David E. Smith Endowment Fund
Division III Grant in American Studies
The David E. Smith Endowment Fund supports research-based Division III projects in American Studies at Hampshire College.
Grant funds can be used for expenses related to project research
and/or exhibition and distribution
Possible areas of study include:
Transdisciplinary studies of U.S. literatures, arts, cultures, religions, histories, economies, politics, and social movements;
Transdisciplinary projects on U.S./American national, transnational, and hemispheric formations and identities;
Projects concerning U.S. subjects that use critical lenses such as settler colonial studies, Africana studies, Latinx studies, Asian American studies, Native American and indigenous studies, ethnic studies, queer studies, women’s, gender and sexuality studies, media studies, material culture studies, folk and popular culture studies, critical race studies, borderlands studies, disability studies, and/or U.S. empire studies.
For a brief account of the history of American Studies and a bibliography of sources on this
transdisciplinary, critical field, see https://www.theasa.net/about/history
Applications will be evaluated based on these criteria:
A well-designed, compelling research project for which students' previous course- and project-work has adequately prepared them;
Engagement with American Studies-related fields and research questions. Our fund mandates that we prioritize work in this transdisciplinary field, and not receiving grant funding may not reflect upon the quality of your project if it falls outside our grant mandate. Students undertaking artistic/studio projects should be explicit about how their projects will undertake substantial research;
Clearly stated need for grant support—keep in mind that grants are typically in the $400-500 range. You must provide a an itemized budget that specifies how you propose to use the grant funds.
To be considered, applicants MUST be filed for Division III. Your complete proposal and budget must be discussed with and approved by your chair.
Applications are accepted in the fall and spring. Please indicate whether you are using the grant to begin or finish your Div III.
How to Apply
To apply, go to https://studentfunding.hampshire.edu
When you apply, make sure to note you are applying for the David Smith Div III Grant,
and address the evaluation criteria listed above.
This grant is one of many available to support Division III work, as well as other projects, internships, and more! For information about other grants at Hampshire, see the Master List of Hampshire Grants
Mission of the project
The David Smith Endowment Fund, endowed by his former students, celebrates the legacy of David E. Smith (1926—2013), a founding Hampshire faculty member of English and American Studies. A Daniel Defoe and Robert Frost scholar, David Smith helped form the college for over twenty-five years (1970-1996), serving as Master of Merrill House, establishing the divisional academic program, and collaborating to form the porous school structure. A kind and inspirational teacher and mentor, he encouraged generations of students to produce their best work and generously nurtured new colleagues as they adjusted to Hampshire's experimental vision of higher education. He taught classes in English and American Studies, including courses on the American landscape, on Native Americans, and with Ken Hoffman on "Nature and Nature Writers." Dean of the School of Humanities and Arts for ten years (1981-1991), David helped guide the transition to a new Division I system and helped institutionalize many of the standard processes and procedures for the hiring and reappointment of faculty.