Applied Humanities Summer Fellows – Application Instructions

OVERVIEW

The Hall Center's Applied Humanities Summer Fellows program supports PhD or MA students who would like to explore ways they can apply the research skills they have acquired as graduate students to projects that collaborate with community organizations and/or career paths other than academic research or teaching. 

The Hall Center is partnering with local non-profit organizations, a range of units at KU, and non-humanities organizations and units that would value input from a humanities scholar to appoint Applied Humanities Summer Fellows. Fellows will work either with a community organization on a project that incorporates humanities-oriented research skills, or with a unit at KU on a project that will give them experience in programming development, grant development, or other university administrative activities. 

Fellows will receive $3,000 for 200 hours of work, generally 20 hours a week for 10 weeks (late-May through July). The fellow and the agency or unit will determine specific schedules on a case-by-case basis. Travel expenses may be added to the stipend, based on the fellow's home location and the internship location.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

{B/qKC} - Digitization Internship

Description:

{B/qKC} is a community archival project developing innovative archival science through accessible storytelling, socioeconomic reparation, and intergenerational power building--all within the frame and study of Kansas City's Black queer history. 

The Digitization Intern for {B/qKC} will help with developing a Digital Asset Register (DAR) for the archive's three inaugural, digital collections from local Black queer elders. The intern will, then, assist with building a static and dynamic site from these collections using CollectionBuilder and GitHub--with guidance and help from the Founder.

• Cataloging digital archival materials through the use of a ready-made template
• Assist with building a public, digital repository using a guided walkthrough
• Assist in populating {B/qKC}'s website with an accessible archive/database extension on its dynamic site.
• Research accessible, inclusive metadata description
• Work with collection donors to fulfill any missing information, if necessary

Interns with {B/qKC} will gain experience in:

• Artifact digitization and preservation
• Metadata
• Dataentry
• Cataloging skills

Requirements:

• Interest in pursuing a career in digital humanities
• Willingness to learn new computer programs
  • Experience with GitHub preferred, but not required
  • Experience using a website builder such as Squarespace or Wordpress preferred, but not required
• Working Knowledge of Google Sheets
• Commitment to the missions of racial, gender and queer justice/equality

Position is hybrid--with opportunity for interns to work on-site at {B/qKC}'s studio at Charlotte Street Foundation (Kansas City, MO).

Previous experience in museums or archives is welcome, but not required. Majors or minors in History; Race, Ethnic and Gender Studies; Sociology and Anthropology; or Art History preferred 

Black Archives of Mid America

NOTE: There are two fellowship positions available at this location.

Duties: (include but are not limited to)

• Digitization of Photographs and assistance with photograph database
• Assistance with Library Catalog
• Creation of study guides based on MO state curriculum standards
• Research related to the Community Remembrance Project Exhibit
• Creation of TheClio.com entries
• Participation in regular team meetings and creation of monthly report of activities

Skills:

• Experience with Microsoft programs including Word, Excel, and Access and ability to learn other programs
• Familiarity with Chicago Manual style citations
• Ability to communicate clearly (spoken and in writing)
• Ability to work independently
• Must be able to work in office
• Previous experience in a museum or archive welcome but not required
• Pursuing degree in History; African Studies; Race, Ethics, and Gender Studies; Sociology or Anthropology; Art History; Or English or Library Science preferred.

BLACK Lawrence 

BLACK Lawrence seeks a summer fellow with skill sets in video editing, videography or filmmaking, photography (for creative portraits of interviewees), book formatting & printing, marketing, or social media management. An alternative track would be for a fellow dedicated to community research who may have a drive for writing, publishing, & checking transcriptions.

Hours are dependent on the skill set(s) provided, as capturing portraits would involve travel & scheduling with interviewees while other tasks are self-paced. There's enough work for about 4-5 weeks of support, especially if the intern encompasses more than 1 of the listed skill sets.

BLACK Lawrence is close to the completion of what was originally envisioned for the project, blending music with community research & community change. A fellow may also have the opportunity to assist in sharing what has been learned over the course of the BLACK Lawrence project (in a zine or chapbook) & how we could reimagine local supports for grieving & separated families.

Chicano Movement of Kansas History Project - Digital History Media Fellow 

This position offers a creative, self-starter the opportunity to work on one component of a larger project titled, "The Chicano Movement in Kansas." The summer intern will collaborate with the project director, Valerie Mendoza, to create content for social media for educational purposes using oral histories. Topics include the founding of the Topeka League of United Latin American Citizens council in the 1970s, military service during the Vietnam conflict, and volunteering for Topeka's Mexican fiesta. The expectation is to curate content for 20-40 social media posts. Hours are flexible and work can be done remotely.

