Special Collections Summer Project

All Majors Welcome!

The LSU Libraries Special Collections Summer Project Program provides LSU undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct a research or creative project using the resources and materials held within LSU's Special Collections at Hill Memorial Library. 

This library is home to resources such as the Louisiana & Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, Rare Book Collections, University Archives, T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History, Louisiana Newspapers archives, and more.  A Special Collections Summer Project can be mentored by either an LSU faculty member or an LSU Special Collections archivist.

Students accepted to the program will receive up to $3,000 which can be used for wages and other project necessities. 

Submit your own project idea or apply to participate in an existing mentored project.

 

For summer 2024, students could submit their own project idea or apply to participate in one of the projects listed below: 

1. Archives Teaching Tool

2. LSU Oral History Project

3. Researcher as Activist

 

Name Major Mentor Research
Charlotte Balart English Kelly Larson Archives Teaching Tool
Bryce Edwards History Jennifer Cramer LSU Oral History Project

 

Applicant information

Eligibility for funding

  • Must be enrolled as a full-time student in the following fall 
  • Must have a minimum 2.5 college GPA
  • Must be in good standing with the university

Restrictions

  • Students cannot earn wages from both the Special Collections Program and another funding source for the same hours worked on a project

Check back soon for summer 2025 application deadlines!

Summer 2024 application deadline: February 18, 2024

Summer 2024 decisions announced: March 25, 2024

Links to online application forms.  

Students may apply for Special Collections Project Funding one of two ways.  Submit only one of the following applications.

  1. Submit your own idea with a Proposal Submission. Submit a proposal for a project (either new or on-going).
  2. Apply to an existing project with a Project Application. Apply directly to work on a project from our list.  

If you are having issues with any of these online forms, please submit all of your application documents and information to lsudiscover@lsu.edu  

All students who are accepted must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Attend the mandatory orientation.
  • Present summer project at end of summer event and at LSU Discover Day in the following spring.
  • Attend the following mandatory trainings & workshops:
    • Working with archival materials
    • Research Ethics
    • Professional Relationships
    • CV Writing
    • Citation Management
    • Presentation training
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Summer 2023 researchers Nathaniel Dela Pena and Madison Saucier with their mentors, Zach Tompkins and Alia Kempton

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Summer 2024 researcher Bryce Edwards presenting at the 29th annual Summer Undergraduate Research Forum

 

Past Recipients:

Name Major Mentor Research
Nathaniel Dela Pena History Zach Tompkins LSU History walking tour app
Madison Saucier History Alia Kempton Documenting Enslaved People in Special Collections

 

Leadership Team

Gina Costello, Associate Dean, Technology Initiatives & Special Collections

Kelly Larson, Special Collections Head of Research & Public Services

Alia Kempton, Special Collections Outreach & Instruction Librarian

John Miles, Special Collections Curator of Books & Head of Instruction

Zach Tompkins, Special Collections University Archivist

Sarah Ferstel, Director, LSU Discover Undergraduate Research Program