Call for Applications: Humanities EXPLORE Research Fellowship with Professor Sean Keilen–2025-2026
Shakespeare Workshop (Literature / THI)
We encourage work-study and non-work-study students to apply. This internship is only open to undergraduate students with a declared or proposed Humanities major or minor and requires work authorization.
Application Deadline: June 2, 2025
The Humanities Experiential Learning Opportunities in Research (EXPLORE) Program connects undergraduate Humanities majors and minors with faculty-led projects in the division for paid research positions. Fellows gain valuable mentorship and practical experience.
Details
Duration: Academic Year 2025–26
Hours: 10 hours/week
Pay: $20/hour
Mentorship: Regular check-ins and support from Sean Keilen, Literature Professor & Director of Shakespeare Workshop
About the project
The Shakespeare Workshop is a research center dedicated to studying the works of William Shakespeare with an emphasis on how they speak to the experiences of today’s audiences and readers. Since 2013, the workshop has created a community of scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts that strives to explore enduring questions about the human experience through the lens of Shakespeare’s works, using the common vocabulary created by the dramatic world of his plays to address existential concerns.What You’ll Do
You’ll support the Humanities Division’s mission of community education; learn more about the partnership between literary research and professional theater; contribute to Undiscovered Shakespeare (an annual Zoom webinar series) and Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s summer festival; and develop as a researcher and writer.
- Archival Research [30%]: reading the records of Shakespeare Santa Cruz at McHenry Library for information about past productions; seeking information about production history beyond the archive (for example, in local newspapers and other media outlets or publicly available departmental records) and from relevant UCSC faculty and staff; keeping detailed notes (winter and spring quarters)
- Writing [40%]: drafting and revising content about local performance history for the purposes of community education and outreach; drafting and revising content about Shakespeare’s plays for use in dramaturgy packets for Undiscovered Shakespeare (fall and winter quarters)
- Online Research [15%]: learning about the web and social media presence of other Shakespeare centers at colleges and universities; gathering internet resources to facilitate the study and enjoyment of Shakespeare’s works for publication on the Shakespeare Workshop website (fall, winter, and spring quarters)
- Collaboration [15%]: meetings with Professor Keilen to discuss the scope and progress of the project (fall, winter, and spring quarters)
- Humanities EXPLORE Programming: Attend a quarterly meeting when possible and participate in asynchronous Canvas experiential learning reflection.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- You must be a declared or proposed major or minor in a Humanities Division department and have good academic standing. If proposed, declare by June.
- Eligible majors: Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism, Classical Studies, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Feminist Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- Eligible minors: Black Studies, Classical Studies, East Asian Studies, History of Consciousness, History, Italian Studies, Jewish Studies, Language Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Philosophy, Spanish Studies
- You have work authorization (required)
- You can work independently and collaboratively (required)
- You have studied Shakespeare’s works at the college level. (required)
- You have the ability to write clearly, concisely, and to deadlines. (required)
- You are well-organized, manage your time wisely, and can work independently on complex academic projects. (required)
- You want to learn about arts-related non-profit organizations.
- You are curious about theater history.
- You are familiar with recent productions at Santa Cruz Shakespeare.
- You have experience writing for a broad audience.
What You’ll Learn
You’ll deepen your knowledge of Shakespeare’s works and their modern-day relevance while gaining hands-on experience in literary research, writing for public audiences, and arts outreach. You’ll:
- Develop archival research skills by exploring local theater history and past Shakespeare productions.
- Strengthen your writing by creating content for community education, dramaturgy packets, and web resources.
- Learn how academic research connects with professional theater through collaborations with Undiscovered Shakespeare and Santa Cruz Shakespeare.
- Build familiarity with digital tools for research and public humanities projects.
- Gain mentorship and insight into nonprofit arts organizations and collaborative humanities work.
How To Apply
- Updated resume
- 1-page cover letter addressing:
- What kind of experience do you have with Shakespeare? (Describe it clearly, whatever form it takes.)
- What do you hope to gain from this experience with Shakespeare?
- A writing sample (no more than four double-spaced pages) demonstrates that you can write clearly and concisely about a topic you have studied for non-academic readers.
Review these resume and cover letter resources to ensure you are a strong candidate! For application help, see Humanities Career Engagement.
Questions? Email Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu
The Mellon Foundation, The Helen and Will Webster Foundation, The Humanities Institute, the UCSC Humanities Division, and private donors generously support the Humanities EXPLORE Program.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
- “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
