BSC professor wins prestigious fellowship

Desireé Melonas, an assistant professor of political science at Birmingham-Southern College, was recently named a Career Enhancement Fellow for 2020 by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Melonas is one of only 10 junior faculty members from across the country to receive a 12-month fellowship.

The Career Enhancement Fellowship —funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation — seeks to increase the presence of underrepresented junior and other faculty members in the arts and humanities by creating career development opportunities for selected fellows with promising research projects.

The program provides fellows with six-month or one-year sabbatical stipends; a research, travel or publication stipend; mentoring; and participation in a professional development retreat.

Melonas plans to use the fellowship to help prepare her book manuscript, “A Political Theory of Place,” for publication.

“What’s most exciting about this year is that, while I’ll miss my students and teaching a great deal, this fellowship provides the time and intellectual space to get really intimate with my work,” Melonas said. “I think it’s an intimacy with and excitement for our scholarship that enables us to be better, more inspired teachers.”

“The fellowship is an excellent opportunity for Desireé and we’re proud of her achievement,” said BSC provost Brad Caskey.

Melonas, who joined the BSC faculty in 2017, earned her bachelor’s in history from Saint Vincent College and her Ph.D. in political science from Temple University. Melonas came to BSC from Swarthmore College, where she was a visiting assistant professor.

In 2018, Melonas received the Bob Whetstone Faculty Development Award, given annually to a non-tenured faculty member to recognize their excellence in teaching.

Since arriving at BSC, Melonas has added a political theory focus in the political science department.

She also established the Distinction in Black Studies program, which introduces students to the political, social, economic and historical dimensions of the lives of black people in Africa and the African diaspora.

“Taking into account that BSC is situated in Birmingham, we need to have a curriculum that reflects a broad set of interests as we make active efforts to build a more diverse and inclusive environment,” Melonas said.

Melonas worked with faculty in political science, history, and media and film studies to create a transdisciplinary direction for the program.

She’s also involved with the Black Women’s Union, the Mortar Board, Students Demand Action and the Diversity Committee.