Program Overview

City Research Scholars Program

The City Research Scholars Program offers William & Mary students distinctive applied learning opportunities that hone their research skills while furthering the missions of local organizations. Through creative partnerships, the program seeks to create distinctive experiences that put classroom learning into practice in ways that better our world.

About the Program

City Research Scholars internships are designed to be substantive and transformative. Host institutions provide mentored research experiences that align with their needs and strategic objectives. Students are expected to apply and practice what they learn by contributing to the creation of an original project (e.g., report, digital initiative, etc.) that reflects the latest methods and best practices in the field.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the program, applicants must:

• Be a student in good academic standing
• Be a continuing undergraduate student (i.e., not a graduating senior)
• Be eligible to work in the United States on or before May 1 of the internship year
• Be available to complete ten full weeks of intern and research activities in the summer

Requirements

• Internships will have a research component with specifics to be arranged with the internship supervisor
• Students are required to participate in the Internship & Applied Learning Showcase, typically held in September

Application

The application for the City Research Scholars internship includes:

• City Research Scholars Internship Application form
• Cover Letter, explaining why you are interested in the City Research Scholars internship, the skill sets, academic preparation, and special interests or experiences you possess that qualify you for the internships you selected
• Writing Sample, demonstrating a capacity to craft a coherent and compelling argument using primary and/or secondary sources
• Resume
• Banner (unofficial) transcript
• Supplemental work (optional), demonstrating research ability not displayed in the writing sample

Partner Organizations

The program partners with various organizations, including:

• The Arc of Greater Williamsburg
• City of Williamsburg
• Lackey Clinic
• Literacy for Life
• The Village Initiative for Equity in Education
• Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
• Virginia Racial Healing Institute
• Williamsburg Farmers Market

Previous Interns

Previous interns have worked with various organizations, including:

• Literacy for Life
• Lackey Clinic
• Virginia Racial Healing Institute
• The Arc of Greater Williamsburg
• The Village Initiative
• City of Williamsburg
• Williamsburg Farmers Market

Spotlights

The program features spotlights on previous interns and their experiences, including:

• Woody interns expanding museum studies partnerships
• Music internship offering teaching experience with community impact
• New Virginia Media internships marking a renaissance in local journalism
• City Research Scholars sharing surprises and life lessons from internships

Upcoming Events

The program hosts various events, including:

• Catron Scholarship for Artistic Development Application Period
• Charles Center Summer Research Grants & Honors Fellowships Application Period
• Speaker Panel: Messy Data
• Fighting the Night Book Talk with Paul Hendrickson

Helpful Links

The program provides helpful links for students, including:

• Research grants
• Paid internships
• Honors program
• Scholars programs
• Journalism programs

Whom to Ask

For more information, students can contact the program administrators.