What Are AWP's HBCU and Tribal Colleges & Universities Fellowship Programs?

Updated

AWP runs two named fellowship programs tied to its annual conference (#AWP27): the HBCU Fellowship Program for faculty and student fellows from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCU) Fellowship Program for faculty and student fellows from tribal colleges and universities. The awpwriter.org homepage currently features both cohorts under "Meet the #AWP27 HBCU faculty and student fellows!" and "Meet the #AWP27 TCU faculty and student fellows!" — meaning the site publishes the selected fellows' names and introductions for each conference cycle. Eligibility rules, application windows, and selection steps are not described on the homepage; those details sit on the individual program pages.

What each program covers

Program Who it names as fellows What the homepage shows
#AWP27 HBCU Fellowship Program Faculty and student fellows from HBCUs A "Meet the #AWP27 HBCU faculty and student fellows!" feature
#AWP27 TCU Fellowship Program Faculty and student fellows from tribal colleges and universities A "Meet the #AWP27 TCU faculty and student fellows!" feature

The two programs are presented in parallel: same fellow categories (faculty and students), same "meet the fellows" format, same conference tag (#AWP27). That parallel structure is the clearest signal of how AWP frames them — as companion access programs for writers at institutions that are underrepresented in the broader conference population, not as separate competitions with different purposes.

How to use the site to learn more

  1. Start at the homepage. The fellowship features appear in the rotating banner area alongside other #AWP27 items, so they may scroll out of view; use the previous/next controls in that banner to cycle back to them.
  2. Open the "Meet the fellows" feature. This is where the current cohort is introduced. Reading a few fellow entries tells you what kind of writer the program selects — institution, role (faculty or student), and genre or writing focus.
  3. Move to the program page for logistics. The homepage confirms the programs exist and who they serve, but not deadlines, eligibility wording, or the application process. Those belong to the dedicated program pages, which you reach from the fellowship feature or the conference section of the site.
  4. Check the conference year. Both features are tagged #AWP27, so the cohort shown corresponds to that conference cycle. If you are planning for a later year, expect the roster and any dates to be refreshed.

What to verify before applying: the exact definition of eligible institutions used by each program, whether applicants must be current faculty or enrolled students, whether the fellowship covers conference registration or travel, and the deadline. None of these are stated in the homepage material, so treat the program page as the authoritative source.

A practical example

Suppose you teach creative writing at an HBCU and want to attend the next AWP conference. The homepage tells you a fellowship track exists for faculty at your institution type and shows you past or current fellows in that track. What it does not tell you is whether you need a department nomination, whether student fellows must be enrolled at the time of the conference, or when applications close. Your next step is the HBCU Fellowship Program page, not the homepage — the homepage is a discovery layer, the program page is the rulebook.

Common sticking points

  • Confusing the two programs. They look identical on the homepage. The distinguishing factor is institution type: HBCU versus tribal college or university. Applying to the wrong track is the most likely avoidable error.
  • Reading the fellow list as the eligibility criteria. The published fellows show who was selected, not the full rules. A cohort with, say, mostly poetry faculty does not mean other genres are excluded.
  • Assuming the homepage dates apply. The featured items carry their own posting dates (for example, the silent auction note is dated 2026/10/19), and fellowship features rotate. Always confirm the conference year on the program page before planning.

Related context on the same site

The homepage also carries AWP's 60th anniversary celebration (running until September 25, 2027), the October Writer's Chronicle, a National Book Month feature, and a warning that "individuals or organizations may contact you under the guise that they represent AWP" and ask you to verify information. That last item is worth heeding for fellowship applicants: confirm any acceptance or payment request through awpwriter.org directly rather than through an unsolicited message.