The Middle Eastern Studies (MEST) Program invites UA Little Rock faculty, staff, and students to apply for grants to support special events on campus during the 2020-2021 academic year that support MEST’s mission of advancing Arkansas’ understanding of the Middle East. Grants generally range from $500-$1200, and typically will not exceed $2000. Grants will be reviewed on a competitive basis by the MEST Committee.
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to think creatively about the activities that the grants could potentially fund. Any activities related to any aspect of the Middle East or Middle Eastern Studies are eligible. Applicants from all academic disciplines and administrative offices are encouraged to apply.
Examples of what the grant can be used for include, but are not limited to: events that raise awareness about one or more of the region’s cultures; screenings of films made by and/or about the region and/or its people; inviting guest speakers or performers to campus.
The Committee will continue accepting proposals on a rolling basis until the budgeted funds have been exhausted. The Program will consider applications for activities scheduled for future academic years if planning that far in advance is necessary.
A complete application should include:
- a detailed letter of application that describes how the proposed activity would contribute to the advancement of Middle Eastern Studies at UA Little Rock;
- an itemized budget detailing the expenses for which you would like support;
- a CV/résumé; and
- for students only, at least two letters of recommendation, of which one must be from a UA Little Rock faculty member.
Applications should be sent to:
Dr. Simon Hawkins, MEST Coordinator
sxhawkins@ualr.edu
Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to discuss their proposal with the MEST Coordinator before formally submitting an application.
All grantees must submit a report documenting and reflecting upon what they did with the grant by the end of the semester in which the activity takes place.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, applications received by October 27, 2023, will be given priority. Still, we will accept applications on a rolling basis until all funds allocated for this purpose have been exhausted.
Applications received by October 31, 2024, will be given priority for the 2024- 2025 academic year.