Senior Exhibit Program at Yale Library - Proposals due March 6, 2026
This program provides one rising senior with training in curatorial skills and culminating in the production of a library exhibition based on the student’s senior essay topic using materials from the Yale Library collections.
One Yale College junior will be selected to receive library funding, mentoring, and exhibit production support over the course of nine months to research, create and curate a professional-quality exhibit opening in spring of their senior year.
The selected student will be awarded a $4,200 stipend to subsidize a five-week summer research period to be completed the summer between their junior and senior years. This research, which must be completed on Yale campus using YUL collections, will become the foundation for the content of the exhibit.
Program duration is from Summer 2026 (five-week research period between June 1 - September 1) through Spring 2027 (senior year research and production).
This opportunity is perfect for students who have experience researching with primary source materials, are curious about the curatorial process, enjoy working collaboratively, and whose senior essay subject can be strongly represented by physical objects from the YUL collections.
Learn more about previous senior exhibit fellows:
2025 Anne Gross, curator of Sensation!: Reported Bodies in 19th-Century American Media
2024 AJ Laird Whaling, curator of Logbooks: Records of a Maritime Industry
2023 Chucho Martinez, curator of The Study of Things: George Kubler in Latin America
Review these guidelines to learn about the SML exhibit committee's proposal review criteria and get some tips for creating a strong proposal.
Information Sessions:
- sign up for info sessions listed here
Proposal submission:
- Link will be provided in February 2026
Eligibility:
- Yale College Class of '27
Draft Timeline (dates subject to change):
- Proposals due: March 6, 2026
- Selected students notified late April 2026
- Summer internship: Curator selects five weeks between June 1 and September 1
- Exhibition development and production: September – April of senior year
- Opening reception: April 2027. On view: April – October 2027
If you are considering this opportunity:
- Review fellowship recipient roles and responsibilites, as well as deadlines and workflows.
- Discuss the opportunity with a Faculty Advisor and a Librarian Exhibit Advisor. Your selected advisors must agree to work with and advise you throughout the year-long project.
- If you are unable to attend the information sessions or would like a refresher or reference to more details about the program, review the Senior Exhibit Program information session slide deck.
If you are just getting started...
Learning how to do research in the collections is the first step toward any exhibit opportunity.
- Start by getting to know your Personal Librarian or subject specialist, as well as archivists and collection specialists.
- Explore and discover the collections at Archives at Yale.
- Get ideas by looking at previous years' exhibits via the SML Exhibits LibGuide.
- Learn about opportunities to create online exhibits at Yale University Library.
Send questions to kerri.sancomb@yale.edu