Institute for Arts and Humanities celebrates major fellowship program fundraising achievement

July 9, 2025

In 2025, thanks to the generosity of its donors, the Institute for the Arts and Humanities met its fundraising goal for its flagship Faculty Fellowship Program. First set in 2014 by the IAH external advisory board and staff, this milestone now ensures sustainable funding to support at least 18 Fellows each year.

This milestone marks a transformative investment in Carolina’s teacher-scholars and underscores the vital role of philanthropic support in sustaining academic excellence.

The FFP provides on-campus, semester-long leaves for faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences to pursue research and creative work that leads to publication, exhibition, composition, and performance. Excellent arts and humanities scholarship is critical to Carolina’s research enterprise and an essential component in the requirements for faculty tenure and promotion.

“The Faculty Fellowship Program is a valued hallmark of the Institute and a clear affirmation of our commitment to empowering faculty and advancing the arts and humanities,” said IAH Director Patricia Parker. “As a Fellow myself, I can attest to the enduring impact of the program. The ideas and community shared within my cohort enhanced my research and academic life long after the Fellowship semester ended.”

The program has awarded over 700 fellowships since the first summer cohort convened in 1988. Since its founding, the fellowship program has embodied the Institute’s deep commitment to advancing faculty and scholarship in the arts and humanities. By providing critical support for their research, the program fuels academic excellence and strengthens faculty retention. Faculty Fellows consistently demonstrate a strong commitment to Carolina — 89% of participants remain at or have retired from UNC-Chapel Hill — reinforcing the lasting impact of this investment in their work and well-being.

The Faculty Fellowship Program’s endowment is a testament to the loyalty and vision of the Institute’s community. Forty-six donors — many of them current and former members of the Institute’s external advisory board — came together to make 176 individual gifts in support of the program. Since its founding, the Institute has secured more than $25.7 million in endowed support for this flagship initiative, ensuring that Carolina’s faculty in the arts and humanities continue to thrive for generations to come.

“The importance of endowing the fellowships can’t be understated. By endowing funding for these fellowships, we are effectively preserving and protecting the IAH’s most essential support service for faculty,” said Lane McDonald, chair of the advisory board. McDonald was also a board member in 2014 when the initial goal was set.

Advisory board member Mary Flanagan has witnessed the growth of the Faculty Fellowship Program firsthand. As a former director of development for the IAH, she not only helped shape its trajectory but also saw the impact these fellowships have on faculty and on the University as a whole. “This program put the IAH on the map with faculty, and they were effusively grateful for their fellowship experiences,” said Flanagan. “It was a winner and still is!”

McDonald reiterated that this achievement secures the future of the Faculty Fellowship Program. “We can now say with certainty,” she declared, quoting IAH founder Ruel Tyson, “To be continued….”

By Kristen Chavez, Institute for the Arts and Humanities