El Instituto (Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean and Latin American Studies) appreciates your support for our mission of giving voice of Latina/o scholars, creative artists and community activists in Connecticut and beyond. We work through teaching, public events, K-12 outreach, and policy and social justice-relevant research. Donations help us bring leading Latina/o thinkers to UConn and provide fellowships to graduate students across the University for Latin(a/o) American research.

For questions about giving to the Department or establishing a new fund, please contact a CLAS development officer.

Funds to Support

Robert G. Mead, Jr. Lecture Series Fund (30753)

The marquee Latin American studies event of El Instituto’s calendar, in memory of Robert G. Mead, Jr., professor Spanish literature at UConn from 1949 to 1984 and a leading voice nationally for mutually respectful relations between the U.S. and Latin America. Out of this fund, El Instituto pays the honorarium and travel and lodging for our yearly Mead Lecture speaker.

Robert G. Mead, Jr. Fellowship Fund (30479)

Awarded to a graduate student in any discipline specializing in Latin America.

Elizabeth Mahan Fund for Graduate Studies in Latin American and Latino Studies (31303)

Honoring Elizabeth Mahan, long-time director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (one of El Instituto’s two parent organizations), the Mahan Fund provides support for graduate student research in Latina/o or Latin American Studies.

Whetten Latin American Studies Fund (30263)

The Whetten Fund provides financial assistance to graduate students for research. This fund was established to honor the memory of Nathan Whetten, first Dean of the Graduate School at the University and eminent rural sociologist, who published extensively on Latin America