Category: Students

Humanities Undergraduate Archival Fellowship (HUAF)

A person sits outside on a small set of stairs, reading a book open on their legs.
Campus scene, c. 1960

Overview  

UO undergraduates interested in the humanities and humanities-affiliated social sciences and professions can apply for a fellowship in archival practice that comes with a $3,000 stipend and takes place over winter and spring terms. The program will provide students with important humanities library sciences research and career readiness skills, while expanding their post-college job prospects. Students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines are encouraged to apply. Curious to see an example of previous fellows’ work? Check out the  John F. Finerty papers blog, and the following story: https://ohc.uoregon.edu/student-organizes-authors-archive/. 

Program background  

Study of and research in the humanities helps students develop critical thinking, problem solving, communication, presentation, collaboration, and other important skills required to successfully navigate an ever-changing post-college world regardless of the chosen profession, and to be prepared to help solve society’s most complex issues. To assist students in this transition and to create a student-to-career pipeline, the University of Oregon’s Oregon Humanities Center (OHC) and UO’s Libraries Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) are collaborating to offer an undergraduate student fellowship program focused on building primary archival research and career readiness skills.  

SCUA staff will guide the student(s) through an archival processing project and research production experience that will enable the students to think more broadly about their career opportunities and interests, seek other research funding support, and pursue honors theses. Students will gain hands-on library science experience while developing project management, data collection and analysis, and digital humanities experience. The student will receive $3,000 for the twenty-week fellowship, in addition to the high level of support from SCUA and OHC. The student’s work as a fellow will focus on actual archival work (preservation, arrangement, and description), in addition to a public presentation and poster session on their project, along with the opportunity to write blog and social media posts.  

The term humanities as used here includes literature; philosophy; history; religion; ethics; the history, theory, and criticism of the arts; and historical or interpretive aspects of social and natural sciences and the professions.  

This program was made possible by the generosity of OHC donors Herb Merker and Marcy Hammock.  

Program length  

This program will take place during the 2025 Winter and Spring terms and will last twenty weeks.   

Application Deadline  

Applications are due Monday, October 14, 2024.   

Eligibility  

  • Be enrolled at the UO full time as an undergraduate in a humanities or humanities-related major or minor. 
  • Have a GPA of 3.0 or greater in UO humanities courses.  

Expectations and requirements  

  • Remain enrolled as a full-time student and be in good academic standing during the entirety of the twenty-week program.  
  • Graduation date cannot take place before the completion of the twenty-week program.
  • Be available for 2-3 shifts of 3+ hours (up to 10 hours per week) starting Week 1 of Winter Term. Work must take place during SCUA’s hours of operation (Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm). No shifts during Spring Break. Fellowship concludes at the end of Week 10 of Spring Term.
  • Participate in the poster session at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in Spring 2025 and present findings in a public setting to OHC, SCUA, program donors, and other invited guests. 
  • Students may not be paid to conduct research through other internal UO research support programs during the same twenty-week program period. Students may, however, accept an external award for the same academic year as this program.  
  • If for any reason a student’s circumstances change (e.g., due to exit from the University, loss of full-time student status, or the receipt of any grant or award that conflicts with the conditions of this program) and the student is unable to use the award during the academic year for which it was granted, the award must be forfeited. This program cannot be deferred.  
  • Students may participate in this program only once.  
  • Acknowledge the OHC and SCUA in any work resulting from research done during the program period.  
  • Notify the OHC and SCUA of any publications, conference presentations, or other awards, fellowships, or employment that result from your research project.  
  • Notify the OHC and SCUA immediately of other support or any conflict with the eligibility criteria of this program.  

Award amount 

  • The student(s) in this program will receive a $3,000 award paid out as resource aid split between winter and spring terms. 
  • IMPORTANT: If you are receiving federal financial aid, this award may affect your financial aid eligibility. Students who receive federal aid have a responsibility to report all awards earned to the UO Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships for more information. The OHC will provide recipients and the Financial Aid Office with supporting documents if required.  

How to Apply  

Step 1: Read all program information and check eligibility.  

Step 2: Identify a faculty member who will provide a recommendation for you.

  • Recommendations are accepted from Tenure Track Faculty or Career Non-tenure Track Faculty with an FTE of .50 or above. 
  • Ask your recommender to fill out this form by Monday, October 14, 2024.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: Under the federal law titled the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and according to the University of Oregon Student Record Policy, registered students are given the right to inspect their records, including letters of recommendation and teacher recommendations. If the student wants to waive their right of access to this recommendation, they may do so by completing a waiver form. This should be saved and uploaded in the online application form as a PDF.

Step 3: Obtain an unofficial copy of your UO transcripts.  

  • Visit the UO Registrar website to obtain unofficial copies of your transcript.  
  • This will be uploaded in the online application form as a PDF. 

Step 4: Write a concise personal statement.

  • Describe your interest in the program.
  • Describe how your background has prepared you for this program and any relevant training (formal and informal).
  • Outline your future career or educational goals.

