Graduate Funding
Barbara Frey Human Rights Fellowship
The Barbara Frey Fellowship, established in 2022, promotes the legacy of Founder and former executive director of the Human Rights Program, Barbara Frey. The fellowship assists in the development of human rights leaders, and supports a year of paid, full-time employment in the field of human rights for an exceptional graduating student from a professional or PhD level program of the University of Minnesota. The annual fellowship supports active engagement in the work of a nongovernmental or intergovernmental organization dedicated to the advancement of human rights domestically and/or internationally. The fellowship gives priority to graduating Master of Human Rights students who have demonstrated an interdisciplinary commitment to pursuing a career in international human rights and who have an invitation to work at a host organization. Support such as this is essential in providing a bridge to a graduating student as they begin their professional journey as a human rights advocate.
Sharon Grimes Human Rights Fellowship
Funded by a generous gift from Sharon Grimes, the Sharon Grimes Human Rights Fellowship recognizes a Master of Human Rights (MHR) student who demonstrates a commitment to human rights and the environment. The student will receive an award amount of $1,000. Students may demonstrate their dedication to human rights and the environment through work, internships, advocacy, or academic experiences.
Learn more about the Sharon Grimes Human Rights Fellowship.
Human Rights Day Symposium Poster Session Awards
Since 2024, the Human Rights Program and the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies have begun holding an Annual Human Rights Day Symposium to commemorate the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The symposium is held in December and includes a student poster session showcasing projects, policies, research, and creative engagement on critical human rights issues. HRP and CHGS are thrilled to offer student awards of up to $1,000 each for poster session participants. Posters will be evaluated based on human rights messaging, persuasiveness of analysis, depth and accuracy of content, and visual engagement. In addition, student presenters will become eligible for funding to present their poster at another professional conference.
Mass Violence and Human Rights (MVHR) Interdisciplinary Graduate Group Travel Funding
The Mass Violence & Human Rights (MVHR) Interdisciplinary Graduate Group is a collaboration between the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CHGS) and the Human Rights Program (HRP). The group fosters interdisciplinary conversations on the subject areas of human rights, the Holocaust, genocide, and mass violence. We are pleased to offer participating MVHR graduate students opportunities to apply for travel funding to support their presentation of research at academic conferences:
- CHGS/HRP travel awards funded by the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Human Rights Program
- Library Archives travel awards funded by the Kautz Family YMCA Archives and the IHRC Archives
Topics must be relevant to the Holocaust, genocide, mass violence, and/or other systemic human rights violations. Applications accepted on a rolling basis, first consideration will be given to those students who have presented or are scheduled to present their work in the HGMV workshop. The Archives award will be awarded for meaningful use of archival collections, so some early research is necessary before application.
More information is available on the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies website.