Princeton ARCH Program

The application process for ARCH begins in the Spring semester. Staff from Princeton accompany Dr. Caryl McFarlane, the co-founder of the Alliance of HBCU Museums and Galleries, to various HBCUs to speak with students, faculty, and staff about the ARCH program. Applicants are asked to have an interest in library, archives, and/or special collections fields and a commitment to assisting archivists and library staff at home-campus archival repository.

When able to be held on-site, the following are included:

• All meals,
• Lodging,
• Travel to and from Princeton University,
• Transportation while on campus, and 
• A modest stipend

Interested students are asked to submit:

• A current resume,
• A 500-600 word-essay (maximum) that 1.) discusses what interests and/or experiences you have that qualify you for this opportunity, 2.) discusses your course/major interests and explain how they relate, or could relate, to the ARCH program, and 3.) offers some reflections on the information and arguments presented in a provided article,
• 1 letter of recommendation from a professor, library staff member/archivist, or curator,
• and the Student ARCH application form

Past essay topics have focused on one or more of the following articles:

• Powell, C., Smith, H., Murrain, S., & Hearn, S. (2018). This [Black] Woman’s Work: Exploring Archival Projects that Embrace the Identity of the Memory Worker. KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies, 2(1), 5. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/kula.25

Students are selected and informed in approximately early April, though this deadline can vary year to year. A current link to the application can be found here when applicable.