This statement should be 500 words or less and include text only (no images or graphics) and should be well written, well organized, and free of spelling and grammatical errors.
Save as a PDF file named: Last name_First name. This will be uploaded in the online application.

Step 5: Complete the online application.  

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact: Jena Turner, Associate Director, at jenap@uoregon.edu or 541-346-1001, or Melissa Gustafson, at melissag@uoregon.edu, 541-346-1002.  

Three Cheers! Announcing the Winners of Our Undergraduate Poetry Contest

Cheerleaders in a packed auditorium shake their white pompoms and yell.
University Archives photographs, c. 1970s

We are delighted to share the results of our recent Undergraduate Poetry Contest, where creativity, insight, and eloquence converged in a dazzling display of poetic talent. After careful consideration by our awards committee, we are proud to announce two winners whose works stood out for their originality, emotional depth, and linguistic sensibility.

Danielle Richard – ” YOU MAKE ME WANT TO CRASH MY CAR”

Danielle Richard is a third-year English student at the University of Oregon, where she also minors in Arabic Language and Creative Writing. Over the past year, Danielle has participated in the Walter and Nancy Kidd Creative Writing Program, where she earned second place in the Walter and Nancy Kidd Memorial Writing Competition for “YOU MAKE ME WANT TO CRASH MY CAR”, the same piece for which she is being celebrated here. Additionally, she won first place for poetry at the Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Oregon.

Danielle’s work has been featured in the *=Unbound Journal, a student literary publication at UO. Beyond her academic achievements, she actively contributes to the university community through her leadership roles in three clubs: Unbound Journal, Oregon Voice Magazine, and J-Street UOregon.

Originally from Tallahassee, Florida—a city she deeply cherishes and often draws inspiration from—Danielle began writing seriously in sixth grade. Her passion for poetry has been a constant throughout high school and college, serving as a tool for understanding and exploring the world.

Looking ahead, Danielle is considering pursuing a master of fine arts in poetry and aims to work in editing and publishing after graduating from the University of Oregon, all while continuing to refine her craft.

Danielle will receive a prize of $500 and have her poem featured in Verse Weavers, a journal published by the Oregon Poetry Association.

YOU MAKE ME WANT TO CRASH MY CAR

So it is not the season for deer
with new antlers after all.

The fawns have grown
out of their spots and their mothers
have found new lovers and I
have prayed but time does not
pass for me and I fall
asleep in the back room at work.

Traffic is fine.
And by that I mean I hate you
until I am alone in the doctor’s office
and I want someone
to rub my back.

I know weeks from now, the bucks
will rub heads bloody, chafing
at branches and peeling velvet skin from
new alabaster bone.
In the waiting room, the fluorescents
are a headache. The nurse comes in
but she does not call my name.

Ryan Kovatch – “mantra”

Ryan Kovatch is a poet from Portland, Oregon. He is currently an undergraduate participating in the University of Oregon’s Walter and Nancy Kidd Creative Writing Workshops. In 2023, his poem “12:00, 12:00, 12:00” won the second place prize in the Walter and Nancy Kidd Creative Writing Competition for poetry, and was described by American poet Kate Daniels as “a deeply imaginative poem that creatively transforms the quotidian task of baking a cake from a boxed mix into a metaphor of quixotic life.” His work has appeared in the Robert D. Clark Honors College creative arts journal Ephemera as well as the Literary Arts Writers in the Schools anthology. Kovatch’s poetry primarily centers on how love and grief interact in queer relationships, making extensive use of direct address and internal rhyme throughout his writing. Also a scholar of computer science, mathematics, and cognitive sciences, he is interested in the ways that languages work to convey logic and meaning, and how we can apply language creatively across disciplines.

Ryan will receive a prize of $500 and have her poem featured in Verse Weavers, a journal published by the Oregon Poetry Association.

mantra

there is no generally accepted definition of mantra. it captures centuries of word-repeating, history repeating. i’m practicing repeating the shape of your name, our names together, our names repeating. my sinister dreaming. i turn in my bed and find the shape of your leaving, your leaving repeating, my sweating and breathing. i’m practicing breathing. i’m saying your name and it sounds like i’m heaving. i gnaw on the letters like an infant who’s teething, hunched over the bowl, keeled over with feeling. letters you wrote that i pinned to the ceiling, your words i’m repeating. call it insanity or fanatic believing, with either i’m kneeling and praying and pleading. the pins that i’m pulling, the love i’m undoing, none of it stops the sound or the bleeding, and no matter the mantra, no matter the phrasing, it’s you i’m repeating, elusive the meaning.

A Round of Applause

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both Danielle and Ryan for their striking work.

We would also like to thank all the participants for their hard work and creative energy. Each entry was a testament to the vibrant and dynamic nature of contemporary poetry, and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to engage with such a wide range of voices.

2018 Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize Winners

EUGENE, Ore. — University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon Poetry Association announce the winners of the inaugural Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize: Sarah Hovet and Joshua Plack. This award is given to two undergraduate students every other year who demonstrate high-quality works of poetry in which the library has played a role in their artistic output. The prize consists of a tuition-supported poetry workshop and a limited-edition printing of their winning poems to be distributed to select libraries in Oregon and to the prize winners.

