Shared Experiences Blog

In South Africa, Discovering the World’s Oldest Drawing
A recent archaeological discovery highlights strong interest in ancient rock art. The South African Rock Art Digital Archive offers a virtual trove of more than 250,000 images.
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The Value of the Liberal Arts in a “Techie” World
Venture capitalist and author Scott Hartley discusses how curiosity, communication skills, and human empathy are essential for our digital future.
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Refusing to Forget: Monica Muñoz Martinez Uncovers America’s History at the Border
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) alumna Monica Muñoz Martinez on her new book "The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas" and how academic excellence can shape public history.
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Putting Creative Industries to Work
On the release of "Creative Industries: Business & Employment in the Arts," Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research and Policy at Americans for the Arts, writes about how new research documents the size and scope of the nation’s arts establishments and jobs—and makes the case for increased investment in the arts.
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Anchor Arts Institutions: What Are They and How Can They Enrich Communities?
Former Mellon Fellow-in-Residence Karen Brooks Hopkins writes about her research on anchor institutions and their transformative potential for culture and their communities.
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New Directions Fellow Laurent Dubois on the Banjo and Improving Public Perception of Higher Education
Laurent Dubois, Mellon Foundation New Directions fellow and director of the Forum for Scholars & Publics at Duke University, talks about using his fellowship to explore the history of the banjo and the links between the instrument and its African roots.
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Puerto Rico: After the Storm
Northwestern University performance studies professor and department chair Ramón H. Rivera-Servera has spearheaded an innovative outreach initiative to assist Puerto Rican artists in the aftermath of last fall’s devastating hurricanes. Article by Kerry Trotter and Cara Lockwood, originally appearing in Dialogue, a publication of Northwestern University.
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The Demands for Diversity Hiring Require a “Pipeline”
An op-ed by Mellon Foundation Senior Program Officer Armando Bengochea.
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Igniting Confidence and Building the Humanities Pipeline
The Johns Hopkins-Community College of Baltimore County Humanities for All Program builds confidence and research skills for community college students.
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Exploring Literary Synergy between Hip-Hop and Shakespeare
Lydia Coley, a community college graduate now at a four-year institution, discusses how the Mellon Scholar Summer Research Experience at Johns Hopkins took her to new places.
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