IHRC Summer Graduate Fellowship

The 2023 Immigration History Research Center Summer Graduate Fellowship provides summer funding for full-time UMN graduate students in good academic standing with demonstrated potential in their field. Preference will be given to students researching the histories of migration, race, and ethnicity in the US and beyond and/or to students with archival research or digital humanities skills, but all students with related research interests and experiences are encouraged to apply.
 
The fellowship will provide a stipend that may be used for living expenses as well as research travel and expenses. The fellowship may be awarded more than once to the same student during their enrollment in the University.

The fellowship supports graduate student research and provides students with valuable research and professional skills. The fellowship will involve mentored work highlighting IHRC Archive collections. Topics may include:

  • The impact of immigration law and policy on immigrant communities;
  • Commemorations of historical immigration-related events;
  • The arrival and settlement of new immigrant and refugee communities in the Twin Cities in the late 20th and 21st centuries; 
  • Elements of immigrant and refugee life that span various communities and/or time periods.
  • Projects that meet these criteria and incorporate the Finnish-, Estonian-, and/or Latvian-American collections will be given a preference.

Fellows will be expected to create physical or digital exhibits and/or academic scholarship that will interpret and publicize the IHRC Archives collections.

Application Materials:

  1. A completed fellowship application form
  2. A two-page description of your research topic, how the fellowship supports your plan of study next year, and a description of your archival research, writing, and/or digital humanities skills and experience.

2023 IHRC Summer Graduate Fellowship FAQ

Who is eligible for the IHRC Summer Fellowship?

Full-time UMN graduate students (MA and PhD students) in good academic standing with demonstrated potential in their field are eligible to apply.

How many fellowships are available?

The IHRC will award 1 or 2 fellowships depending on the number of applicants and the quality of the applications.

What is the amount of the fellowship?

Fellows will receive a $6,000 award plus subsidized health insurance through the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. 

Who will supervise summer fellows?

The IHRC Assistant Director will supervise the fellows’ work. The IHRC Archive staff will also provide mentorship and direction, as needed.

What types of proposals will be funded?

The IHRC will fund projects that highlight the IHRC Archive collections, and fellows will be expected to spend time in the Archives, interpreting previously under-researched materials or re-interpreting archival materials from a fresh perspective. Fellows are expected to use the collections to highlight: 

  • The impact of immigration law and policy on immigrant communities (for example, how did the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 impact Minnesota’s immigrant communities?);
  • Commemorations of historical immigration-related events (for example, the 100th anniversary of the Immigration Act of 1924) ;
  • The arrival and settlement of new immigrant and refugee communities in the Twin Cities in the late 20th and 21st centuries (for example, materials related to the arrival of Hmong or Somali refugees); 
  • Elements of immigrant and refugee life that span various communities and/or time periods (for example, how did Minnesota’s immigrants and refugees celebrate holidays?).

Projects that meet these criteria and incorporate the Finnish-, Estonian-, an-or Latvian-American collections will be given a preference.

The final deliverable can take several forms including: a physical display in Andersen Library; a digital humanities project available on the IHRC website or other relevant website; a journal article, blog post, or digital article that highlights and cites the IHRC Archives; or other relevant projects.

When are applications due?

Friday, April 14, 2023

Where should I submit my application?

Please submit all application materials to IHRC@umn.edu with the subject heading: Fellowship Application.

Where can I find additional information?

If your question has not been addressed here, please contact IHRC@umn.edu with the subject heading: Fellowship Questions