The Library of Congress Summer Research Fellowship Program is an annual initiative sponsored by the Department of Music and the Center for Popular Music Studies, with generous financial support from the Richman Family Fund and with initial startup funding from Dennis and Cynthia Santoli. This program selects participants to work as research interns in the Music Division of the Library of Congress. The fellowship typically spans up to three months during the summer, with fellows dividing their time equally between two main activities:
- Library Projects: Fellows work on projects assigned by the Head of Reader Services of the Music Division, tailored to their interests and the needs of the Library.
- Personal Research: Fellows also have the opportunity to pursue their own research projects using the vast resources available at the Library of Congress and other locations in the Washington, DC area.
Past fellows have engaged in diverse projects, including research on 17th and 18th-century libretti, silent film music, the WPA Federal Theatre Project, 19th-century American sacred music imprints, and the Dayton C. Miller flute collection. Their research has led to various scholarly outputs, such as talks, publications, and online postings.
Applications: A call for applications will be circulated to graduate students by the first week of December each year; applications will be due by December 31.
Previous Fellows:
- 2023: Celine Gosselin, Dane Harrison
- 2022: Dane Harrison, Carlos Gamez, Krista Mitchell
- 2019: James Aldridge, Taylor McClaskie
- 2018: Kelli Minelli, Stephanie Ruozzo
- 2017: Sophie Benn, Rachel McNellis
- 2016: Luke Conklin, Kate Doyle, Peter Graff
- 2015: Paul Abdullah, Nick Stevens
- 2014: Kate Doyle, Peter Graff
- 2013: Michael Bane, Brenton Grom
Online Postings by Previous Fellows:
- Taylor McClaskie
- Kelli Minelli
- Steph Ruozzo Post 1, Steph Ruozzo Post 2
- Sophie Benn
- Luke Conklin
- Kate Doyle
- Rachel McNellis Post 1, Rachel McNellis Post 2
This program not only offers invaluable research experience but also provides a platform for fellows to contribute to the broader field of musicology through their scholarly work.