The Immigration History Research Center will award fellowships in 2009-2010 of up to $15,000 to University of Minnesota graduate students making use of the IHRC’s extensive Estonian, Latvian, and Arab American collections.
Up to two full-year fellowships will be available to support Estonian American studies, one full-year fellowship for Latvian American studies, and one single-semester fellowship for Arab American studies will be available to support graduate students. Fellows must be able to conduct research in IHRC collections in the areas of their fellowships.
The IHRC holds extensive archival and print materials for studying the American experience of Estonian, Latvian, and Near Eastern immigrants. The Estonian American collection is the largest Estonian diaspora collection in the world. The IHRC has exceptional strength in ethnic publishing, especially from Latvian and Arab American publishers.
The range of materials in Estonian and Latvian American collections spans Displaced Persons Camp publications and refugee assistance organizations to international scouting and song festivals. Highlights of the Near Eastern collections include the papers of Philip K. Hitti, Mary Mokarzel, and Francis Maria.
Applicants must submit a form for department nomination to their graduate programs by December 15, 2008, to express interest in being nominated for a fellowship.
Departments must submit application materials, including evidence of relevant language proficiency, by February 1, 2009, to the IHRC. Fellowship winners will be announced in spring 2009.
Current or prospective graduate students are strongly encouraged to learn more about the IHRC collections and fellowships at www.ihrc.umn.edu.
The awards are made with support from the Hildegard and Gustave Must Graduate Fellowship in Estonian American Studies Fund, American Latvian Association Graduate Fellowship in Latvian American Studies Fund, Francis Maria Graduate Fellowship in Arab American Studies Fund, and 21st Century Graduate Fellowship Endowment. The IHRC is a unit of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota.
Award of each fellowship is contingent upon nomination of qualified Graduate School applicants by a current (or prospective) department and final statements of revenue from associated endowments. For more information, please contact Haven Hawley, IHRC Acting Director and Program Director, at ehh@umn.edu.