Archie Motley Archival Internship Program Student Application Information

The goals of the Archie Motley Archival Internship Program are to:

• Provide meaningful and educational opportunities for students and emerging professionals.
• Expose students to library, archives, and special collections career options.
• Diversify the applicant pool for LIS programs and Archives/Special Collections positions, focusing on Cultural Heritage Management.
• Support and foster work within BMRC-member institutions

• Students of color are eligible to apply.
• Students must be in good standing.
• Current undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at metro-Chicago area colleges or universities are eligible to apply.
• Applicants from students currently enrolled or graduates of one of the universities BMRC member institutions will be given priority.
• Recent graduates of these institutions are also eligible to apply.
• Alums of BMRC university member institutions who are exploring a career transition will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Preference will be given to students studying one or more of the following disciplines:

• African American Studies
• Archival Science/Special Collections
• Art History
• Comparative Race & Ethnic Studies
• Political Science
• Public History
• Secondary Education w/History concentration
• Sociology/Social Work
• Urban Studies
• US History

*Applicants must be currently enrolled or a recent graduate of one of the universities on our BMRC membership list. Individuals in career transition will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Please refer to the eligibility section above before completing an application.

DEADLINE: January 27, 2025 (11:59 PM CT)

CONTENTS of the APPLICATION PACKAGE:
Applicants must submit...

• a completed online application form (scroll down for link below)
• a cover letter
• resume/CV
• two reference forms (instructions provided with the online application)
  • one must be completed by a professor who has taught the student
  • one must be from a work supervisor in a current or previous paid or volunteer position
  • a third reference form is optional

NOTE: Once applications are reviewed and given an initial rating by the Archie Motley Jury Selection Committee, finalists are notified, and interview are scheduled. Interviews will be held in late February, early March for selected finalists. After the interviews, student applicants are further evaluated and ranked. Final offers are extended in March.

The intern will work on a project planned by the assigned BMRC host institution and reviewed and approved by the AMAIP Jury Selection Committee. Each project requires at least 200 work hours over eight weeks during the summer. The BMRC Program Manager will communicate with intern supervisors at the selected BMRC-AMAIP host sites institutions regarding confirmation of hours worked by the AMAIP intern. 

Additionally, Archie Motley interns will be expected to:

• Participate in weekly one-on-one meetings with the BMRC Host Institution Supervisor.
• Participate in bi-weekly online meetings with the BMRC Program Manager.
• Participate in an online, asynchronous Enrichment & Professional Development Course (required but non-graded) using Canvas. This course requires one hour online in class each week and approximately an hour offline to read and complete assignments.
  • Completion of all assignments and participation in scheduled intern group discussions, informal chats, tours, or other activities is expected.
• Write a brief update at the midway point of their internship.
• After the eight weeks, submit an 800-1000 word summary report of their internship experience.
• Give a 10-15 minute presentation with slides at the end or immediately following the internship on a date determined by the BMRC Program Manager. The intern presentation date may be scheduled for either the last week of the internship or the following week.

Interns will receive $3,500 in funding for 216 hours of work spread across eight weeks of the summer between mid-June and mid-August.

NOTE: 200 hours are work hours at the assigned BMRC member repository and the other 16 are time participating in the mandatory Educational & Professional Development segment of the internship. (Approximately 2 hours per week)