This poetry prize was conceived in collaborative discussions between the two organizations over the past year. The UO Libraries is the official archive for Oregon poetry which has been substantially derived through contributions by the OPA. The director of Special Collections, David de Lorenzo, said “we wanted to add to the collection by supporting young poets whose work is worthy of recognition. The award idea received enthusiastic support and we plan to make it a permanent part of the undergraduate experience at UO. We are very honored to have the support of the OPA to make this award a reality.”

The 2018 Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize recipients will be presented with their awards and read their selected poems at a reception held in conjunction with the 2018 Oregon Poetry Association Conference. The schedule for the reception follows:

2018 Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize
Ceremony and Reception

Friday, September 28, 2018 · 4:00-6:00 p.m.
University of Oregon Knight Library Browsing Room
1501 Kincaid Street, Eugene, Oregon
Open to the public · Refreshments provided

Poetry Readings by
Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize recipients:
Sarah Hovet and Joshua Plack

Oregon Poetry Association invitees:
Andrew Gonzalez and Amy Miller

University of Oregon invitees:
Amanda Cox and Tia North

Continue reading →

Library Undergraduate Poetry Prize

Deadline – May 5, 2018

The UO Libraries/Oregon Poetry Association Poetry Prize rewards two undergraduate students every other year who demonstrate high-quality works of poetry in which the library has played a role in their artistic output.
Awards will consist of a tuition-supported poetry workshop and a limited edition printing (in broadside) of their winning poem by an Oregon fine press printer.

Prizes will be awarded for a single poem on any topic or theme.

Criteria

  • A maximum of 5 poems should be submitted, which were produced during the student’s undergraduate years.
  • Currently enrolled University of Oregon undergraduates (and graduating seniors).
  • Poems must be a final version prior to submission.

Application Instructions (attach in your email all items listed below)

  • A Biographical Statement (200-450 words)
  • One poem per page saved as separate PDF files (total maximum 5 poems)
  • Acknowledgments Page

Deadline & Process

  • Due May 5, 2018 (11:59 pm)
  • Applications are reviewed at the end of the Spring semester by the Awards Committee (a panel of UO librarians, UO faculty and Oregon Poetry Association members) who will select a winning poem.
  • Students receive awards in the form of a tuition-supported poetry workshop.
  • Students also receive five (5) copies of their printed work.
  • Awards will be presented at the Oregon Poetry Association conference, held in Eugene, OR, on Thursday, September 27, 2018, at the Knight Library Browsing Room.

Contact

  • Email questions and submissions to: oregonloons@gmail.com

Copyright and Distribution Information

  • Authors retain the copyright to their work.
  • Winning printed poems are deposited in Oregon libraries, archives, and historical repositories that collect fine press printed materials.

Funded by the University of Oregon Libraries and the Oregon Poetry Association.

New Exhibit | Creative Commonplacing

Detail of commonplace book of children's book author and illustrator Elizabeth Orton Jones.
Detail of Edna St. Vincent Millay quote in commonplace book of children’s book author and illustrator Elizabeth Orton Jones. Elizabeth Orton Jones papers. Coll 200. Box 7. Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

A new exhibit is now on view during the Winter 2018 term in the Paulson Reading Room in Special Collections and University Archives titled Creative Commonplacing: The Facets of Book Love. 

Students of Professor Mai-Lin Cheng’s Fall 2017 course HC421, “Book Love: Or, Reading Commonplaces,” curated this exhibit of commonplace books, diaries, and scrapbooks. The exhibit also highlights other “book love” projects  undertaken by the students during the course, including the results of a bookbinding workshop with Collections Conservator Marilyn Mohr and a handwriting workshop with Manuscripts Librarian Linda Long.

The public is invited to an opening reception in SCUA on 1/18/18, 4-5 p.m.

An introduction to the exhibit from the guidebook written by the student curatorial team follows:

Our class during Fall 2017 was the first of hopefully many future classes on the topic of Book Love, exploring the origins of book writing and what it means to love books and share what we understand of the world. Commonplaces are both a reflection of an author and their greater community, with the practice beginning in the seventeenth century as a type of note-sharing. In this class, we explored what it means to be an author as opposed to a compiler, as the lines are often blurred in commonplace books, as readers created their own personal anthologies, with passages, images, and other artifacts important to them to create a commonplace book.

The commonplace book is an artifact of active reading. In it, the reader becomes writer. The interchangeability of these two modes of relating to texts is, of course, familiar in our contemporary era of cutting-and-pasting, tweeting and retweeting, liking and linking. Exploring the origins of this information-sharing, however, reveals a more exclusive and exclusionary history in authorship and the sharing of information, and through exploring the history of book-making students deepened their awareness of an elitist history of information control. In this class, students experiment with individual methods of expressing “book love” in creating their own print or digital commonplace books, and through reading the same texts each student created their own unique commonplace work.