The University of South Carolina Upstate has been awarded a $4.9 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to develop and implement a model internship program in humanities education. This impactful initiative will provide underserved students with exceptional opportunities to engage in rigorous humanities study, hands-on internships, and career exploration, addressing critical gaps in career readiness and fostering social mobility.
“We are grateful to the Mellon Foundation for this transformative investment in our university and our students,” said Dr. Bennie L. Harris, Chancellor of USC Upstate. “The generous support will give our students unprecedented study, internship, and career opportunities that cultivate skills in critical thinking, communication, cultural understanding, and self-awareness. They will better understand the world around them, engage with diverse perspectives, and navigate complex societal issues with empathy and informed reasoning. These activities will position USC Upstate as a national leader in humanities education.”
The program aims to increase internship participation among humanities students by up to 600% by the end of the grant period and enhance graduation rates for humanities disciplines by up to 5%. Additionally, it seeks to drive a 15% increase in humanities enrollment during the grant period, with up to 25% growth anticipated within five years.
This initiative addresses findings from the 2023 AAC&U survey The Career-Ready Graduate, which revealed that while 80% of employers highly value skills gained from liberal arts disciplines, including the humanities, many students avoid these fields due to perceived career limitations.
“Humanities are the foundation for understanding and addressing the world’s most complex challenges,” said Dr. Tanya Boone, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at USC Upstate. “This program emphasizes the importance of humanities education as a pathway to meaningful careers and leadership opportunities. By connecting students with community partners and mentors, we will help them unlock their potential and pursue careers they may have never imagined.”
Through partnerships with organizations such as the Chapman Cultural Center, Hub City Roots, Spartanburg County Foundation, and Project R.E.S.T., the program will create new avenues for students to gain real-world experience in humanities fields. Students will develop professional skills while exploring career paths that intersect with social justice, community engagement, and the arts.
The grant will enable USC Upstate to redesign curricula across all 13 humanities programs, serving approximately 540 students annually, to include internships for majors and minors. Faculty support, community mentorships, and resources such as workshops and professional evaluations will strengthen the program’s impact.
“Through this grant, we are addressing the career readiness gap for humanities students and ensuring that our graduates are prepared for their professional, civic, and personal lives,” said Carolyn Webber, Associate Professor of Communication Studies at USC Upstate and principal investigator for the project. “We are committed to creating opportunities that inspire students to envision and achieve a brighter future”
The Mellon Foundation grant was awarded through the USC Upstate Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.