Duties include :

• Copy editing oral history transcripts for clarity
• Selecting quotes from each oral history interview for 1-3 posts per interview
• Selecting photos to accompany posts
• Writing content for posts 
• Placing edited content on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• · Experience in copy editing
• · Excellent writing skills
• · Experience creating and posting content on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube
• · Ability to work independently
• · Ability to work remotely 
• · Familiarity with common computer programs
• · Interest in Chicano history, culture, and issues

Chicano Movement of Kansas History Project - Digital History Archives Fellowship

This position offers the opportunity to work on one component of a larger project titled, "The Chicano Movement in Kansas." The summer fellow will work with the project director, Valerie Mendoza, to catalog and digitize historical materials in order to produce a digital archive. Archival materials include photographs, newspaper & magazine articles, fliers, brochures and newsletters. Flexible hours and remote work.

Duties Include:

• Organizing materials into archival folders and boxes
• Scanning materials
• Creating metadata and organizing materials digitally

Skills/Qualifications:

• Knowledge of and experience with archival methods
• Attention to detail
• Strong writing skills
• Interest in Chicano history, culture, and issues 

Friends of the Ixchel Museum  

NOTE: There are two fellowship positions available at this location (Exhibit Package Development Fellowship & Technical and Visual Enhancements Fellowship). Please specifiy which of these two fellowships you would like to apply for in your application materials 

Friends of the Ixchel Museum (FOIM) is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to connecting people with the rich cultural heritage of Guatemala through its vibrant textile traditions. As a supporter of the Ixchel Museum of Indigenous Textiles and Clothing in Guatemala City, FOIM fosters appreciation for the skill, history, and cultural significance woven into every textile. The organization plays a vital role in sharing this legacy globally, ensuring it continues to inspire new generations through exhibitions, educational programs, and collaborations.

These roles aim to improve and expand our Omeka-based platform, TextilesandBeyond.org, in alignment with the mission of Friends of the Ixchel Museum (FOIM). 

Additionally, we hope this initiative fosters meaningful collaborations with KU departments, including Museum Studies, Latin American Studies, Indigenous Studies, Library Sciences, and the Textile and Fiber Studio in the Visual Arts department, among others.

Project Goals

The primary goal is to improve TextilesandBeyond.org to serve as a user-friendly, visually engaging, and comprehensive digital repository.

Our objectives, in priority order, are:

1.Enhance website functionality and design: 

• Create an engaging user experience through improved navigation and layout.

2. Organize existing assets:

• Create a virtual textile collection with an interactive map linking textiles to their Guatemalan regions of origin
• Integrate multimedia elements, such as videos, exhibit details, and talks/podcasts.
• Digitize FOIM's publications (books and pamphlets) for online accessibility.
• Include a section for exhibit packages, including examples and "pitch decks."

3.Develop the platform as a tool for our outreach initiatives: 

• Pitch future exhibits and engage art and cultural institutions.

Friends of the Ixchel Museum - Exhibit Package Development Fellow

Scope of Work:

• Improve the website's navigation and design for intuitive usability.
• Organize digital assets into a searchable repository and adapt the metadata to reflect customized fields. 
• Build a virtual textile collection, linking textiles to their origins.
• Incorporate multimedia content (videos, exhibit details, talks/podcasts).
• Support the digitization of FOIM's books and pamphlets.
• Develop a section showcasing exhibit packages and pitch materials.

Desired Skills and Knowledge:

• Proficiency with Omeka, including plugin management and customization.
• Understanding of visual design principles (typography, layout, color).
• Familiarity with metadata standards like Dublin Core.
• Knowledge of responsive web design across devices (mobile, computer).

Ideal Candidates:

Students in Museum Studies, Cultural Studies, or Visual Arts

Anticipated Outcomes:

Ready-to-deploy exhibit packages with guidelines for hosting textile exhibits.

Friends of the Ixchel Museum - Technical and Visual Enhancements Fellow

Scope of Work

• Resource Inventory and Assessment:
• Inventory digital and physical assets for use in exhibits.
• Research trends in virtual and physical exhibition design and curatorial themes.

• Exhibit Package Creation:
• Develop logistical materials, including labels, panels, and display supports.
• Draft handling and display guidelines for textile pieces.

