MASTER OF ARTS (MA) GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP
IN ARCHIVES
Asian/Pacific/American Institute
New York University

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP DESCRIPTION:

The Graduate Assistant (GA) in Archives at the A/P/A Institute (A/P/A) works with the A/P/A Institute on collections building efforts while simultaneously pursuing a Master of Arts degree in the Archives and Public History Program, with an emphasis in Archives, in the History Department at NYU. As part of A/P/A’s commitment to the ongoing preservation of Asian/Pacific American materials and the promotion of their use and importance, the GA will help to create access to Asian/Pacific American collections of the New York area. The GA serves as a key resource person connecting A/P/A’s network of scholars, researchers, activists, archivists, librarians, artists, curators, and community members with archives.

The two-year MA Program is designed to give the graduate assistant practical experience in archives, in addition to a solid grounding in archival theory and historical scholarship. The GA will work with both the A/P/A Institute and the Tamiment Library of NYU to survey, appraise, and process A/P/A collections of the New York City area. The GA will also aid in organizing the A/P/A Institute’s archives. The GA will regularly meet with the A/P/A Institute’s staff to discuss progress and expectations. The GA works an average of 20 hours per week during each 16-week term. (Dates of appointment are 9/2/08-12/19/08 for Fall 2008, and expected to be 1/20/09-5/13/09 for Spring 2009.)

The Public History and Archives Program in the History Department at NYU is well established and respected. Archival Management is an important and growing field with many employment opportunities in the New York area. Recent graduates have gone on to work at the United Nations Archives, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Rolling Stone Magazine, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Smithsonian Institution, American Civil Liberties Union, Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, and Sports Illustrated. Graduates also work in the city and region’s many museums, libraries, and historical societies as well as in government and corporate archives. Graduates can expect starting salaries ranging from $40,000 to $50,000 depending on the institution.

The A/P/A Institute is dedicated to preserving the physical documentation of Asian/Pacific American history. A/P/A Institute works closely with community members to facilitate the process of finding an accessible, permanent home for New York Metro region and East Coast Asian/Pacific American materials. Our vision is to provide collections that allow for engagement with and dialogue about the experiences of Asian/Pacific Americans.
Past and current GAs have curated and published on “yellow peril” collections, been central in bringing in individual and organization collections, taught undergrads, posted an archival blog, developed archival theory, and much more.

REQUIREMENTS:

-Bachelor’s Degree with a major or minor in Asian/Pacific American Studies preferred.
-Background knowledge or demonstrated interest in Asian/Pacific American history and community.
-Ability to take initiative and work independently and as part of a team.
SCHOLARSHIP:
The GA receives 100% remission of tuition, fees, and student health insurance for full-time study in the History and Archival Management Program at NYU. For the 2008-2009 academic year, the GA will receive a stipend of $22,000, disbursed every two weeks typically between 9/1/08 and 4/30/09.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Qualified applicants should contact Professor John Kuo Wei Tchen by email at apa.archives@nyu.edu with cover letter, resume and any additional relevant information no later than Thursday, July 1st, 2008; and if chosen apply to the MA in History and Archival Management Program at NYU online by Friday, July 11th, 2008 at:
http://history.fas.nyu.edu/object/history.gradprog.archivespublichistory.html

For more information:

Archives and Public History Program:
http://history.fas.nyu.edu/object/history.gradprog.archivespublichistory.html

The Asian/Pacific/American Institute:
http://www.apa.nyu.edu