Fellowship Opportunity: Engaged Scholars Program

The Congregational Studies Team is pleased to announce the availability of Fellowships* to support scholars who are interested in disciplined inquiry into the life of local communities of faith in North America. These 18-month fellowships include $18,000 in research support, plus $2,000 for related travel. In addition, Fellowships include a program of mentoring by a senior-scholar coach and participation in two summer consultations that bring together the Fellows and coaches with the Team.

Applications are encouraged from scholars in a variety of disciplines — from practical theology to the social sciences, from history to biblical studies and contextual education — for projects that involve learning from and about living communities of faith in the United States and Canada. Fellows will explore avenues for making that knowledge available for the sake of those communities’ wellbeing, as well as developing strong academic contributions appropriate to their disciplines. Applicants should have completed their graduate work and be placed in a professional position at the time of application. We especially encourage early-career scholars to apply, but will consider applications from persons who have recently been tenured.

The application deadline is 1 February 2014. Instructions and guidelines can be found here.

Information on past fellows, including 2012-13 awardee REA Board member Leah Gunning Francis, can be found here.

*This program is supported by a major grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. and is administered by the Congregational Studies Team: Nancy Ammerman, Anthea Butler, Bill McKinney (project director), Omar McRoberts, Larry Mamiya, Gerardo Marti, Joyce Mercer, James Nieman, Bob Schreiter, and Steve Warner.

About Durante, Dr. Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen Durante, Ph.D. is a graduate of the Fordham University Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education. Her dissertation: “Teaching Children How to Pray: An Essential Dimension of Religious Education in a Postmodern Age,” provides a template for her catechetical ministry with religious educators, parents, and children. Born in Rochester, New York, Mary Ellen chose a career in music performance that included her husband and children. In 1999 she relocated in Florida to attend the Florida School of Massage and has been a massage therapist since that time. In 2009 Mary Ellen began her studies at Fordham University with a concentration in family, church and community. With an extensive background in curriculum development, music, and the arts Mary Ellen excels in integrating faith with creative educational programs that focus on performance, artistic production and assisting children and young people to realize their own creativity and potential. The underlining theme of her work is to show how quality religious educational programs and activities can provoke thoughtfulness, reflection, and spiritual awareness in serving others.
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