The Humanities Institute (THI) is excited to announce an Undergraduate Public Fellowship opportunity for Humanities students at UC Santa Cruz to work with the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH). THI’s Public Fellowships connect students in the Humanities to projects in the community, with the aim of mutually benefiting students and community organizations. Students gain first-hand experience learning about positions outside of the university that build on their studies in the Humanities and give them professional training, while, at the same time, organizations benefit from students’ assistance and academic background. THI’s Public Fellowships foster positive collaborations between the campus and community, demonstrating the value of a Humanities degree for a range of careers.
Job Title: Assistant Education Coordinator, MAH Exhibitions & Programs
Application deadline: October 7th, 2022
This position has been made available by a generous grant from The Humanities Institute, and as such, only applicants that are declared majors/minors in the Humanities Division of UCSC will be considered. This program is intended to provide undergraduate students with the chance to gain some professional experience in the field of Public Humanities that they can use once their studies are completed. Selected students will be named Public Fellows of The Humanities Institute.
About the Project:
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) is a thriving community gathering place that offers rotating art and history exhibitions, visual and performing artworks, public festivals, education and outreach programs, and cultural celebrations in collaboration with our many partners. The location is 705 Front St., in downtown Santa Cruz.
We are looking for 1 undergraduate student to work within the MAH’s Exhibitions & Programs team throughout the academic year (approximately November 1, 2022-June 15, 2023). 
The chosen student for this fellowship will be paid $15 dollars per hour for their work and will be working closely with Oscar Paz, the Education Coordinator, as well as other staff on the Exhibitions & Programs team. In addition, there will be an optional fellowship stipend of $500, from The Humanities Institute, if the accepted individual is willing to conduct a year-end research project connected to their work at the MAH.
Assistant Education Coordinator Duties will include:
Drawing from your personal experiences, skills, and interests, you will have the opportunity to support and develop the MAH’s overall educational goals and objectives. Your time will be split between creating educational programming and leading school field trips and tours. You will succeed in this role if you have an open mind, are patient and intentional, and overall carry a passion for community building.
- Lead and develop school tours and education events (school tours are Tuesday-Thursday, 10 am-12 pm) 50%
- Assist in brainstorming, planning, researching, and creating activities for current or upcoming exhibitions. 20%
- Hold weekly check-in meetings with Oscar to discuss progress and work tasks 10%
- Assist in the upkeep and organization of the classroom and art supplies 10%
- Work collaboratively with other interns, volunteers, and staff. 10%
The selected undergraduate student is expected to work 10-20 hours per week.
Students who are awarded this fellowship opportunity will be required to present their work to The Humanities Institute.
You’re an ideal candidate if you:
- Are available to work Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning once a week in person. Arrive at 9:30 am and leave by 12 pm.
- Have some digital media experience or are willing to learn
- Have an interest in education, teaching, public history, art, creativity, and engagement
- Are dependable, reliable, and a team player
- Are able to work independently, are organized, can communicate effectively
- Are comfortable interacting with the public
- Are in good academic standing
- Are a declared major or minor in the Humanities Division at UCSC
- Are bilingual in Spanish (a bonus but not required)
How to apply:
Apply by sending your resume with a short cover letter (no more than one page) answering these questions: Why this job? Why you? Why now? A tip for writing this cover letter is to consider how this position will further your undergraduate career as well as your professional career once you have completed your education. What are some ways you have worked in the public history field; or if you haven’t, what intrigues you about the possibility? What are some exciting ways you have thought about how one might engage local communities through historical programming? Feel free to be creative here. Work in the Public Humanities does not have a rigid framework and innovation and the ability to adapt are key components.
Once the application closes, there will be an in-person interview process with selected candidates throughout October, with official duties beginning in November 2022.
We are very excited about this opportunity for Humanities undergraduates, and wish you the best of luck in your application!
Students should apply via Handshake using job number 6951511.
Note that there are two different THI Undergraduate Public Fellowships at the MAH this year. Information about the Assistant Archives Coordinator position is available here.
Please contact Research Programs and Communications Manager, Saskia Nauenberg Dunkell (saskia@ucsc.edu), with any questions.
THI’s 2022-2023 Undergraduate Public Fellowships are generously supported by the Helen and Will Webster Foundation.