The Bill & Rita Clements Senior Fellowship for the Study of Southwestern America
The Bill & Rita Clements Senior Fellowship for the Study of Southwestern America supports established scholars completing a second or later book on Texas, the Southwest, or the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
Funder: Clements Center for Southwest Studies
Due Dates: Applications open for AY 2027–28
Funding Amounts: $65,000 stipend for nine months, plus $3,000 research and travel allowance, eligible benefits, and publication subvention
Summary: Supports established scholars completing a second or later book on Texas, the American Southwest, or the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
Key Information: Fellows must reside in Dallas throughout the academic year, roughly mid-August through mid-May.
Description
The Bill & Rita Clements Senior Fellowship is a residential research fellowship at Southern Methodist University’s Clements Center for Southwest Studies. Funded by an anonymous donor in memory of Bill and Rita Clements, it gives an established scholar a full academic year to bring a second or later book to completion, without teaching responsibilities. Research may address Texas, the American Southwest—including California in all periods—or the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, including comparative projects grounded in the region.
The Center convenes a manuscript workshop for each fellow, bringing scholars together to critique a pre-circulated draft and advise the author on strengthening the book. Research and travel support and a publication subvention complement this manuscript-focused work.
