Dr. Sean Decatur, president of Kenyon College, credits his career success to the Mellon Mays undergraduate fellowship.
“It was pretty clear at that stage I wasn’t going to become an engineer, but I also had no idea what I was going to do after I graduated,” Decatur recalls.
A professor in a Black literature course helped Decatur make up his mind, by encouraging him to apply for a new fellowship designed to increase the number of college professors of color. In 1989, Decatur became one of the first recipients of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.
The fellowship paid for a small stipend during Decatur’s junior and senior years, travel to academic conferences, two summer research projects and regular social gatherings with faculty members.
“I went to the first chemistry conference I had ever gone to,” says Decatur, who is African-American. “Just the opportunity to really get to know faculty as people outside of the classroom was incredibly important for me, at least to be able to envision myself in that role.”
For Decatur, those experiences made the difference. In 25 years, he has climbed the ranks of faculty and college administration to become president of Kenyon College. He credits the undergraduate fellowship for his ascension: “That was the program and the moment that I started on the career direction that brought me to where I am now.”
Decatur is not the only Mellon Mays fellow making a mark in academia. Diversifying the nation’s faculty remains a slow process, but the Mellon program has made a significant contribution toward that goal — with more to come.
