2016 Conference
Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
NEMA is pleased to offer several scholarship and fellowship opportunities to make the annual conference more financially accessible. Scholarship awards support travel, lodging, and three-day registration for individual members of NEMA and employees of NEMA institutional members unless otherwise noted.
The deadline for all scholarship programs is September 16, 2016.
Only one application is necessary to apply for all scholarships and fellowships. Note: Individual opportunities have slightly differing requirements in the essay portion of the application.
All applicants will be considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible.
You will be notified of the final award decisions in early October. In the event that your application is unsuccessful, you may still register at the early-bird rate at any time before conference.
Click here to download an application form.
Click here to download a registration form.
NEMA Fellowship Award
Sponsored by Guy Hermann, Museum Insights
The NEMA Fellowship Program offers a museum professional or student the opportunity to work with NEMA in building thought leadership for our region's museum field. One NEMA Fellow will be chosen and awarded a stipend of $750 toward attendance at the 2016 NEMA Conference. The NEMA Fellow will contribute thought leadership by writing a minimum of three articles on museum-related themes for NEMA publications during the following year. The NEMA Fellow is expected to produce these materials based on his/her exploration of museum issues and/or experience at the NEMA Conference. The Fellow will be responsible for attending a Think Tank session at the NEMA conference and preparing a paper on topic. This paper will count as one of the required articles. The Fellow will be introduced to the NEMA Board and PAG Volunteers at a leadership breakfast and honored publicly at the NEMA Annual Meeting at the conference on November 11.
In addition to the scholarship and registration forms the applicant will need to, on not more than one page, tell the selection committee how receiving the NEMA Fellowship (including participation at the NEMA annual conference) would enhance your academic or professional development, and the circumstances that prompted you to submit your application. Also include possible topics of interest to you that would contribute to NEMA’s thought leadership in the field.
NEMA Professional Development Award
Established to make the annual conference financially accessible. It helps support travel, lodging and registration for individual Members of NEMA and employees of NEMA institutional members at the NEMA Annual Conference. Awards of up to $300 are available depending on the availability of funds in any given year. It is expected that recipients and/or their institution will provide some of the costs of attending the annual conference.
NEMA Diversity Scholarships
Established to make the annual conference financially accessible for students and museum professionals from diverse social, economic, racial, or ethnic backgrounds so that they can attend the conference. Scholarship includes a full three day registration and up to $100 are available depending on the availability of funds in any given year. Please note that this scholarship has a separate application and deadline. Click here for details.
AAMG Professional Development Scholarships
The Association of Academic Museums and Galleries is the leading educational and professional organization for academic museums, galleries, and collections. These scholarships were established to provide an AAMG individual member access to regional networking and professional development opportunities. Funded through a Kress Foundation grant, AAMG provides a scholarship to be used toward an individual ($300) full conference registration. Preference will be given to applicants who are presenting or volunteering at the conference. Applicants must be a current member of AAMG and, if selected, must complete a short report in response to their conference experience.
Cynthia Robinson Scholarship
This $500 stipend is awarded to support travel, lodging and registration. Priority for this scholarship will be given to current students or recent graduates (within 5 years) of the Tufts Museum Studies Program. This scholarship has been provided with support from Cynthia Robinson.
Native American Fellowship
Sponsored by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center will provide a $500 stipend to a Native American museum professional or student (undergraduate or graduate) to support travel, lodging and registration associated with the NEMA annual conference. Priority is given to individuals with demonstrated interest in tribal museums and cultural centers.
The Laura B. Roberts Scholarship
This $500 stipend is awarded to support travel, lodging and registration. Priority for this scholarship will be given to graduates of the Harvard Museum Studies, Tufts Certificate, Bank Street Museum Leadership, and Cooperstown programs. This scholarship has been provided with support from Laura B. Roberts.
University Products Curatorial Fellowship
The Curators Professional Affinity Group, with support from University Products, provides a $300 stipend for individual members of NEMA and employees of NEMA institutional members to be used for a three-day conference registration. Any curator who has worked in the field five years or less, and works for an institution with an annual budget of $250,000 or less, is eligible for the award.
Diversity Fellowship
Sponsored by the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage at Brown University
The John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage at Brown University provides a $500 fellowship to a culturally diverse museum professional to attend the NEMA annual conference. NEMA members from diverse social, economic, racial, or ethnic backgrounds whose attendance at the conference will benefit their museum and whose commitment to museum work will be reinforced by their participation are encouraged to apply. Applicants must register for the entire conference. The stipend may be used to fund registration, travel, lodging, and food.
YOUR APPLICATION MUST INCLUDE: (Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Please email (bj.larson@nemanet.org) the following documents:
1. Completed conference scholarship application form.
2. A completed conference registration form (available late August). Please indicate any meals and events that you wish to attend but do not send any payment. In the event that your application is unsuccessful, you may still register at the early-bird rate at any time before conference. (DO NOT REGISTER USING THE ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM.)
3. On not more than one page, tell the committee how participation at the NEMA annual conference would enhance your academic or professional development, and the circumstances that prompted you to submit your application.
4. Copy of curriculum vitae or resume. Applicants for the Cynthia Robinson and Laura B. Roberts Scholarships should highlight relevant college qualifications.
Please include your name in the title on all emailed documents eg. resume_larson.pdf. If your version of Adobe does not support saving any part of the completed application forms, you may submit them by fax (781-641-0053) or mail (NEMA, 22 Mill Street, Suite 409, Arlington, MA 02476).