Recruitment

Recommend a Student

We are writing to ask for your help identifying Oklahoma high school students who would be a good fit for a paid, for-credit University of Oklahoma internship this summer. The internship will teach no more than fifteen (15) students about archaeology, Native American boarding schools, and ways that archaeology can help reveal unique information about boarding schools in and beyond Oklahoma. The internship starts from the premise that archaeology can be a powerful tool for revealing difficult truths about historic events and that it can help communities build more equitable futures. The internship does not require a final paper; instead, students engage their creativity to design an academic-style poster based on their archaeological interests. Additionally, they will collaborate with an Indigenous artist to collectively create the annual “Oklahoma Archaeology Month” poster, which will be distributed statewide two months after the internship ends.

Students are not expected to have any previous background in archaeology. Instead, we seek students who are:

• Rising high school juniors or seniors 
• Members of a Native American Tribe (or Tribes)
• Intellectually curious 
• Creative (in thought and/or the fine and performing arts) 
• Socially conscious 
• Available to participate in the internship from June 9 – August 1 (two 1.5-hour virtual classes per week, plus a multi-day, in-person field experience based at OU).

Interns will receive: 

• 2 OU credits that can be applied to an OU education or transferred to any other college to which they later matriculate
• An expense-paid, multi-day field trip based at OU
• A $500 stipend upon successful completion of the internship

 Interns will:

• Learn archeological basics, such as: What is archaeology? How do archaeologists collect data? How can archaeology serve contemporary community members? What sort of employment opportunities exist in archaeology (hint:  lots!)
• Learn about the history of the Native American boarding schools in Oklahoma and how archaeologists study the material remains of boarding schools.
• Meet archaeologists, historians, and others working on a variety of problems and using many different methods.
• Learn how archaeology can have a political and social impact.
• Learn to effectively communicate a message to public audiences through visual and other creative media.
• Apply what they learn by developing an academic poster based on their own archaeological interests (with all posters then showcased on the OKPAN website).
• Design, in collaboration with a Native American artist, the annual Oklahoma Archaeology Month poster.
• Receive peer mentoring during and after their internship that can carry them to and through college, if they wish.
• Be eligible to work in a paid capacity for the Oklahoma Public Archaeology Network.

Nomination and selection process: 

We have two target deadlines for applications:  Dec. 13 for “early decision” or Feb. 14 for regular consideration.    

The selection process is as follows:

1.        Teachers, counselors, and community members nominate students they see as a good fit for the program. Students may self-nominate, but if they do, they must provide the name and contact information of a teacher or counselor who will support their nomination.  

2.        Upon receiving a nomination, Voices staff reach out to the student and invite them to complete a brief online application.  

3.        Well qualified students are invited to participate in a Zoom interview with Voices instructors and, often, other applicants.

4.        Applicants are notified of their acceptance status.

If you have any questions or would like to chat about nominating a student, please feel free to call Kaylyn Moore at 479-883-0384.