Apply for a SIMS Graduate Student Curatorial Fellowship

2026–2027 Graduate Student Curatorial Fellowship

Applications for the 2026–2027 fellowship are due on September 11, 2026.

The Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS) is pleased to announce a call for applications for the 2026–2027 Graduate Student Curatorial Fellowship, which aims to support emerging scholars seeking career opportunities in the cultural heritage sector. Through a nine-month placement at SIMS, the fellowship offers the chance to explore the curatorial profession up close in a special collections environment. Working closely with curators and other staff, the fellow will engage with the rich physical and digital manuscript and manuscript-related resources at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, including the Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection, the Schoenberg Database of Manuscripts, BASIRA, and VCEditor. The goal of the fellowship is to gain familiarity with the skills and knowledge required to research, interpret, and teach premodern manuscripts and manuscript culture to a wide range of audiences and to develop and manage these types of collections in a professional library context.

Over the 2026–27 academic year, the fellow will work with SIMS staff to gain experience in the following areas: collections research, acquisitions, cataloging, and digital project management. Fellow will also participate in outreach activities, which may include, but are not limited to, leading workshops, creating social media content, curating pop-up exhibitions, and supporting visiting class instruction.

Terms

The Fellow will receive a total stipend of $7,200, to be dispersed monthly during the nine-month term, beginning October 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. During this time, the fellow will be expected to spend 8 hours/week at SIMS in the Kislak Center at Penn Libraries and to attend regular biweekly meetings with SIMS staff. Precise beginning and end dates and a weekly schedule will be determined in consultation with the fellow upon appointment.

Eligibility

The fellowship is available to all Penn graduate students enrolled during the 2026–2027 academic term. International students are welcome to apply but must be work-eligible according to their visa terms. Advanced undergraduate students are also eligible.

Application Process


To be considered, applicants must submit the following by Friday, September 11, 2026:

• 1-2 page statement outlining your interests in the fellowship and how it will align with your academic and professional goals.
• CV
• A letter from the applicant’s Graduate (or Undergraduate) Chair confirming departmental support of the student’s application.
• Two letters of recommendation, including one from the student’s advisor and another from an established scholar in the student’s field with expertise relating to manuscript studies. Letters of recommendation should be submitted separately by email.

Please send applications by email to lransom@upenn.edu, preferably as a single pdf.