• Audience Engagement:
• Propose interactive components like multimedia presentations or workshops.
• Conduct focus groups or surveys to refine exhibit themes and materials.

• Benchmarking and Collaboration:
• Study best practices from similar cultural programs.
• Collaborate with FOIM and partner institutions to customize exhibit packages.

Desired Skills and Knowledge

• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Research expertise in curatorial and museum studies.
• Interest in textiles, anthropology, and cultural preservation.
• Familiarity with Maya textiles is a plus but not required.

Ideal Candidates:

Students in Digital Studies, Web Design, or Library Science

Anticipated Outcomes:

A polished, functional, and comprehensive digital platform to support FOIM's outreach.

Kansas City Call

The Kansas City Call, a historic black newspaper with a home office in the 18th and Vine District and neighborhood of Kansas City, MO, is seeking one summer intern to work on a range of jobs. Tasks include: data retrieval; collecting materials related to an ongoing research project; developing a social media strategy for the newspaper; and sorting physical copies of the paper.

Interns will work with Sales and Distribution Manager Jason Joseph. Some of the work may be done remotely; other parts of the work need to be done on site in Kansas City.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• An appreciation of The Call and its mission
• Self-starter and hard worker
• Clear communicator
• Cataloguing skills
• Data Entry
• Preservation
• Social Media Knowledge is a plus.

Humanities Kansas - Oral History Metadata & Archives Assistant

Humanities Kansas seeks a Hall Center Fellow to support the Kansas Stories of the Vietnam War oral history project by preparing materials for submission to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. Tasks will include listening to audio and video interviews; creating metadata of each recording; and ensuring that all release forms, biographical data sheets, and transcriptions are completed for submission. Ideal candidates will be very detail-oriented, able to work independently for long periods of time, and have an interest in archives, history, and the Vietnam War era. Applicants must be aware that the interviews may include graphic descriptions of war and traumatic language. Hybrid work schedule with required in-person office days in Topeka on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additional duties may also be assigned. Parking is paid by HK. www.humanitieskansas.org

KANSAS an Eclogue - Website designer/developer

Seeking a website builder to design and construct a website for the documentary film, KANSAS an Eclogue. The website would be a primary point of contact for the project and will include a trailer for the film, portal for updates and screening notifications, additional interviews/media, and potentially links to merchandising. In addition to the standard layout and needs of a website for a film, the designer would also need to build a template and basic layout for a digital humanities platform through the SCALAR program, embedded within the website. The SCALAR humanities platform would present the humanities information of the film in creative ways and would also link to the historical archives and additional resources that contributed to the film's content. Design images and content should stem from the film's media but layout creativity and presentation would be open to the designers influence.

KANSAS an Eclogue - Marketing/Social Media Campaigner

Seeking a social media campaigner who can design and operate a marketing campaign to promote the release and distribution of the documentary film, KANSAS an Eclogue. Social media experience/knowledge of Facebook, Instagram, X, and Tic Tock and any and all other outlets of interest that would help to serve the same purpose is preferred. Developing templates for dissemination of information throughout the duration of the campaign would be of primary focus in addition to launching and overseeing the initial efforts of the marketing campaign. Interested applicants would be able to voice their thoughts on any strategic or experimental approaches they would be curious to explore.

Kansas City Public Library 

NOTE: There are two fellowship positions available at this location. This fellowship is 300 hours with a $4,500 stipend 

Kansas City Public Library (14 W. 10th St., Kansas City, MO 64105). The library is seeking a graduate student from the department of History; African and African American Studies; American Studies, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; or related fields. The student will support a new project, "An Era of Rights: Kansas City's Struggle for Equality," which will document the city's long struggle for equality. Focusing on a restive period from the 1950s to the 1990s, the project supports original research, digitization of archival materials, and expanded access to new and existing oral histories. The local history of civil rights will be considered broadly to encompass political activism on behalf of historically marginalized communities, including but not limited to women, African Americans, Latino/a, LGBTQ, and disabled persons. 

Successful applicants will be prepared to employ the following skillsets:

• Utilize an engaging writing style geared toward public audiences.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively on a public history project with teams inside and beyond the library.
• Ability to learn digital humanities skillsets including metadata capture, audio-visual support, or digitization.

Examples of the library's existing digital history projects can be found on this webpage: https://kclibrary.org/digital-history. 

