The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to name the inaugural awardees of the Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future Program. The program provides practical work opportunities for talented, entrepreneurial PhD students in the humanities and social sciences whose dissertation topics relate to the study of religion and intends to build institutional partnerships that create a pipeline of new leaders knowledgeable about the rapidly changing American religious landscape. The internships are part of a three-year multifaceted initiative including research, public engagement, and pipeline development in service of identifying and advancing the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future, a grant to Bryn Mawr College, funded by Templeton Religion Trust (TRT).
Starting in June, 10 fellows will take up nine-week internship projects designed to utilize the diverse skills of PhD students in the humanities and social sciences while contributing to the impactful work of host organizations. The 2026 awardees represent 10 different universities and departments of religious studies, theology, American studies, film studies, anthropology, and sociology.
“ACLS is excited to announce the 10 outstanding scholars who will take on 2026 Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future,” said Desiree Barron-Callaci, ACLS Senior Program Officer in US Programs. “Our 2026 host organizations creatively designed projects in collaboration with ACLS to harness the power of interns’ advanced research skills, cultural capacities, and deep knowledge of topics related to religion.”
“This inaugural cohort will show the exciting potential of collaboration between scholars and nonprofit organizations,” said Jonathan Anjaria, a program co-leader and Professor of Anthropology at Brandeis University. “Fellows will gain hands-on experience doing work that engages broad audiences, while fostering more informed public conversations on religious life in the United States. We are also excited by this program’s potential to reshape PhD training, since it will demonstrate how internships lead to better academic writing, improve career outcomes, and enhance the social impact of doctoral work.”
The 2026 awardees of the ACLS Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future are:
Izzak Novak, Northwestern University, American Religions
American Friends Service Committee – Quaker Action for Migrant Justice
khadijah j. akeem-cox, The George Washington University, American Studies
CAIR Minnesota – Mapping and Strengthening Muslim Spiritual Infrastructure in Minnesota
Alex Gruber, Fordham University, Theology
Coalition for Spiritual & Public Leadership – Discerning Our Way Forward: A Spiritual Toolkit for Justice Leaders
Jacob Green, University of Virginia, Media Studies
ICJS – Developing AI for Interfaith Literacy and Dialogue
Eric Gu, University of California Irvine, Anthropology
Interfaith America – Reviving Pluralism: Charting the Next Chapter of an American Tradition
Rose Miller, University of Southern California, Religious Studies
Jewish Women’s Archive – Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women
Moses Ohene Biney, Rice University, Sociology
Norton Healthcare – A Solution-Oriented Assessment of Faith Communities’ Health Engagement
Robyn West, Chicago Theological Seminary, Theology and Cultural Criticism
Operation Shoestring – Enhancing Networks of Support for Jackson’s Youth with Faith Communities
Chloe Landen, University of Texas at Austin, Religious Studies
Religion News Service – Enriching Public Understanding of Religion Through Digital Media
Peter Dziedzic, Harvard University, Study of Religion
The Conversation – Collaborative, Evidence-Based Religion Journalism for the Public Good
