The Seeger Humanities Endowment is dedicated to advancing excellence in humanities research and the teaching of research methods with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration. This grant supports projects that not only generate new knowledge but also promote the dissemination and practical application of research outcomes. Seeger Fellows are faculty who demonstrate a compelling commitment to teaching and engaging undergraduates in humanist scholarship.

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A grant of up to $5000 will be available annually to two individuals working in the humanities. For the Seeger Fellowship, the Humanities is defined as American Studies, Archaeology, Art History, Classics and Ancient Language, Communications, Comparative Literature, Dance, Design, English Literature, Ethnic Studies, Film Studies, History, Jurisprudence, Media Arts, Modern Languages and Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Selected Interdisciplinary and Area Studies, Theater, Visual Arts, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Writing.

Grant funds may be used for travel costs related to the proposed project (i.e., travel to archives, specialized training or workshops, etc.), equipment and materials, as well as for dedicated time to advance project objectives. Grant funds may not be used to disseminate previous work (e.g., past conference presentation) or work unrelated to proposed project objectives.

Projects must be completed within 18 months from the start date. Upon completion of the project, the faculty member will be expected to disseminate work publicly in an academic and/or non-academic setting, as well as offer a public lecture to GVSU audiences in collaboration with the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS). A final report of project activities, including dissemination of progress, will be due to OURS 30 days after project completion.

Grant open to GVSU tenured/tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate faculty. Preference will be given to early career scholars who have not already received this grant.

Please submit the project proposal and all supporting materials, including CV and supporting documentation, as a single PDF or Word document, with a cover page stating the project title and applicant name. All research must be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal and University policies and regulations and should meet all IRB protocols. As applicable, funds will not be released until notice of IRB approval is received by OURS.

In a maximum of 150 words, provide a summary abstract of the project. This description will be made public if the project is funded. Language should be accessible to the general public and omit disciplinary jargon where possible.

In a maximum of 500 words, describe the project and how it is situated in the humanities (theoretical and/or applied). Include in the description the significance of the project, including key objectives, relevant background information, and plan of work that clearly situates the project within scholarship in stated humanities fields. This description should be clear, well-organized, and free from highly specialized jargon.

In a maximum of 250 words, describe your expertise in approaching the intended project. If this is a new area of development, explain your interest in the project and how your existing expertise pertains to this new area.

Provide a project timeline that notes monthly project activities, including start and end dates of your project, as well as interim benchmarks as appropriate.

Provide a detailed cost breakdown for how project funds will be used with a short statement for each item that identifies how it supports the project. If the main budget item is compensation for time, describe how time will support project objectives.

In a maximum of 250 words, briefly explain the intended dissemination of the work, either for an academic or non-academic audience, or both (e.g., conference presentation, journal or media article, community forum, etc.).The plan should include an explanation of how the plan is appropriate for the project objectives, subject matter and intended audience. Note: In addition to the above dissemination plan, a GVSU public lecture of your work will be expected and arranged in coordination with the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship.