Internship Opportunities Abound for Humanities Students, Thanks to $5 Million Mellon Foundation Grant
New grant enables humanities students to follow their passions
BY EMMA FAHRLANDER
Isabella Mendez PHOTO / BRANDON PARIGO
The University of Missouri-Kansas City has new funding that will be a game changer for students as well as local nonprofits and small businesses in the Kansas City community.
Humanities students become well-versed in career readiness competencies, including critical thinking, communication and creativity, that are highly sought after by employers in a competitive job market. These students want to make an impact in their community, but most nonprofit organizations are unable to offer students paid internships, which means many students find internships outside of their field. Faculty at the UMKC School of Humanities and Social Sciences found a solution.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the school a $5 million grant in 2024 to fund dozens of internships per year for five years.
That means local nonprofits get extra help while students have a paid internship that applies to their future careers. The internships available are as wide-ranging as the humanities themselves, from museums like the Kemper Museum of Art to community support groups like the National Farm Workers Ministry.
“We are so proud to receive this grant from the Mellon Foundation,” said Tamara Falicov, Ph.D., dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and a principal investigator on the grant. “This is a great opportunity for UMKC humanities students, whether they’ve chosen a major or minor with us, to have paid internships in their chosen field while simultaneously supporting the critical work of nonprofits in our community.”
Emmanuel Fabian PHOTO / BRANDON PARIGO
More than 30 students are already using the grant for internships. One of those students, Hunter Miesner, was able to apply those skills to promote another one of his passions at Alliance Française de Kansas City.
“As a UMKC student majoring in marketing and French, the opportunity to create social media content for a nonprofit dedicated to promoting French language and culture, and getting paid for it, is amazing,” Miesner said.
Another is Isabella Mendez, a sociology and Spanish student, who found a calling during her internship with EducaTec, a digital skills training program for Spanish-speaking families to increase understanding and use of apps and programs that facilitate communication in their everyday lives, such as school and the workplace.
“Working in nonprofits fulfills me, and I don't feel like I'm working,” Mendez said. “I feel like it's just a part of life, and that's really nice.”
Emmanuel Fabian is another student who got to combine his love of filmmaking and his culture through an internship with Univision.
“Participating in this internship program has provided me with the opportunity to work directly with the Hispanic community of Kansas City,” Fabian said. “In my future career, I would love to continue to serve them and work alongside my community, so I’m very grateful to be able to do that through this internship.”
My Student Perspective
By Hunter Miesner
Thanks to the Mellon Internship Program, my experience with Alliance Française de Kansas City has offered more than just practical work experience — it has expanded my understanding of how to connect diverse audiences through social media, tailored specifically to promote cultural awareness and education.
Additionally, I’ve learned how to navigate working for a nonprofit organization, such as developing creative solutions to increase engagement. My favorite memory is working at Kansas City’s annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival, promoting the French booth and its live band via social media.
Overall, this internship has allowed me to apply what I have learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios, from developing content strategies to engaging with the local community. I am grateful for the support of the Mellon Internship Program at UMKC for making this experience possible.
Hunter is a senior double majoring in marketing and strategic communication. Upon graduation in 2025, he plans to further his studies to potentially work in data analytics.
Hunter Miesner PHOTO / BRANDON PARIGO