Native American Awards Program - Internship

This program is temporarily closed and we are not taking applications at this time due to COVID.

Background & Purpose

The Native American Awards Internship falls within the Native American Awards Program which supports students, who are formally or informally affiliated with a Native American community or tribe, to visit the Institution to learn about research or other museum related activities using its Native American-related resources.

Internship Awards are available for students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program.  Interns pursue projects supervised by Smithsonian staff members.

Eligibility

Applicants must be:

• Students who are formally or informally affiliated with a Native American community or tribe
• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or in a graduate program (this includes community college students)
• Must be interested in learning more about their academic and career goals as they relate to Native American resources

How it Works

Stipend: $700 per week, with possible travel allowance

All Sessions = 10 weeks, full time (40 hours per week)

• Deadline: February 1
  • For Summer (beginning after June 1) and Fall (beginning after October 1)

• Deadline: October 1
  • For Spring (beginning after January 1)

How to Apply

Applications must be received via SOLAA.

Once you have created an account and logged into SOLAA you will need to complete all the required information including:

• Mailing address
• Academic history
• Current university or college

Files you will need to upload:

Essay

• 2 - 4 pages double spaced
• 12 point type
• Must address the following:

1) Your past and present academic history and other experiences which you feel have prepared you for an internship

2) What you hope to accomplish through an internship, and how it would relate to your academic and career goals

3) What about the Smithsonian in particular interests you and leads you to apply for an internship

Transcripts (or other materials when transcripts are not issued) from all appropriate institutions are required. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. If transcripts or other materials are not in English the applicant should provide translations.

Resume

References

• Names and email addresses of two academic references
• All reference letters are considered confidential unless confidentiality has been waived by the reference
• Through SOLAA you will send an email to these referees so they can provide references through the web
• Have the reference submit in sufficient time to meet the application deadline

Selection Criteria

The relevance of an internship at the Smithsonian to the student’s academic and career goals will be an important part of the evaluation of an applicant. Applicants should note that it is not possible for the Office of Fellowships and Internships to arrange an internship project or award a stipend to all qualified candidates.

The Smithsonian does not discriminate on grounds of race, creed, sex, age, marital status, condition of handicap, or national origin of any applicant.

References

Past Native American Internship Recipients

FAQ

Minority Awards Program FAQ

If you have any questions please contact Pamela Hudson Veenbaas at 202-633-7070 or send an email to siofi@si.edu.