Funding for student researchers

Moore Student Fellowship

What is the Moore Student Fellowship? The Moore Student Fellowship provides a stipend to support research on a topic of your choice in Swarthmore College Special Collections, including the Friends Historical Library (FHL), Peace Collection (SCPC), or Swarthmore College Archives (SCA). This could be the perfect opportunity to get paid to work on your thesis or other research project!

What are some topics you can research in Swarthmore College Special Collections?

  • Peace, nonviolence, pacifism, and conscientious objection
  • Quaker history and spirituality
  • Women’s history, including political rights and feminism; women in social reform movements
  • African-American history, including abolition and civil rights
  • Native American history
  • Environmental activism
  • Prison reform
  • Humane treatment of the mentally ill
  • Swarthmore College history
  • Swarthmore Borough history

Explore the websites of the Friends Historical Library, Peace Collection, and College Archives, to see what is available. If you have a topic idea but aren’t sure where to start or what collections to use, please reach out and we'll be happy to brainstorm with you over email, on Zoom, or in person.  Contact the Friends Historical Library at  friends@swarthmore.edu, Peace Collection at peacecollection@swarthmore.edu, College Archives at archives@swarthmore.edu; or you can email specialcollections@swarthmore.edu if you're not sure which collection would be the best match for your interests.

2019 RECIPIENT: Keton Kakkar spent their week examining one of our new acquisitions: the Mira Sharpless Townsend Papers. Mira Sharpless Townsend, a major Quaker social activist and reformer in Philadelphia, had strong views regarding women, slavery, temperance and capital punishment. She was the driving force behind the founding of the Rosine Association, established to assist "fallen women." Founded by women, for women, and under complete female management, it vowed not to judge women who worked as prostitutes, but rather to assist them find "more dignified labor." http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/repositories/7/resources/10074

2019 RECIPIENT: Zara Williams-Nicholas spent her spring break here studying the history of dance at Swarthmore College, specifically exploring how dance has supported student identities and created spaces for healing.

2019 RECIPIENT: Keton Kakkar spent their week examining one of our new acquisitions: the Mira Sharpless Townsend Papers. Mira Sharpless Townsend, a major Quaker social activist and reformer in Philadelphia, had strong views regarding women, slavery, temperance and capital punishment. She was the driving force behind the founding of the Rosine Association, established to assist "fallen women." Founded by women, for women, and under complete female management, it vowed not to judge women who worked as prostitutes, but rather to assist them find "more dignified labor." http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/repositories/7/resources/10074

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Eligibility: The Moore Student Fellowship opportunity is available to Swarthmore College students enrolled for the 2025-2026 school year. All others (including Swarthmore College faculty and staff, as well as outside applicants) are encouraged to apply for the Moore Research Fellowship through a separate application process (click here).

Requirements: Recipient must complete 20 or 30 hours of research (in minimum increments of 2 hours) between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. Shifts must be spent in-person in the Special Collections Reading Room during our open hours (9a-12n and 1p-4p, Monday-Friday). All research must use materials available in Swarthmore Special Collections. On your last day, you must give a very brief, very informal presentation (discussion) to Special Collections staff about your research. No funds are dispersed until the fellow completes all 20 or all 30 hours and participates in this presentation/discussion.

Award amount: $400 for a 20-hour fellowship or $600 for a 30-hour fellowship.

Application procedure: Complete this application and upload it to this submission form.

Application deadline: Applications are due March 31, 2025.

Questions? Email Celia at ccauste1@swarthmore.edu

Past recipients:
2019: Tessa Hannigan ‘20, Keton Kakkar ‘21, Wambui (Marian) Mwenja ‘20, and Zara Williams-Nicholas ‘19.
2020:  Bellara Huang '21, Ross Layton ‘20, Susanna McGrew ‘20, Thandiwe McMillan ‘20, and Jolleen Opula ‘21.
2021: Not offered
2022: Anastasia Erley '24, Jordan Jackson '25, Virginia Moscetti '23, and Pearl Zhang '23.
2023: Mahika Halepete '25, Khanh Huynh '25, and Emerson Krasusky '26
2024: in progress