2025-2026 Downing Fellowship

The Christine Downing Dissertation Fellowship (CDDF) carries the name of Professor Downing in acknowledgement of her contribution to the fields of depth psychology and mythology, her many years of teaching at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and her gift to OPUS of her own archival materials. The purpose of the Downing Fellowship is to award an annual scholarship to dissertation students in the fields of depth psychology and mythology studying at any accredited graduate-level institution. Once awarded, the Downing Fellowship recipient must use the collections at OPUS for a significant amount of her or his dissertation research.

The archival collections available for research at OPUS include private library collections and artifacts of Joseph Campbell, archives and private library collection of Marija Gimbutas, and archives of James Hillman, Jane and Joseph Wheelwright, Christine Downing, Marion Woodman, Adolf Guggenbühl-Craig, Robert Johnson, Tony Joseph, Jill Mellick, and Katherine M. Sanford. Visit the Collections Page for more information on these scholars, or search the Archives and Manuscripts Database.

How to Apply
Download the 2025 CDDF Guidelines and Application Instructions.

Due date
All application materials are due by 5:00 p.m. PST on Friday, March 21, 2025.

If you have further questions after reading the Guidelines and Application Instructions, contact OPUS Administration
805-969-5750 | Email.

Past 2022 Recipient of the Christine Downing Dissertation Fellowship

OPUS Archives and Research Center awarded Heather Taylor the 2022 Christine Downing Dissertation Fellowship.

Heather was part of the Mythological Studies program at Pacifica Graduate Institute. She received $5,000 to support research for her dissertation titled Re-storying a Sense of Identity with a Mythological Herd. Inspired by the discovery of the myth of Ocyrhoe in the pages of Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Heather will examine the “archetypal images of horses in myths to re-examine how they can guide us into a more balanced relationship with the earth, each other, and ourselves.” She will engage the works of Marion Woodman, James Hillman, Marija Gimbutas, and Christine Downing to help inform her “approach to the mythical herd” as she develops her dissertation in the OPUS Archives.

OPUS Archives and Research Center is a non-profit research center that houses the archives of Joseph Campbell, Marija Gimbutas, James Hillman, Jane and Joseph Wheelwright, Christine Downing, Marion Woodman, Adolf Guggenbühl-Craig, Robert Johnson, and Katie Sanford. In addition to safeguarding these important resources, OPUS works to foster ongoing research in the fields of depth psychology and mythological studies.

Contributing to OPUS Grants and Scholarships
Grants and Scholarships are offered by OPUS as as funds become available. If you are interested in contributing to an OPUS scholarship fund, please contact OPUS Administration at 805-969-5750 | Email.