Call for Applications: SAH Annual Conference Student Diversity Fellowship

Feb 16, 2021 by SAH News

The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) alongside its Minority Scholars, Asian American & Diasporic Architectural History, and Race & Architectural History Affiliate Groups invite applications for a 2021 SAH annual conference undergraduate and professional student fellowship intended to diversify the field of architectural history. 

This new fellowship program is designed to welcome undergraduate and professional students to the Society of Architectural Historians by fully funding attendance at the Society’s signature annual conference and a one-year electronic membership to SAH. Undergraduate students may come from any course of study, so long as they have participated in at least one prior architectural history course, and professional students may come from any design discipline.

The Society of Architectural Historians is a nonprofit membership organization that serves a network of local, national, and international institutions and individuals who, by profession or interest, focus on the history of the built environment and its role in shaping contemporary life. 

The goal of the fellowship is to introduce students from historically underrepresented groups to architectural history as an independent area of expertise, a desirable and viable career option, mentor them as they explore their interest, and engage them in the work of SAH. We particularly welcome applications from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students from universities across the Americas and those who study at designated minority-serving institutions (including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions). 

SAH Student Diversity Fellows will:

  • Attend the 2021 SAH conference (held virtually) on April 13-17, May 4-27 at no cost.

  • Receive a free one-year electronic membership in SAH, which includes access to all SAH CONNECTS virtual programming, various digital resources, and eligibility for grants and funding opportunities.

  • Participate in an informal virtual get together with members of the SAH Minority Scholars, Asian American & Diasporic Architectural History, and Race & Architectural History Affiliate Groups at the beginning and end of the conference.

  • Attend conference sessions including some of those suggested on a curated list of sessions recommended by the SAH Affiliate Groups.

  • Communicate with a SAH Affiliate Group mentor (assigned ahead of time). Students are invited to virtually “accompany” their mentors to conference sessions and other events, as appropriate.

  • Create a post-conference reflection with your assigned Affiliate Group mentor in the form of an interview or conversation (text or video), to be shared with peers at your institution and the SAH. 

Fellowship Selection Criteria:

  • Evidence of interest in architectural history signaled through successful completion of at least 1 course in architectural history (as recorded on an unofficial / official transcript).

  • A personal statement reflecting on your experience studying architectural history or related coursework and thoughts about how architectural history might help us think differently about issues of equity and social justice (500 words maximum).

  • Commitment to fulfilling the conditions of the fellowship.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Up to 10 applicants will be selected by a committee consisting of members of the Minority Scholars, Asian American & Diasporic Architectural History, and Race & Architectural History Affiliate Groups of the Society of Architectural Historians.

Please submit your application online (login required), along with your transcript, by Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION