Job Description

Please note: Wilson Library is currently planning for the multi-year Wilson Library Improvement Project, which will disrupt access to special collections materials beginning in 2024. Fellowship recipients should plan to complete their research in the collections by July 31, 2024.

Wilson Special Collections Library Southern Studies Doctoral Fellowship Program

The Southern Studies Doctoral Fellowships support research in Southern Studies making significant use of the rich and deep research resources available in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s special collections.

The Southern Studies Dissertation Research Fellowship

• Allows doctoral students and candidates to explore Wilson Library’s collections
• Supports a one-month residency which must be completed by July 31, 2024
• Total award is $3,000
• Applications that make use of oral histories are encouraged

Fellowship awards will be disbursed after the completion of a fellowship residency. It is strongly recommended that fellows arrive with the funds necessary to support their research residency.

Questions about the fellowships or the application process should be directed to Matt Turi via wilsonlibrary@unc.edu

To view other funded research opportunities at Wilson Library, please consult our Fellowship page

For technical assistance with this application system, please contact Interfolio at help@interfolio.com or call (877) 997-8807.

Qualifications

Fellowship Eligibility

Full-time students

• In good standing, AND
• Enrolled in a doctoral program studying the American South

Foreign nationals

• Residing in the United States on an F-1 student visa, AND
• Enrolled in a doctoral program studying the American South

Agree to:

• Commit to a full-time one-month research residency at Wilson Library which must be completed by July 31, 2024
• Submit a research proposal and research plan that draws deeply and substantively on the collections of the Wilson Special Collections Library
• Participate in the intellectual life of the Library and the fellowship program, which includes:
  • A public presentation of research findings and experiences
  • The submission of a brief research report

Application Instructions

Application materials will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Applications submitted by  midnight ET on January 31 will be given priority.

We will continue to accept applications until May 1 for UNC-Chapel Hill students and candidates and March 15 for students and candidates enrolled at other universities.

The following supporting materials must be included:

• Research Proposal A brief narrative [no more than 1200 words] that describes your proposed research and its intellectual significance.

• Research Plan A substantive preliminary list of Wilson Library resources that will be consulted during your residency. Brief annotations concerning the relevancy of a collection should be included.

• Curriculum vitae

• Two confidential letters of recommendation One must be from your academic advisor
• A letter from the Director of Graduate Studies confirming your current academic status

Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• Merit of the proposal

• Applicant’s qualifications and letters of recommendations

• Demonstrated need to access in person the holdings of the Wilson Special Collections Library