held each spring semester, culminating in a Saturday symposium at which students present a portion of their research and graduate student mentors affiliated with the Center will provide comments. Funds for travel and overnight lodging for the students are provided. This event is only open to students from Consortium schools and represents an extraordinary opportunity for talented undergraduates to receive intense feedback on their research and to meet like-minded students from other colleges and universities.
     

  • At least one summer residential research fellowship at the Center is reserved, on a competitive basis, for faculty members from undergraduate and M.A.-granting consortium institutions. Currently, the stipend is $3,000.
     

  • At least one Center fellow may be invited to participate in a class or to make a public presentation related to his or her research at your institution during each academic year. Seeing their Ph.D.-candidate counterparts “at work” will present a wonderful opportunity for your students to enjoy the intellectual world as well as to realize the career opportunities available in a range of disciplines supported by the Center.
     

  • An open invitation is extended for your students to join their faculty at any of our seminars or other programs, either in a curricular or extracurricular capacity.
     

  • Up to two faculty members in relevant Early American Studies fields may receive a courtesy appointment as a Research Associate, which will include a PennKey providing full access to Penn Libraries’ extensive digital holdings, including tens of thousands of ebooks and subscription databases. Additional faculty members may receive Research Associate appointments at nominal cost. Research Associates are expected to participate as much as possible in Center seminars and other programs.
     

  • Free use of the McNeil Center building for any appropriate purpose, such as public programs or alumni events, once per year, subject to availability.
     

MA Institutions
 

  • A multi-stage workshop for selected undergraduate thesis students and their advisors is held each spring semester, culminating in a Saturday symposium at which students present a portion of their research and graduate student mentors affiliated with the Center will provide comments. Funds for travel and overnight lodging for the students are provided. This event is only open to students from Consortium schools and represents an extraordinary opportunity for talented undergraduates to receive intense feedback on their research and to meet like-minded students from other colleges and universities.
     

  • At least one summer residential research fellowship at the Center is reserved, on a competitive basis, for faculty members from undergraduate and M.A.-granting consortium institutions. Currently, the stipend is $3,000.
     

  • At least one Center fellow may be invited to participate in a class or to make a public presentation related to his or her research at your institution during each academic year. Seeing their Ph.D.-candidate counterparts “at work” will present a wonderful opportunity for your students to enjoy the intellectual world as well as to realize the career opportunities available in a range of disciplines supported by the Center.
     

  • Up to three faculty members and three graduate students in relevant Early American Studies fields may receive a courtesy appointment as a Research Associate, which will include a PennKey providing full access to Penn Libraries’ extensive digital holdings, including tens of thousands of ebooks and subscription databases. Additional faculty members may receive Research Associate appointments at nominal cost. Research Associates are expected to participate as much as possible in Center seminars and other programs.
     

  • All M.A. students in relevant fields, whether or not holding Research Associate status, will be particularly encouraged to attend McNeil Center seminars and other programs, where they will have opportunities to interact with faculty and graduate students from several area Ph.D. programs. The Center will also act as a clearinghouse for information on internships and other professional and educational opportunities for these students available at other consortium institutions.
     

  • Your institution may request free use of the McNeil Center building for any appropriate purpose, such as public programs or alumni events, once per year, subject to availability.
     

PhD Institutions
 

  • At least one nine-month dissertation fellowship is reserved, on a competitive basis, for graduate students from consortium institutions. Within the general pool of qualified applicants, preference will be given to students from institutions that have not recently received awards. Stipends are equivalent to those for the Center’s Barra Fellowships (currently $30,000).
     

  • Up to four faculty members and eight dissertators in relevant Early American Studies fields may receive a courtesy appointment as a Research Associate, which will include a PennKey providing full access to Penn Libraries’ extensive digital holdings, including tens of thousands of ebooks and subscription databases. Additional faculty members may receive Research Associate appointments at nominal cost. Research Associates are expected to participate as much as possible in Center seminars and other programs.
     

  • A multi-stage workshop for selected undergraduate thesis students and their advisors is held each spring semester, culminating in a Saturday symposium at which students present a portion of their research and graduate student mentors affiliated with the Center will provide comments. Funds for travel and overnight lodging for the students are provided. This event is only open to students from Consortium schools and represents an extraordinary opportunity for talented undergraduates to receive intense feedback on their research and to meet like-minded students from other colleges and universities.
     

  • An open invitation will be extended to your College students to join their faculty at any of our seminars or other programs, either in a curricular or extracurricular capacity.
     

  • Opportunities for co-sponsorship of conferences and other programs are encouraged.
     

  • Your institution may request free use of the McNeil Center building for any appropriate purpose, such as public programs or alumni events, once per year, subject to availability.