Who Gets Guggenheims?

“The money runs out but the title remains.…” observed the original head of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, adding: “Once a Guggenheim fellow, always a Guggenheim fellow.”¹ Beyond the resources during the funding term, these types of fellowships offer acclaim and recognition that recipients carry for years to come, either reaffirming their existing presence in elite circles or, for a more limited number, entrée into those circles. In fact, across a variety of fellowships in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, our research shows that a majority of the recipients of “the title” work at a small cadre of prominent universities.