“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” --Zora Neale Hurston

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“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” --Zora Neale Hurston 🕮

Student Opportunities at the Gould Center

The Gould Center is committed to involving students in the humanistic conversation at CMC through the following opportunities. We are open to inquiries from students who are looking for funding for independent humanistic research. We do not generally provide funding for research relating to a class or senior thesis.

Get in contact with the Center here.

2025-2026

 Current Open Opportunities

  • Interested in pursuing a humanities-related passion over winter break? Through the Gould Center’s Passion Project Fellowship program, students may receive funding for short-term projects connected in some way to humanistic inquiry. Passion Projects may be research-oriented or experiential in nature, and they should result in a deliverable output such as academic or reflection papers, blog posts, e-zines, short films, photography exhibits, art pieces, and more. Participating students receive a fellowship award of $800 upon completion of the project. Open to CMC students of all class years. Students must be enrolled at CMC for the spring semester.

    Questions? Please contact Professor Paul Gaffney at pgaffney@cmc.edu.

    For application help, join Professor Paul Gaffney for open office hours at the Gould Center in Kravis Lower Court:

    • Friday, November 7th from 3:00-5:00pm

    • Thursday, November 13th from 3:00-5:00pm

    Click here for more information and to apply.

    Application Deadline: Wednesday, November 19 at 5PM

  • Join the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies and the Open Academy for an evening trip to see the Tony Award-winning musical Suffs on Friday, November 21st. We will be leaving campus at 6pm and returning around 11:30pm. Sign-ups open Friday, November 7 at 9am. Space is limited, so sign-up soon. If you have any questions, please reach out to Violet Ramanathan ’27 at vramanathan87@cmc.edu.

    Click here to sign-up.

  • The Gould Center for Humanistic Studies invites you to showcase your work at Illuminating Imagination: An Evening Under the Stars on November 22, 2025 from 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM. This event, which will feature art, poetry, and musical performances alongside finger food and conversation, is a part of our yearlong celebration of the Gould Center’s 40th Anniversary. Guests will view your work, vote for their favorites, and engage in meaningful exploration of the irreplaceable role of humanistic inquiry.

    For more information and to apply, click the links below.

    For artists, click here.

    For poets, click here.