Watkins Museum of History - Education Fellowship

Summary

Part-time position, non-exempt, 10-20 hours/week, 10 weeks or until 200 hours

Reports to: Education Coordinator

The Hall Center Applied Humanities Summer Fellow will assist the Watkins Museum of History in projects to expand our reach to families and youth through assistance with planning and implementation of educational programs, including support of initiatives to improve the accessibility of educational programs. Activities will include collaboration and planning with the museum's Education Coordinator, Curator of Exhibitions, and Curator of Collections and Research and regular, hands-on/in person work with youth K-8^th grade. 

Responsibilities

• Familiarize themselves with the Watkins diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) plan and brainstorm ideas for making museum exhibits and media more accessible to children with a variety of social and developmental differences.
• Work with the Education Coordinator to plan and implement the 2025 Watkin's "Summer Games" program, a weekly educational, arts & crafts based drop-in program for children and families during the months of June and July.
• Collaborate with the Education Coordinator and Curator of exhibitions to plan for a fall implementation of a school-year based "Youth Advisory Team" program.
• Assistance with occasional evening and weekend youth and family events onsite at the museum.
• Ongoing assistance to the Education Coordinator and the Curator of Collections and Research with the crafting of policies, organization of items, and overall development of the "Watkins Wonders" educational handling objects collection.

 Skills/Qualifications: 

• Skills in collaboration and organization
• Ability to work independently
• Experience and interest in working with children and young people
• Interest in non-traditional or innovative approaches to education
• Ability and desire to form and implement creative ideas and solutions
• Experience or interest in museum work is desirable

Watkins Museum of History - Spanish-Language Felloship

Summary

Part-time temporary position, non-exempt, 10-20 hours/week, 10 weeks or until 200 hours

Reports to: Deputy Director for Engagement and Learning 

The Hall Center Applied Humanities Summer Fellow will create and implement a plan for developing Spanish-language museum materials for visitors.

Responsibilities:

• Research current best practices for improving language accessibility for museum visitors.
• Meet with exhibitions, programming, and education departments to discuss ideas for implementing Spanish-language materials in their public operations.
• Work with supervisor to determine Spanish-language accessibility needs for the Watkins Museum.
• Develop a plan for creating these materials.
• Begin implementing plan by creating a brochure, gallery guide, or other type of basic resource.

Other Skills/Qualifications:

• Fluent in Spanish and English
• Experience in research and oral and written communication
• Skills in collaboration and organization
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work remotely if needed
• Familiarity with common computer programs
• Interest and knowledge in language and other types of public accessibility issues a plus
• Experience or interest in museums a plus

DEADLINE: Monday, March 24, 2025 at 11:59PM

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants will:

1. Be currently enrolled KU graduate students in any humanities, arts, or social science discipline who have successfully completed at least one semester of full-time coursework toward an MA or PhD degree;

2. Demonstrate a high level of motivation, including the ability to work independently and establish and achieve goals; and

3. Have the ability to do humanities research and to write cogently and with economy.

REQUIREMENTS

Applied Humanities Summer Fellows are required to:

1. Fulfill the terms of their agreement with the community partner.

2. Submit a brief report to the Hall Center detailing the work they completed and explaining how this experience will further their research and/or career aspirations in the humanities.  The report is due within 30 days of completion of the fellowship work.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All application materials must be submitted through the Hall Center Competitions Portal.  Paper submissions will not be accepted.  For an application to be verified as complete, and thus forwarded for committee review, applicants must:

1. Create an account or log in to an existing account.

2. Select the Apply Now button next to this competition. 

3. Complete the Applicant Information form in the Portal.

NOTE: The demographic questions in the application form are optional. We would appreciate your responses as they allow us to chart demographic data and better comprehend the communities we reach and serve through this competition and award program. This information will not be used for determining awards. 

4. Upload a ranked list of your top three to five fellowship opportunities as a PDF file.

5. Upload a one-page Cover Letter explaining your interest in the applied summer fellowships program, relevant skills and experience, and your ability to work in a non-academic environment. Please do not list specific fellowship organizations in your cover letter.

6. Upload a Curriculum Vitae as a PDF file.

No extraneous materials will be considered.

REVIEW PROCESS

Community partners review applications and select candidates for interview, in consultation with the Hall Center Director.  

CRITERIA

The criteria for selection is determined by each community partner and is dependent upon the particular work required during the internship period.

QUESTIONS

Applicants should direct questions about the Applied Humanities Summer Fellows Competition to Hall Center Assistant Director Andrew Hodgson (ahodgson@ku.edu).