Gary and Carolyn Strong Special Collections Fellowship
Submit an Application
Checking application status...
Fellowship Details
- Award Amount:
- $4500
- Eligibility:
- Graduate Students currently enrolled in a University of Idaho program
- Application Period:
- February 11 - April 15
Questions?
Contact the Special Collections department at libspec@uidaho.edu
Description
This program funds one student each year to work for the faculty and staff at the Library to increase the visibility and use of previously unprocessed collections in the University of Idaho Library's Special Collections & Archives.
Call for Applications
The University of Idaho Library invites graduate students from any discipline at the University of Idaho to apply for the Gary E. and Carolyn J. Strong Special Collections Fellowship. This program funds one student each year to work with the faculty and staff at the Library to increase the visibility and use of previously unprocessed collections in the University of Idaho Library’s Special Collections and Archives. The fellowship occurs during the summer for six to eight weeks, with exact dates to be negotiated with the successful applicant. Thought priority is given to doctoral students, masters students may be selected. Eligible applicants must have plans to enroll in the fall semester after the fellowship.
Applicants with an interest in working with archival materials, as a scholar or as a professional, are encouraged to apply for this hands-on learning opportunity. The activities of the fellow will be focused on processing and digitizing previously uncatalogued donations. University of Idaho Library personnel will assist and guide the work; applicants are not required to have experience in arranging archival material or creating digital collections.
The deliverables from the fellowship will be materials such as finding aids that assist in discovery and use of the collection, a digital collection hosted by the U of I Library, or a multi-modal interpretative essay that uses embedded digital items (images, PDFs, videos, etc.) from the fellow’s research to introduce their research and describe their experience on the fellowship. All deliverables will be made publicly available through the U of I Library webpage.
The award includes a $4,500 student fellowship and up to $500 in research funds to help cover the cost of materials and supplies, project-related travel expenses, etc.
Since 2021, Strong Fellowship recipients have improved access to a variety of collections, including the League of Women Voters of Moscow records, the Women in Natural Resources collection, the Palouse Science Fiction Association collection, and the Lyle J. Reed collection related to the Old Time Fiddle Festival, the Plant, Soil, and Entomological Sciences records, the WWAMI records, the Wildlife Resources Department records, and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest historic photos collection.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit:
- A letter of no more than 500 words that addresses each of the following questions:
- What interests you in this fellowship?
- Which of the available projects listed below would you like to work on and why?
- What previous experience, education, and/or training do you have that will contribute to the success of this project?
- How will you accomplish the work of the fellowship during 6 to 8 weeks over the summer? What timeline would you follow?
- What learning outcomes do you hope to gain through this fellowship?
- A current resume or CV.
- A letter of support from a U of I faculty member.
Applications are due Wednesday, April 15th by the end of the day and a decision will be announced within two weeks of the deadline.
Application Criteria
Applications will be judged on the following criteria:
- Application materials are clearly written and demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the nature and purpose of the project, how it relates to other work in the field, and it includes a plan for accomplishing project goals.
- Proposed project allows student to take intellectual ownership and can be reasonably completed in the allotted time.
- Proposed project provides an opportunity for the student to advance their thesis or dissertation work, or develop a new skill set.
- Student is prepared for the project (coursework, experience, interest and ability to navigate and use primary sources, etc.)
- Faculty member has submitted supportive recommendation.
Potential Projects
- David Engerbretson papers, local flyfishing expert
- Idaho Conservation League, organizational records
- Potlatch Forest, Inc. aerial photographs
- Idaho 4-H State Office records
- Idaho Geological Survey records
- Paul Conditt’s papers, longtime U of I Librarian
Interested students are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposals with the Head of Special Collections and Archives, Dulce Kersting-Lark, as they are developing their application materials. Dulce can be reached at dulce@uidaho.edu.
Past Projects
Process donation of records from state 4-H office
Abbie Youngberg
2026 • Archeology
Process donation of aerial photos from Potlatch Corporation
Shelley Walker Harmon
2026 • History
Process Wildlife Resources Department records
Marwa Elsayed
2025 • Political Science
Process donation of historic photos from Forest Service
Ash Hunter
2025 • Archaeology
Process donation of materials from Plant, Soil, and Entomological Sciences.
Kate Morrison
2024 • Earth & Spatial Sciences
Fellow arranged and described accession, creating metadata that allowed for a public-facing finding aid. She also scanned a selection of materials ...
Process donation of materials from WWAMI
Brian Tibayan
2024 • Education
Fellow arranged and described accession, creating metadata that allowed for a public-facing finding aid. He also scanned a selection of materials f...
Process donation of materials related to the Weiser Old Time Fiddle Festival
Daniel Vargas
2023 • History
Daniel arranged and described accession, creating metadata that allowed for a public-facing finding aid. He also digitized a selection of materials...
Process the Women in Natural Resources collection
Floriana Tulli
2022 • English
A second award was given in 2022 because there was a strong candidate pool. The Strong family provided some additional funding that, combined with ...
Process the Palouse Empire Science Fiction Association records
Dusty Fleener
2022 • History
Year 2, 2022: Awarded to Dusty Fleener, a PhD student, to process the Palouse Empire Science Fiction Association records. His work is ongoing and w...
Process the League of Women Voters of Moscow records
Erin Geslani
2021 • Cultural Anthropology
Year 1, 2021: Awarded to Erin Geslani, an MA student, to process the League of Women Voters of Moscow records. She processed 13 cubic feet of mater...