This summer Spelman College Archivist, Holly Smith welcomes two undergraduate students from Clafin University to the campus for a summer fellowship where they will be introduced to the rich cultural holdings of Atlanta University Center.

The Leadership Alliance, founded at Brown University in 1992 as a partnership of 23 institutions, came together to develop underrepresented students into outstanding leaders and role models in academia, business and the public sector. Today, this consortium has grown to more than 30 institutions and private industry who have provided research and networking experiences to over 4,000 young scholars.

The First Year Summer Research Program enables students from institutions serving historically underrepresented groups to conduct research during the Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP). The SR-EIP program offers closely mentored research experiences in the life and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities at 20 research institutions across the country. SR-EIP Participants spend 8-10 weeks at a Leadership Alliance institution; Receive a stipend, and travel and housing expenses from the research institution; work under the guidance of a faculty or research mentor; make oral or poster presentations at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium; and gain access to ongoing resources, mentoring and professional networks to support their chosen career path.

We are delighted to welcome Keighla Pope and Camille Barnes from Claflin University as the inaugural Summer 2019 Spelman Interns! Camille and Keighla will be conducting initial research for a digital exhibition on drama and dance at Spelman College and across the Atlanta University Center. They will be researching in archival collections at Spelman, AUC Woodruff Library’s Archives Research Center and other area institutions, writing exhibit text, and assisting with uploading items into the digital platform.

Camille and Keighla will also document their experiences through bi-weekly blog posts on the GLAM Center Portal, stay tuned to see what they discover!