C. Dallett Hemphill Summer Internship Program

The McNeil Center for Early American Studies solicits institutional partners to host undergraduate interns who will carry out public-facing history initiatives in the greater Philadelphia region during the summer of 2025.

Internships will last approximately eight weeks and require a full-time commitment (35 hours per week). The McNeil Center will contribute $3,000 toward the stipend of each intern.

Proposed projects should relate to the Center’s mission to facilitate inquiry into the histories and cultures of North America in the Atlantic world before 1850. Proposals from museums, historic sites, public works, or university-led initiatives are encouraged.

We seek partnerships with institutions that are willing to provide mentorship and further the professional and intellectual development of interns. Each proposed internship should have components that include research, analysis, and communication.  

For more information on the types of research projects that summer interns have completed in the past, please visit our Q-and-A's with former interns Jordan Codispoti, Ruth Freer, and Josh DiPrima.

Potential partners should submit a one-page letter of interest at the location linked below by January 17, 2025, addressing the following:

• Duties of the proposed internship.
• Scope and objectives of the public history project.
• Skills interns will develop through participating.
• Mentorship and professional development plan.
• Financial support available to contribute toward the stipend.

Please direct all inquiries to Peter Olsen-Harbich, Associate Director, The McNeil Center for Early American Studies.

Please upload your one-page letter of interest here.

Internship Opportunities

Call for Applications for the C. Dallett Hemphill Summer Internships

The McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania will sponsor two undergraduate internships in the summer of 2025, at Historic Trappe and the Dialogue Institute of Temple University. The stipend for each internship is $4,500. These internships are open to undergraduate students enrolled at McNeil Center Consortium institutions and are designed to introduce students to professional work in public history settings. Interns are expected to work 35 hours per week for 8 weeks. Beginning and end dates will be arranged between the partner institution and the intern, but internships should be completed by September 1, 2025. One-half of the stipend will be paid at the beginning of the internship, and the other half will be remitted at its completion.

Please submit applications by April 25, 2025.

Partner Institutions and Position Description

WYCK HISTORIC HOUSE, GARDEN, AND FARM

This intern will assist with research and re-interpretation of an understudied Chinese desk (c. 1815-1835) in the Wyck museum collection under the guidance of curatorial staff. With strong links to nineteenth-century trader Nathan Dunn’s Philadelphia “Chinese Museum,” an examination and re-interpretation of this desk has the potential to illuminate the nuances of cultural and material exchange between Chinese and American traders, Quaker social and material networks, and the politics of collecting and public display in early 19th century Philadelphia. The intern will hone their archival research skills by helping to establish historical context for the desk’s arrival in America and at Wyck. They will develop a familiarity with Philadelphia-area archival repositories and practice searching for, reading, and occasionally transcribing original sources. They will assist staff in developing a written report that will form the basis for future public interpretation and will contribute ideas to an interpretive plan. They will also have the opportunity to give public tours and participate in other aspects of small museum collections management as special needs arise. The intern will work under the direct supervision of Grace Ford-Dirks, Manager of Interpretation and Public Engagement.

THE DIALOGUE INSTITUTE AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

This intern will contribute to two interrelated projects at the Dialogue Institute at Temple University. The first is a public history tour program that educates the general public about the themes of religious diversity and democracy in early Philadelphia history, particularly during the founding period. The program offers tours to the general public, trains guides, and is building a tour app to engage tourists with digital content. In the summer of 2025, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, we will host a two-week institute for K-12 educators called “City of Brotherly Love: Religious Diversity, Freedom, and the Founding of the Nation in Philadelphia.” The intern would gather, organize, edit, and conduct additional research as needed for historical content. In consultation with senior staff, the intern will curate and format material on several historic sites for input into an easy-to-use program (STQRY) that hosts a forthcoming tour app. During the final two weeks, the intern will participate in the K-12 institute, engaging in conversations about content and assisting participants in finding resources related to the themes and modules in the institute. Interns will gain skills in conducting and organizing historical research, experience in writing historical narratives in engaging ways, and expertise in creating digital content for public audiences.

Eligibility

This program is intended for undergraduate students currently enrolled at McNeil Center Consortium member institutions. If your institution is not yet a Consortium member, please contact Peter Olsen-Harbich, Associate Director (peteroh@sas.upenn.edu) to register interest and receive information on joining.

Submission Instructions

Please submit applications and inquiries by email to Peter Olsen-Harbich, Associate Director, McNeil Center at peteroh@sas.upenn.edu. Applicants should submit the following items (items 1 through 4) in a single PDF. Letters of recommendation should be submitted separately to Peter by the recommender by April 25.

1. Cover Sheet, including contact info, institution, major/minor, anticipated graduation date, recommender, and ranking of interest in internships. Do not rank internships for which you do not wish to be considered.

2. Application letter, explaining interest in the ranked internships, relevant experience and coursework, and commitment to pursuing public history or related fields.

3. Curriculum Vitae.

4. Transcript (unofficial).

5. Letter of Recommendation, from Professor or professional contact (submitted separately).