The Martha’s Vineyard Museum has had a summer internship program, in place since 1993. In 2013, the internship program was dedicated to Sheldon Hackney, former president of the University of Pennsylvania and Tulane University, Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Clinton, and former MVM Board Chairman. Sheldon staunchly advocated for educational opportunities, community development, and the importance of history his entire life. Shortly before his death in 2013, Sheldon was awarded the Martha’s Vineyard Medal where he shared, “My commitment to the Vineyard grows out of its character of being very diverse. Yet there’s a strong commitment to the health and happiness of each community. As I am a historian, you won’t be surprised by my belief that the understanding of one’s community increase one’s commitment to it. It is up to each of us to use our understanding of who we are and what our community is to build a society of which we can all be proud. That is why this Museum is so important to this community. We don’t need to behave like our predecessors, but we need to understand who we are, so we can become who we want to be. History is about the future.”
In 2023, the MV Museum will offer fellowships in the curatorial, education/public programs, and marketing/events departments. Fellows enjoy a variety of museum experiences, including working with the collection, performing research, preparing exhibits, organizing programs, assisting with special events, running kids activities, interacting with visitors, and working with a professional staff. Schedules are to be arranged with individual fellows and departments, and each department has their own requirements. These fellowships offer a stipend for the summer, which is based on the number of hours the fellow is expected to work. With the experience gained at MVM, many of the previous fellows have gone on to careers in the fields of library science, historic preservation, public history, non-profit management, and museum studies. Energetic, self-motivated, flexible individuals who are independent, creative, and willing to be team players will best fit these positions.
DUTIES AND DURATION OF THE FELLOWSHIP
Along with the tasks assigned by their supervisor, fellows will be asked to participate in several organizational events and perform a number of organizational duties.
- Attend all fellow meetings and training sessions.
- Assist Museum staff in the Evening of Discovery summer gala on July 1, 2023.
Fellowships will commence on May 30, 2023. All fellows are asked to work as late into August as possible.
FELLOWSHIP DESCRIPTIONS
Energetic, self-motivated, flexible individuals who are independent, creative, and willing to be team players will best fit these positions.
Curatorial Fellow
This fellow will work closely with the curatorial team. The fellowship will provide hands-on experience with collection management including:
- Object handling
- Processing objects into the collection
- Inventory and inventory reconciliation
- Cataloging
- Rehousing
- Collections housekeeping
- Database work
- Processing incoming and outgoing loans
- Photographing collections
- Other tasks relating to collections management
Candidates must be both collaborative and willing to work independently. Graduate students with some museum experience are preferred.
The curatorial fellowship is part-time requiring at least 20 hours per week. This fellowship will be awarded a $2,500 stipend.
Education Fellow
Education fellows will be focused on developing and delivering the redesigned Discovery Days summer program for children ages 7-12:
- Research, content design, and sourcing materials
- Collaborate interdepartmentally in the creation of promotional materials, organizing registration, and other operational aspects of delivering Discovery Days
- Deliver the daily programming
- Evaluate the program according to mission and financial metrics
Required Skills/Qualifications:
- Enjoy working with children (a variety of ages and abilities), both one-on-one and in small groups.
- Some experience designing and delivering age-appropriate, content-oriented learning opportunities.
- Classroom management skills and flexibility to adapt the instructional format to suit the diverse learning styles presented in the group.
- Comfortable and familiar with youth-oriented art, craft, and performing arts activities.
- Study in education, museum studies, or public history preferred.
Flexible hours with the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends required. There are two education fellow positions available, one part-time (20 hours per week) and one full-time (40 hours per week). The part-time fellow will be awarded a $2,500 stipend, the full-time fellow will be awarded a $5,000 stipend.
Marketing and Events Fellow
This fellow will assist in the development of marketing materials and support promotion for the Museum’s summer events, exhibits, and programs. The candidate will participate in the planning, execution, and follow-up of the various events held throughout the summer including our annual gala, fundraising events, private rentals, exhibit openings, lectures, author talks, etc. Organization and the ability to juggle multiple projects at once is a must. The candidate must possess excellent verbal communication skills and be comfortable in social situations. Good writing skills are necessary and familiarity with Adobe InDesign/Photoshop, Canva, or other graphic design platforms is a plus.
Flexible hours with the ability to work some evenings and weekends required. The marketing and events fellowship is a full-time fellowship requiring 40 hours per week. They will be awarded a $5,000 stipend.
HOUSING
Housing is not provided for fellows, and preference will be given to applicants who have secured housing. Please note, summer rentals are extremely limited on Martha’s Vineyard. We recommend making a plan for housing before applying due to the scarcity of the summer rental market.
QUALIFICATIONS
A strong interest in museums, non-profits, education, or archives is necessary. A high degree of responsibility and the ability to work professionally with the public are essential. Excellent organizational skills are necessary. Each of the fellowships requires the fellow to have the capacity to work independently.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To be considered for a summer fellowship, you must submit a complete application to the MVM by February 24, 2023.
A completed application package includes:
- Application Form
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- A One Page Writing Sample (for curatorial fellow applicants only). This can be any writing done for a college class, job, internship, etc. You do not need to create a new writing sample for the purpose of this application.
If you have any questions, please email Savannah Berryman-Moore at fellows@mvmuseum.org
