About: The Medieval Academy of America’s Mentoring Program Committee is excited to announce the 2026 MAA Summer Professionalization Workshop for PhD-track students. This program is designed to foster the development of essential skills and mentorship relationships and to improve the educational experiences of graduate students in fields that intersect with Medieval Studies. Our primary goals are to facilitate the development of successful dissertation projects, foster networking and community building, and enhance competitiveness for grants and academic positions. This year’s workshop is supported by a bequest from the estate of Walter Goffart, with the support of his wife, Roberta Frank.
Format: The 2026 workshop will be entirely virtual. We will host a series of 6-8 sessions between 13 July and 14 August. The goal of the workshop is to help participants explain their research and its significance to others. Effectively communicating one’s research is beneficial in securing grants, publishing articles, and finishing a dissertation. In the latter sessions, participants will break into two cohorts, and leaders will help each cohort develop a targeted written work related to their dissertation project: a dissertation prospectus, a grant proposal, or an introduction to an article that contextualizes the broader goals of the project. Workshop leaders will also provide guidance and tips on library and archival research, writing strategies and techniques, networking, community building, and other vital professional skills. Sonja Drimmer (Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, Dept. of the History of Art & Architecture, UMass Amherst) and Heather Blatt (Associate Professor of English and Literature and Film Studies Program Director, Florida International University) will return as the workshop leaders this year.
Call for Student Participants:
Eligibility: We seek twelve graduate students currently enrolled in PhD programs in a Medieval Studies discipline who have completed their PhD coursework but have not yet defended their dissertations. There are no disciplinary or geographical limitations. MA students are ineligible to apply. In keeping with the MAA’s ambition to expand access to resources for people from underrepresented groups, we especially encourage applicants from communities and backgrounds that have traditionally been underrepresented or marginalized in Medieval Studies. Preference will also be given to applicants with limited access to the resources this program offers.
Funding: Participants will receive a $1,250 stipend and a complimentary one-year MAA membership.
Application: Applications are due by 1 March 2026. Use this link to apply. Applicants will be notified of decisions via email in early April 2026. For help with any questions or further information, please email maamentorshipcommittee@gmail.com.
