University of Northern Iowa Receives $2.4 Million Grant to Launch Humanities Hub

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) has been awarded a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to establish the UNI Humanities Hub, a transformative initiative designed to expand paid internship opportunities and strengthen the role of the humanities on campus and in the community.

The Humanities Hub will centralize and scale ongoing efforts across majors including History, Languages & Literatures, Communication & Media, and Philosophy & World Religions. By embedding internships into curricula and incentivizing faculty participation, the Humanities Hub will provide structured career preparation for students while underscoring the enduring value of humanities degrees.

"This grant represents a landmark investment in UNI's students and our mission as a regional public university,"said UNI Provost and Executive Vice President Jose Herrera. "The Humanities Hub will ensure that our students gain the practical experiences and adaptable skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce while making a difference in our communities."

Over the course of the grant, UNI will support 250 paid internships, beginning with 30 placements in the first year and scaling to 60 annually by year four. These internships will connect humanities majors with nonprofit organizations, community partners and employers across Iowa and the Midwest, linking classroom learning with real-world applications.

"UNI is uniquely positioned to lead this work because of our long tradition of connecting humanities students with community partners and professional experiences," said Mary Black, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences. "The Humanities Hub will make those opportunities more visible and accessible, helping students see the humanities as a powerful foundation for their future. This initiative ensures that more students benefit from the adaptability, creativity and communication skills that a humanities education provides."

With Mellon's support, the Humanities Hub will formalize partnerships, expand access to internships and provide a sustainable structure for career readiness programming. The effort is expected to strengthen enrollment and retention in humanities majors while deepening UNI's engagement with the communities it serves.

About the University of Northern Iowa
UNI remains the most affordable public institution in Iowa and has long been recognized for helping first-generation college students achieve their educational and professional goals. It is consistently ranked No. 2 on U.S. News and World Report's annual list of the Best Regional Universities in the Midwest, underscoring UNI's ongoing commitment to academic excellence and student success.

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 and empowerment that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and guided by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.