Meliora Scholars
The Humanities Center, the Office of Undergraduate Research, and the School of Arts and Sciences invite applications from current first-year students to the Meliora Scholars program. The selective program offers:
- Funds for students to conduct independent research in the Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences (History and Anthropology). Educational experiences relevant to humanistic inquiry, such as language acquisition, internships, or Study Abroad programs, may also qualify for funding.
- Individual and small-group mentoring by faculty members
- Activities that explore the nature and rewards of humanistic research, such as discussions, field trips, and special opportunities to connect with both UR faculty and visiting scholars
- A humanities-based peer group
- Recognition of participation in the program on the students’ resumes or transcripts.
The Meliora Scholars Program is open to upcoming first and second-year students in any major who are interested in the humanities and humanistic social sciences.
Faculty members are urged to bring this opportunity to the attention of potential applicants.
Research Projects
Meliora Scholars are empowered to pursue research that connects the classroom to the world around them. With the support of program funding, students have:
- Investigated the ethics and cultural significance of human remains in museums and sacred spaces.
- Studied the intersection of art and economic crisis in postwar Europe.
- Explored food justice as a tool of liberation and resistance in Black communities across the U.S.
- Conducted oral histories and archival research on gender and incarceration in upstate New York.
- Examined Leonard Bernstein’s legacy in transforming the boundaries between classical and popular music.
- Considered how 19th-century literature, whether romantic or realistic in style, conveys a shared skepticism toward modernity and social reform, revealing how resistance to absolute positions can itself become a stance open to critique.
How to Apply
We will begin accepting applications from second-year students in September 2025. Please check back in the fall for a link to apply.