Graduate School Archives Internships: High Impact or High Barrier? Preliminary Results

Abstract

This presentation reports on a SAA Foundation-funded study of the efficacy of archival internships in improving career success in the profession. While variables are vast and complex, our study is limited to identifying the relationship between internship completion and post-graduate employment. While there are studies on the efficacy of internships in undergraduate education, our study is the first research on the efficacy of internships as a component of graduate education for the archival profession. Part one of the study, a survey, is complete and analysis of part two, qualitative interviews, is in progress. We will share preliminary results, including how outcomes differed among surveyed archival science program graduates who completed internships, students who worked in archives, and students who had no experience in archives upon graduation. Internships have a notable impact on emergent archives professionals who are the future of archival work. Formally or informally requiring internships, often unpaid or for only nominal compensation, as a part of education is a significant barrier to entry in the profession for people from historically excluded and persistently underrepresented backgrounds. Per A*CENSUS II, the profession remains majority white (84%). If we continue with the current model, how can graduate programs and the archives profession reduce barriers for students? If ineffective, can we remove the barrier?