Mfa Jobs in Massachusetts (NOW HIRING)

Description
The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College are designed to strengthen and expand the professoriate by supporting scholars and artists whose research, teaching, and engagement contribute to inclusive and intellectually vibrant academic communities. Through sustained mentorship, professional development, and full participation in the intellectual life of the College, fellows are supported as they prepare for faculty careers. Established in 1985, the program supports advanced graduate students and post-MFA artists.
Gaius Charles Bolin was the first Black graduate of Williams in 1889. He was an active and influential member of his class who went on to a successful career as a lawyer in Poughkeepsie, New York. Bolin also was a founding member of the local branch of the NAACP and was the first African American president of the Dutchess County Bar Association. In 1969, eighty years after Gaius Bolin graduated, Joseph E. Harris, the first Black tenure-line faculty member, was hired at Williams.
In honoring this legacy, the fellowship supports scholars and artists whose research, teaching, and creative work expand the range of questions, perspectives, and communities represented in academic scholarship, and who are prepared to contribute to inclusive, rigorous, and collaborative academic environments.
The Bolin Fellowship is structured as a two-year residency at Williams. Two scholars or artists are appointed each year. Fellows devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work-or in the case of post-MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios-while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the college's academic departments or programs. The second year of residency, preferably with a terminal degree in hand, is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course. Through this structure, fellows gain experience as teacher-scholars while advancing significant scholarly or creative work.
Qualifications
The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College are designed to strengthen and expand the professoriate by supporting scholars and artists whose research, teaching, and engagement contribute to inclusive and intellectually vibrant academic communities. Through sustained mentorship, professional development, and full participation in the intellectual life of the College, fellows are supported as they prepare for faculty careers. Established in 1985, the program supports advanced graduate students and post-MFA artists.
Gaius Charles Bolin was the first Black graduate of Williams in 1889. He was an active and influential member of his class who went on to a successful career as a lawyer in Poughkeepsie, New York. Bolin also was a founding member of the local branch of the NAACP and was the first African American president of the Dutchess County Bar Association. In 1969, eighty years after Gaius Bolin graduated, Joseph E. Harris, the first Black tenure-line faculty member, was hired at Williams.
In honoring this legacy, the fellowship supports scholars and artists whose research, teaching, and creative work expand the range of questions, perspectives, and communities represented in academic scholarship, and who are prepared to contribute to inclusive, rigorous, and collaborative academic environments.
The Bolin Fellowship is structured as a two-year residency at Williams. Two scholars or artists are appointed each year. Fellows devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work-or in the case of post-MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios-while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the college's academic departments or programs. The second year of residency, preferably with a terminal degree in hand, is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course. Through this structure, fellows gain experience as teacher-scholars while advancing significant scholarly or creative work.
Application Instructions
Candidates should apply via Interfolio by 11:59pm on November 15, 2026, with:

• a cover letter with a description of your research and teaching interests; this letter should also explain how you will effectively engage a broadly diverse student body and contribute to an academic environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences
• a full curriculum vitae
• two confidential letters of recommendation, including one letter of recommendation that addresses the applicant's ability to contribute to inclusive academic environments and to advance understanding of diverse perspectives and experiences
• PhD applicants: a copy of the dissertation prospectus, preferably limited to 10-15 pages, or a research statement of the same length; and a timetable for completion of the degree
• Post MFA applicants: project description, preferably limited to 2-5 pages [250-1250 words], and additional material, as described below:
• Writers: 2-3 short stories, 10-15 poems, or novel passages not to exceed 50 pages
• Visual Artists: 20 images
• Theatre Artists: sample of design portfolio, links to performances

Eligible candidates for the fellowship include all U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card); individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program; Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; asylees; and refugees. Eligible candidates may apply to more than one academic unit.
Units that will be participating in 2026-27 are:
Arabic Studies
Asian Studies
Biology
Classics
Cognitive Science
Economics
German
Jewish Studies
Math
Philosophy
Physics & Astronomy
Political Science
Psychology
Statistics
(PLEASE NOTE: participating units change from year to year.)
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Williams College is a liberal arts institution located in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. The college has built its reputation on outstanding teaching and scholarship and on the academic excellence of its approximately 2,000 students. Please visit the Williams College website (http://www.williams.edu). Williams promotes equal opportunity and makes all employment decisions on a non-discriminatory basis. Williams College is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where individuals of all identities and backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive.
Lie Detector Statement
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.