Call for Applications: Undergraduate Researcher for Curriculum Resource Curation in K-12 Institute on Japanese American Post-War Resettlement in Chicago, 1943-1950

Application Deadline: February 25, 2024

The Humanities Division is excited to announce an experiential learning opportunity for Humanities undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz to work with a Humanities faculty member and a graduate student on curriculum resource creation for an upcoming K-12 institute on Japanese American Post-War Resettlement in Chicago, 1943-1950.

Undergraduate research connects Humanities majors and minors to projects in the Division and it provides a valuable opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and develop skills to make an impactful intellectual or creative contribution to their field. Students gain practical experience and professional training that builds on their studies in the Humanities. At the same time, faculty and graduate student-led projects benefit from students’ assistance and academic expertise.

Application Deadline: February 25, 2024

Duration: Spring Quarter and Summer 2024

• 10 hours per week during Spring Quarter
• 10 hours a week from June-August in Summer including 8 in-person days in Chicago from July 21-28.
• This is a hybrid position, and most work can be done remotely. Travel expenses to Chicago will be paid for.

Role Description:

The Undergraduate Researcher will collaborate with a Graduate Student Researcher to curate educational resources for a cohort of K-12 educators participating in the Summer 2024 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Institute on Japanese American Post-War Resettlement in Chicago from 1943 to 1950. The fellowship will involve researching and selecting curated materials to aid the admitted cohort of teachers in developing effective lesson plans focused on the history of resettlement, aiming to equip educators with the necessary knowledge and tools to comprehensively teach and understand the socio-political implications of Japanese-American incarceration and resettlement. The materials gathered will be tailored to include resources relevant to each teacher’s local community and curriculum requirements.

Compensation: $18-20/hour; travel expenses to Chicago will be paid for.

Position Description: Undergraduate Researcher

RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Responsibilities:

• (40%) Collaborate with a Graduate Student Researcher to research and identify relevant educational resources pertaining to Japanese-American Post-War Resettlement in Chicago from 1943 to 1950.
• (15%) Assist in curating a selection of resources that align with the curriculum goals and objectives of the Summer 2024 Institute.
• (15%) Assist in curating resources for individual teacher participants to help them forge connections between their respective communities and the history of Japanese-American resettlement.
• (10%) Analyze and assess the suitability and applicability of identified resources for K-12 education, considering the diverse needs of educators and students.
• (5%) Assist in the development of comprehensive and engaging lesson plans for K-12 teachers, utilizing the curated resources.
• (5%) Collaborate with the team to organize and present the resources effectively for virtual and in-person learning environments.
• (5%) Provide support and guidance to K-12 educators during the virtual preparatory stage, intensive in-person engagement in Chicago, and concluding wrap-up and dissemination stage of the Institute.
• (5%) Contribute to the evaluation and feedback process to improve the quality and impact of the educational resources.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate student enrolled at UC Santa Cruz who is a Humanities major or minor. [required]
• Strong interest in history, education, social justice, or related fields.
• Demonstrated research skills and ability to critically analyze educational materials.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Sensitivity to cultural diversity and a commitment to promoting inclusive education.

This fellowship is compensated through student employment with UCSC and will be paid $18-20/hour. It offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of impactful educational resources and support K-12 educators in teaching the complex history of Japanese-American resettlement.

This position is designed to help improve a fellow’s career readiness competencies. Successful candidates will show a desire to build up their critical thinking and decision-making skills through qualitative research that will require analytical reasoning and an aptitude to evaluate material decisively. This research will also require fellows to improve their organizational skills by learning about the basics of project management as they organize their research material. Once this material has been collected and organized, fellows will also be expected to deliver their curated research materials to K-12 teachers through written, verbal, and visual forms of communication. Accepted fellows will be committed to learning how to produce work that adheres to accessibility standards and illustrates a dedication to cultural sensitivity and emotionally intelligent research practices.

How To Apply

To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter addressing your interest in the fellowship, and contact information for two references. Please address your cover letter to Dean of Humanities, Jasmine Alinder.

Please address your cover letter to Jesse Silva.

• A tip for writing this cover letter is to consider how this position will further your undergraduate studies as well as your professional career once you have completed your education.
• Review these resume and cover letter resources to ensure that you are a strong candidate.

Once the application window closes, there will be a virtual interview process with top candidates.

Note: Specific dates, compensation, and other details regarding the fellowship will be communicated upon selection.

This internship is compensated through either student employment with UCSC or through a scholarship award. If you’re a financial aid applicant, the scholarship award option would be incorporated into your aid offer to meet your budgeted cost of attendance. In most cases the award will fill any gap between your aid and budget, or the award will reduce your loan obligation. Once factored into your aid offer, the award is paid through to your UC Santa Cruz student account. If you owe fees for the term in which the award is applied, the award will apply to those fees first. Any remaining funds will be issued to you via direct deposit or by check, depending on how you are signed up to receive refunds. If you have questions about how this award would affect your current aid, please contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office at finaid@ucsc.edu or 831-459-2963.

Please contact Experiential Learning Coordinator Kylie Rachwalski at hum-experiential-learning@ucsc.edu with any questions.