Amherst Folger Humanities Fellowship Program Details

The Amherst Folger Humanities Fellowship provides one Amherst College graduate with nine months of The Amherst Folger Humanities Fellowship is designed to serve graduates looking to explore the broad range of roles within cultural institutions, libraries & archives, and museums & collections. 

FELLOWSHIP ASSIGNMENTS
Supervisors work closely with staff members and the selected fellow to determine project and research assignments that best support the fellow’s professional and intellectual goals, as well as the ongoing initiatives of their mentors at the Folger and Dumbarton Oaks.

All fellows will have the opportunity to work closely with staff in the Folger’s collections, research, or exhibitions teams, and departmental assignments at Dumbarton Oaks may include hands-on work in curation and exhibit preparation, research and publication, collection development or conservation, marketing and communication, or education and public outreach initiatives. The Fellow will split their nine month assignment equally between both institutions—spending two days per week at each site and devoting each Friday to research and professional development. 

The Amherst fellow will be part of a cohort that includes post-baccalaureate fellows from Harvard University. Professional development opportunities will be offered to the fellow throughout their stay, connecting them with a wide range of humanities scholars, administrators, and practitioners in Washington, DC.

TERM & COMPENSATION
The fellowship term runs from September 2025 through May 2026 and includes a $26,000 stipend, housing in Washington, DC at Dumbarton Oaks for the term of the fellowship, optional health insurance, and a research allowance of $1,000 to support attendance of a conference, exhibition, or to pursue coursework related to the fellow’s academic or professional interests. 

ELIGIBILITY
Open to graduating seniors and recent graduates (December 2023–May 2025) who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or eligible for OPT.

APPLICATION
To be considered for the fellowship, applicants will be required to submit the following:

  • Résumé
  • Transcript (an unofficial transcript from Registrar’s Office is acceptable)
  • An example of the applicant’s work (a written paper, article, portfolio, or project), no more than 10 pages
  • A statement of purpose that describes the applicant’s background and interests and explains how a fellowship in the humanities will further their intellectual and professional goals. The applicant should outline what skills they hope to acquire over the course of the fellowship.
  • Two letters of recommendation to be sent by recommenders to Carla Costa: ccosta@amherst.edu

All interested applicants are highly encouraged to review these Frequently Asked Questions.

QUESTIONS
Carla Costa, Program Director for Careers in Arts and Communication at the Loeb Center for Career Exploration & Planning can answer questions about the fellowship experience and provide support in developing application materials. Email ccosta@amherst.edu or book an appointment in Handshake to discuss your application.

All interested applicants are highly encouraged to review these Frequently Asked Questions.

SELECTION PROCESS
Interviews of short-listed candidates will be held virtually. The fellow will be chosen for their outstanding scholarly achievements, broad cultural engagement, desire to gain and use new skills, and potential to contribute to dynamic humanities communities. The fellowship will benefit an individual who may not be intent on pursuing another degree immediately after graduating, would like to learn while contributing to the advancement of group projects, and would gain from spending an academic year in Washington, DC. The selected fellow need not have been a concentrator in the humanities, but should have demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to the humanities through coursework or extracurricular activities. Their ability to communicate their vision of what the humanities mean to their own peers will be given weight in making the award.