March 8, 2002

An endowment to support undergraduate teaching and research in Latin American and Caribbean studies has been created at Duke University by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and matching gifts.

Specifically, the $1.6 million endowment will fund undergraduate travel awards for research in Latin America and the Caribbean, beginning this summer, and a new program to bring to the university visiting professors from throughout the region, which is expected to start in 2003.

The travel grants are designed to complement class work with research experience for full-time Duke undergraduates. The awards are open to all fields and subjects. Five grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded for use this summer.

The application deadline for this year's competition is March 22. More information about the competition guidelines is available at http://www/duke.edu/web/las/.

The visiting professors will be hosted on a continuing basis by Duke's Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies. Their presence is expected to strengthen the university's course offerings, stimulate international and interdisciplinary research and help establish new relationships and strengthen existing ones with colleges and universities in Latin America.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation whose stated goal is to "aid and promote such religious, charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes as may be in the furtherance of the public welfare or tend to promote the well-doing and well-being of mankind." The foundation makes grants to institutions in higher education, in cultural affairs and the performing

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