Mellon money will help humanities, area undergrads and local nonprofits
Cate VanNostrand, a junior majoring in English and history at the U of M, accepted a six-month, unpaid internship at Literacy Mid-South in 2023. The university recently received a grant that would allow it to place up to 145 students a year in internships paying $20 an hour. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
As the number of college graduates in arts and humanities continues to fall locally and nationally, the Mellon Foundation wants to give students firsthand experience of the value of liberal arts.
Last week, the University of Memphis announced it received $4.9 million from Mellon; it expects to place up to 145 students a year in internships paying $20 an hour. The majority will be in the nonprofit sector, which, historically, has not offered paid internships in Memphis.
“A lot of the arts and humanities folks and social science folks might not even be considering the fact that one in every 10 jobs in Tennessee is a nonprofit job,” said Kevin Dean, president and CEO of the Tennessee Nonprofit Network, which is based in Memphis.
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Mellon Foundation University of Memphis Abby Parrill Kevin Dean Literacy Midsouth Subscriber Only2025 is almost over. Now is the time to support your trusted local news source.
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Jane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
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