The Social Transformation Research Collaborative's Summer Institute visited Bronzeville's historic Wabash Avenue YMCA. (Photo courtesy of the Social Transformation Research Collaborative)
The Social Transformation Research Collaborative's Summer Institute visited Sistas in the Village, an urban farm in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of the Social Transformation Research Collaborative)
Members of the Social Transformation Research Collaborative's Summer Institute on a boat tour down the Chicago River. Pictured are Valerie Johnson, DePaul's associate provost for diversity, equity and inclusion, Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco, dean of DePaul's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Taurean Webb, a Social Transformation Research Collaborative post doctoral fellow. (Photo courtesy of the Social Transformation Research Collaborative)
The Mellon Foundation has awarded DePaul a $1.5 million grant to continue funding the
Social Transformation Research Collaborative (STRC) for an additional three years.
Housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the STRC supports research in the humanities as a source of justice and healing for communities historically shaped by, and continuously facing, racism, violence and dispossession. In doing so, the collaborative advances DePaul’s Vincentian mission to “compassionately uphold the dignity of all members of its diverse, multi-faith, and inclusive community” and to promote education and research that “addresses the great questions of our day, promoting peaceful, just and equitable solutions to social and environmental challenges.”
Through interdisciplinary research in literature and language, history and culture, the STRC demonstrates how the humanities deepen our understanding of ourselves and our society, and empower us to act, ethically and responsibly, to counter racism, dismantle violence, and build a more just and equitable society.
The funding will also support:
2024-25 faculty fellows are:
2024-25 undergraduate and graduate fellows are:
Abigail Flores, English
Naomi Love, Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies
Sifa Muderhwa, International Studies
Christina Sifri, Sociology
Aidan Tennant, Philosophy
Jo Trasowech, Criminology and International Studies
Sophia Burns, Sustainable Urban Development
Claudia Cisneros Méndez, Women's and Gender Studies
Elizabeth Wallace, Spanish
The STRC also hosts two post-doctoral fellows:
Hear from the Co-Directors
“Because of the Mellon Foundation believing in this program and the unwavering support from Dean Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco’s office, we have been able to create a community for students devoted to antiracism and healing through the humanities.
“STRC has been unbelievably fulfilling for me, and I’ve heard similar feelings from students who’ve participated. I’ve recently reminisced with students from previous summer cohorts, including one who is excited to mentor new students in this summer’s Summer Institute. It’s a special program that I’m glad to be part of.”
“All the parts of the STRC have been wonderful for me. Being with students at the very start of their college lives and watching them form friendships and get excited about the classes they might take has been magical. It is also heartwarming to see faculty receive the time they need to pursue important research that speaks to the urgent questions of our day.”
What’s Next
The STRC team is busy at work recruiting new student and faculty fellows for 2025-26. They are also planning the next Summer Institute which will feature expanded supports for transfer students. The STRC Symposium, which is open to the public, will be held on October 21.
Russell Dorn is a senior manager of media relations in University Communications.