The NHPRC/Mellon Foundation Fellowship in Archives Administration: Structured Training on the Job

Abstract

Since 1985 the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, supported in part by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, has sponsored a fellowship program in archival administration designed to provide professional archivists an opportunity to develop practical administrative skills through appointments at selected archival repositories. This article traces the history of the fellowship program and analyzes its value for fellows, host institutions, and the profession as a whole. Judith Endelman outlines the basic structure of the fellowship and chronicles its evolution. She identifies several factors crucial to the success of a fellowship experience and discusses ways in which the program might be strengthened. Joel Wurl presents the results of a survey of the fellows and host institution project directors from the first two years. Overall, participants reported satisfaction with their experiences, but noted some structural weaknesses, including the desire, expressed by project directors, for a larger pool of fellowship applicants. Participants concluded almost unanimously that the program should continue and be supported more actively by the profession.