The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is seeking two museum fellows to curate an Italian American exhibit for the Foundation’s new museum at NIAF Headquarters, located at the Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Building, 1860 19th Street NW, Washington, DC. Fellows will lead the project from start to finish, utilizing the Foundation’s materials and Italian American artifacts to create an exhibit with a constructed narrative. Fellows will also create a sample of this exhibit for the NIAF 41st Anniversary Gala Weekend, October 14-15, 2016, where the fellows will serve as docents for the expected footprint of over 2,000 people.

This fellowship gives students the rare opportunity to have complete responsibility for the execution of a full exhibit, helping to build students’ resumes and portfolios. The full exhibit at NIAF Headquarters will be on display for all visitors until the start of the next fellowship round (August 2017).

DETAILS:

Full-semester fellowship: Monday, August 22, 2016 – Friday, December 2, 2016

Fellows will receive a $1,500 stipend to aid with travel and living expenses while in Washington

Fellows are expected to work a minimum of 15 hours per week at the NIAF Headquarters and will be expected to meet deadlines provided by Foundation supervisors

Fellows will work with a mentor from the Foundation’s leadership, who will be able to answer questions and offer any necessary guidance

Fellows will be given free access to all NIAF Gala Weekend events, including the Friday night event and Saturday night Gala Dinner Students cannot remove any exhibit materials from the Foundation without prior authorization from Foundation supervisors

IMPORTANT DATES:

Application Now Available: Go to http://www.niaf.org/museum and click the link to apply

Deadline to apply: Monday, August 1, 2016 (11:59 p.m. EST)

Students notified: Wednesday, August 3, 2016 (5:00 p.m. EST)

Fellowship begins: Monday, August 22, 2016

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

·         A junior or senior in college, majoring in one of the following fields: Art, Art History, International Studies, History or Italian Studies A graduate student pursuing a degree in Art, Art History, International Studies, History, Italian Studies or Museum Studies

·         A recent graduate (no longer than a year out of school) who pursued a degree in Art, Art History, International Studies, History, Italian Studies or Museum Studies

·         Applicants must provide TWO references who are current/former employers, supervisors, or current/former professors. Please do NOT include family members.

·         Applicants must email a resume and unofficial copy of their college transcript to museum@niaf.org Preference will be given to students who have museum, gallery and/or curatorial experience

Please note that NIAF cannot guarantee that Fellows will receive school credit for their fellowship. Fellows who are interested in receiving college credit should be in contact with their university career center and an academic advisor.

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The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a 501 c (3) nonpartisan, educational foundation that promotes Italian American culture and heritage. Our mission is to preserve and protect the proud heritage of an estimated 25 million Americans of Italian descent, the nation’s fifth largest ethnic group. We do this by funding  a wide range of scholarships and educational programs, promoting the study of the Italian language, serving as the major advocate in the Nation’s Capital for Italian Americans and hosting events to celebrate the Italian American heritage. For more information on NIAF, please visitwww.niaf.org