Museum of the City of New York
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in History Education

The Museum of the City of New York celebrates and interprets the city, educating the public about its distinctive character, especially its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation. The Museum is riding an exciting wave of success and is in the midst of a revitalization of its mission and operations, which centers on the recent renovation and expansion of its historic building, the advancement of the stewardship of its collections, and new and ambitious exhibitions, publications, and public and school programs.

The Museum of the City of New York seeks applications from scholars-in-training who wish to gain valuable hands-on experience in public history and teaching, to fill three Predoctoral Fellowships funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Andrew W. Mellon Predoctoral Fellows in History Education will enhance and expand educational activities now underway at the Museum’s Frederick A.O. Schwarz Education Center while receiving training in the fields of public history and museum education. The Schwarz Center welcomes over 46,000 students, teachers, and families each year.

The Fellowship is open to advanced (ABD) PhD candidates in fields relating to the collections and programs of the Museum of the City of New York. Three Fellows will be selected to be in residence at the Museum for two days a week for 14 months, during which time they will be fully integrated into the life of the Museum.

The Fellowship offers extensive experience and training in teaching. Fellows receive three months of focused training in museum pedagogy and observe programs delivered by Museum Educators before beginning to teach. Compensation is $30,900 for a commitment of two days a week at the Museum from July 2018 – August 2019. A stipend for relocation is available.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The Fellows will enhance the content of Schwarz Center programming by incorporating contemporary scholarship and diverse perspectives. In return, Fellows will hone their public engagement skills, benefiting potential future work as professors or public history professionals.

Following a training program led by Museum staff, Fellows will work primarily with the Museum’s flagship fieldtrip programs. Among their responsibilities:

• leading gallery-based tours, classes, and workshops for elementary through high school students, on topics pertaining to New York City that align with and will augment and support approved curricula
• researching topics related to the history and future of New York City linked to Museum exhibitions and preparing background material for presentation in student- and teacher-focused programs
• assisting with out-of-school enrichment programs such as New York City History Day, Family and Community Engagement Programs, and Teen Thursdays
• preparing lectures and resources for New York City K-12 teachers and educator

Eligibility:

The Fellowship is open to all advanced (ABD) PhD candidates in American History, Urban Studies, and fields relating to the collections and programs of the Museum of the City of New York. Fellows must be able to work at the Museum two days a week with some flexibility. Preference will be given to scholars whose work connects to the exhibitions and/or programs at the Museum of the City of New York.
The Museum encourages humanities scholars whose work is interdisciplinary and related to advancing the understanding of the historical and/or contemporary issues surrounding New York, and urbanism more broadly, and who have an interest in material/and or visual culture.

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in a doctoral program in the United States
• Have completed their coursework and have had a proposal for their dissertation accepted in a humanities or social science field
• Have demonstrated research interests (dissertation or otherwise) in one or more of the following areas and be interested in pursuing them in relation to an education initiative for elementary, middle, high school students, and teachers and/or the general museum public:
• Native American or colonial history
  o Immigration and/or ethnic studies
  o Social activism
  o Urban history, urban planning, or urban policy
  o Urban environmental studies and/or sustainability
  o New York art or architecture
  o Any aspect or era of New York City history
• Have an established interest in material and/or visual culture and a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches
• Have a good rapport working with, or interest in, presenting information to audiences of varied ages and backgrounds
• Have strong writing and interpersonal communications skills
• Have an interest in working with groups and the ability to explain complex historical information to diverse populations
• Be flexible and committed to working collaboratively

To Apply:

Applications are due March 7, 2018.

Applications must be submitted by email to Maeve Montalvo, Education Coordinator of the Andrew W. Mellon Predoctoral Fellowship, at mmontalvo@mcny.org and must include the following as attachments:

• Maximum two-page cover letter stating interest in exploring work in museum education and/or public history
• Statement of current research interests, including but not limited to dissertation topic, including an explanation of how they relate to the mission, exhibitions, or collections of the Museum of the City of New York. (no more than 2,500 words)
• Curriculum Vitae
  o Please include your dissertation title, proposal defense date, and intended dissertation defense date or year (if known).
• Two confidential letters of referral. If you have experience teaching, one letter should come from someone familiar with your teaching practice. References can email letters to mmontalvo@mcny.org with the Subject: “Mellon Predoctoral Letter of Reference for [Name]” (preferred method) or mail them to Museum of the City of New York, Attn: Maeve Montalvo, 1220 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10029.
• The deadline for receipt of the cover letter, CV, and statement of research interests is March 7, 2018. Reference letters must be received by March 19, 2017.

The Museum of the City of New York is committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as New York City and audiences who are curious about learning more about its history and engaging in contemporary urban issues. Our staff members are dedicated to working towards a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring city museum in the world.

The Museum of the City of New York is an equal opportunity employer. As such, the museum provides equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants without unlawful discrimination with respect to age, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identification, marital status, military status or veteran, national origin, political association, political/personal convictions, predisposing genetic characteristics, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, geographic location, philosophies, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws, in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, demotion, transfer, lay-off, and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment. All employment-related decisions are based solely on relevant criteria including training, experience, and suitability