Special Collections & Archives: Wardman Library Faculty Fellowship

The Wardman Library is pleased to announce the creation of the Wardman Library Special Collections Teaching Fellowship! 

A great opportunity for collaboration between the Library and the faculty community. The goal is to encourage the creative use of the Library’s Special Collections for teaching and promoting primary resource literacy. 

This fellowship opportunity is open to all Whittier College faculty members. Recipients will receive a stipend of $1,500 from the Library and will be expected to spend the equivalent of one work week (40 hours) in the Library’s Special Collections and Archives and/or working with librarians and staff. The research time could be spent exploring the unique rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials within the library, developing course modules or assignments that utilize these collections, and meeting with librarians to plan effective ways of incorporating these materials into a future course.  

Logistics/Expectations

The time period for research will be mutually agreed upon between each fellow and the Library. While this period could take place throughout the year, Summer and JanTerm are preferable time periods for the Library. After completing the research, the teaching fellows will be required to submit a course syllabus with information indicating the use of Special Collections materials into the course OR a 1-2 page report containing a description of how they plan to incorporate Special Collections materials into the course.  Fellows would also be expected to share their fellowship and course experience at a future faculty development event. 

•  A workspace or temporary office will be provided. 
• The Library can award up to two fellowships per year

Application Process

It is recommended, prior to formally applying, that a potential candidate contacts the Library Director to provide a background/tour of the Special Collections, and to discuss potential work. 

 To officially apply, candidates should submit to dmccasli@whittier.edu 

• Brief vita
• A statement outlining their initial thoughts for how they would like to best use their fellowship time, especially noting the course (or courses) where they would like to develop new course content. 

Review Process

Applications would be reviewed by the Library Director and the Associate Dean of Faculty Development.  Faculty applications would be evaluated based on their potential to enhance teaching and learning for the Whittier College student through the use of these unique collections. While the applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, priority will be given to applications which indicate the impact of an immediate course.