HEI Fellowship

The goal of the Huffington Ecumenical Institute (HEI) at HCHC is to convene prominent theologians and practitioners to address shared challenges confronting religious communities locally, nationally, and internationally.

Applications are welcomed for projects in a variety of disciplines within the field of humanities as well as related interdisciplinary fields. However, the primary focus of scholarship and research should be Orthodox Christianity and the role of faith in an ecumenical and global context.

The Fellowship is open to faculty and students (primarily doctoral and postdoctoral) of all academic ranks, with emphasis given to established scholars. Priority will be given to those projects expected to be completed during the Fellowship period. The Fellowship may be combined with other awards.

As of April 1, 2026, the Fellowship has been restructured as a non-residential program. This updated model is designed to support a broader range of scholars while offering greater flexibility in how Fellows engage with the Institute’s work and the wider academic community.

Fellows will be invited to present their work at the Institute and HCHC, for example through a public lecture and/or seminar for students, as outlined in the terms of the agreement. There are no administrative obligations.

While the Institute no longer provides room and board, Fellows may choose to be present in the Boston area for all or part of their fellowship period or participate remotely, depending on the nature of their project and in consultation with the Institute. Fellows are responsible for securing their own housing and living arrangements.

Fellows will have access to the Institute’s public programming, including lectures, conferences, and symposia, and will be integrated into the intellectual life of HEI. The Fellowship does not include enrollment in, or access to, courses or coursework offered by Hellenic College Holy Cross or any other affiliated academic institution. Fellows remain academically affiliated with their home institutions or primary institutional contexts.

The Fellow will receive a modest stipend (without healthcare or other benefits). The recipient of the Fellowship, by the policy of HCHC, must provide proof of health insurance.

The duration of the Fellowship may span from one month to one semester. This will be determined by the proposal of the applicant as approved by the Institute.

Application Requirements

The Fellowship application should include:

• A Statement of Intent (500 words maximum) addressing the project’s contribution to the field of Orthodox Christian Studies broadly conceived as well as to the specific field of the applicant’s specialization and the Institute’s interests. The statement should briefly include how the Fellowship will be used in connection with other forms of support, including sabbatical leave from one’s home institution. It should further specify whether the candidate is requesting one semester or one year of research and writing, as well as provide a timeline for completion of the project in the specified period.

• Brief description of the research project (500 words maximum) stating the significance, objectives, methodology, and originality of the project, especially as it pertains to the understanding of Orthodox Christianity and the field of Ecumenical Studies.

• A curriculum vitae

• In addition, HEI may request letters of recommendation, one of which would be academic, emailed separately and directly by the recommender to HEI@HCHC.EDU.

All application materials must be in English.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.