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The Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) invites applications for its inaugural cohort of Jay Phillips Center Scholars in Interreligious Studies - a year-long fellowship program designed to support emerging scholars at a pivotal stage of professional development while helping build the field of Interreligious Studies for the next generation.
In collaboration with the Association for Interreligious/Interfaith Studies (AIIS), this program brings together a small cohort of exceptional emerging scholars for mentorship, scholarly development, peer community, and field-building. Selected scholars work closely with distinguished senior scholars throughout the academic year and become part of a multi-generational network shaping the future of Interreligious Studies.
THREE SIGNATURE GATHERINGS
THREE SIGNATURE GATHERINGS
The fellowship brings scholars together through three major engagements during the academic year:
VIRTUAL COMMUNITY
VIRTUAL COMMUNITY
A sustained online cohort engagement totaling up to 4 hours per month, including group dialogue, research exchange, peer coaching, and 2–3 one-on-one mentorship sessions with the senior scholars.
A sustained online cohort engagement totaling up to 4 hours per month, including group dialogue, research exchange, peer coaching, and 2–3 one-on-one mentorship sessions with the senior scholars.
UST RESIDENCY
UST RESIDENCY
A four-day immersive experience at the University of St. Thomas (March 15-18, 2027) featuring public- and academic-facing presentations, intensive cohort workshops, a senior scholar lecture, community engagement opportunities, and pedagogy-focused learning. All travel, lodging, and meals are covered.
A four-day immersive experience at the University of St. Thomas (March 15-18, 2027) featuring public- and academic-facing presentations, intensive cohort workshops, a senior scholar lecture, community engagement opportunities, and pedagogy-focused learning. All travel, lodging, and meals are covered.
AAR & AIIS CONFERENCE
AAR & AIIS CONFERENCE
A national gathering in Denver (Nov 20–23, 2026) where scholars attend AIIS & AAR events, use their stipend to support travel and registration, and - in collaboration with AIIS - are supported in identifying an appropriate venue to share their work with a scholarly audience while gaining professional visibility and field connections.
A national gathering in Denver (Nov 20–23, 2026) where scholars attend AIIS & AAR events, use their stipend to support travel and registration, and - in collaboration with AIIS - are supported in identifying an appropriate venue to share their work with a scholarly audience while gaining professional visibility and field connections.
WHAT SCHOLARS RECEIVE
WHAT SCHOLARS RECEIVE
Financial Support
$2,000 unrestricted stipend to use however it helps you most (e.g., AAR conference travel and registration, research materials, professional development, childcare, living expenses; no receipts required)
Fully funded 4-day residency at the University of St. Thomas, including travel, lodging, and meals
Mentorship & Community
Year-long mentorship from senior scholar(s) through a blend of virtual community engagement, individual sessions, and ongoing feedback
Supportive peer cohort of emerging scholars committed to shared learning and field-building
Regular online gatherings for research exchange, professional development, and collaborative reflection
individual mentorship meetings the senior scholars
Professional Development & Visibility
Supported opportunity to share research with a scholarly audience at the AAR, with presentation venues identified in collaboration with AIIS
Opportunity to present work to public, community, and academic audiences during the UST residency
Development of professional skills in pedagogy, peer-coaching, public scholarship, and collaborative academic practice, along with ongoing visibility and the cultivation of a scholarly peer network
Professional designation as “Jay Phillips Center Scholar in Interreligious Studies (2026–2027)”
Scholarly Outcomes
Optional opportunities to contribute to collaborative scholarly outputs (e.g., edited volume, special issue), emerging organically from cohort interests
Short public-facing essay or blog post for the JPC website or other venue
Ongoing feedback on individual research projects and manuscript mentorship with the executive editor of the Journal of Interreligious Studies, supporting scholars in developing submission-ready work for peer review
WHO THIS FELLOWSHIP SERVES
WHO THIS FELLOWSHIP SERVES
This program intentionally brings together scholars at different career stages, creating a multi-generational learning community:
PhD students at any stage (pre-comps, ABD, or recently defended)
Postdoctoral fellows and recent PhD graduates (within 7 years of degree)
Early-career faculty (tenure-track or contingent, within 7 years of PhD)
Independent scholars engaged in IRS scholarship (within 7 years of PhD)
Master’s-level scholars may be considered if they have significant professional, instructional, or scholarly experience (e.g., several years of undergraduate teaching or equivalent work) that demonstrates readiness for sustained research engagement and cohort-based scholarly exchange.
What unites this cohort is a shared commitment to advancing Interreligious Studies as an academic field - through scholarship, teaching, or community-engaged academic work.
WHY APPLY?
WHY APPLY?
For Your Scholarship
For Your Scholarship
Work closely with established leaders in the field
Receive sustained feedback on your research
Gain expertise in public scholarship and pedagogy
Develop professional skills in pedagogy, peer-coaching, collaborative academic practice, and public scholarship
Distinguish yourself in a competitive academic job market
For Your Career
For Your Career
Prestigious credential signaling rigorous selection and mentorship
National visibility through AAR/AIIS participation and JPC platforms
Network with established and emerging IRS scholars
Position yourself at the center of an emerging discipline
For the Field
For the Field
Contribute to strengthening IRS as a coherent academic discipline
Connect scholarship with practitioner communities
Address the isolation many emerging scholars experience
Build infrastructure for the next generation
For Community
For Community
Join a supportive peer cohort
Form lasting relationships
Build a multi-generational scholarly peer network that extends beyond the fellowship year
Become part of the growing JPC network
Pay it forward by joining future cohorts at the AAR Conference and AIIS meeting
This program is offered by the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in collaboration with the Association for Interreligious/Interfaith Studies (AIIS).
This program is offered by the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in collaboration with the Association for Interreligious/Interfaith Studies (AIIS).
About the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies
About the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies
The Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies (JPC) is an academic center in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota is dedicated to the multi- and interdisciplinary study of interreligious relations and understanding. The center collaborates with the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota to promote the public understanding of interreligious relations through dialogue, encounter, and civic engagement. The JPC advances the field of Interreligious Studies as an academic discipline, especially by connecting scholarship with public engagement and practice.
A Word from the Director
A Word from the Director
"The Jay Phillips Center believes that Interreligious Studies is one of the most important emerging fields in higher education today. Religious diversity shapes our communities, our campuses, our conflicts, and our possibilities. Many emerging scholars in this field feel isolated, under-resourced, and uncertain about their professional futures. This program is designed to help with that, not just for these five scholars, but for the field itself. By investing deeply in early-career scholars through sustained mentorship, peer community, and national visibility, we hope to help build the infrastructure IRS needs to thrive as an academic discipline."
—Dr. Hans Gustafson
Director, Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies
University of St. Thomas
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