Applications for the Summer 2021 Internship are now closed.
Each summer, the American Anthropological Association offers two internship opportunities funded by member donations. Internships are six weeks in length and usually extend from early July through mid-August. Internships are unpaid, however they are provided housing and a meal/travel stipend.
Interns will spend approximately 40 percent of their time working onsite at the AAA offices in Arlington, VA, and the other 60 percent of their time working on-site at one of two locations: The Naval History & Heritage Command and The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
Learn about the incredible students who have been AAA interns in the past in our AAA Summer Internship Hall of Fame.
Questions about the AAA Summer Internship can be sent to Meagan Shirley, Executive Assistant.
Interns will spend approximately 40 percent of their time working onsite at the AAA offices in Arlington, VA, and the other 60 percent of their time working on-site at one of two locations described below.
We are currently planning on in person internship but that is subject to change. We are closely monitoring CDC health and safety guidelines and will make a final decision before the start of the internship program.
Eligibility:
All U.S. and international undergraduate students that are rising juniors, juniors, or seniors, and first year graduate students (completing the first year of graduate work by June 2021), are eligible to apply for the program.
The Naval History & Heritage Command (NHHC), located on the historic Washington Navy Yard in Washington, DC is the official program of the Depart of the Navy. The NHHC is home to the Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) which serves to manage, research, conserve, and interpret the Navy's collection of sunken and terrestrial military craft. This includes over 2,500 shipwrecks and 17,000 aircraft wrecks dispersed around the globe.
The NHHC Underwater Archaeology Branch serves four main functions:
Interns can expect to work on tasks such as: Preparing, undertaking, or following up on field investigations; Conducting extensive archaeological and historical research at local and national archives; Preparing, reviewing, editing or preparing reports; Conserving and cataloging artifacts; Assisting with artifact inventory, management, and loan programs; Developing a photo database of past field projects; Participating in public outreach and education initiatives such as tours, lectures, and presentations; Creating public outreach and education materials such as blogs and brochures.
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is a research center of the Smithsonian Institution. Their mission is to "promote greater understanding and sustainability of cultural heritage across the United States and around the world through research, education, and community engagement." Their major activities are the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, maintaining our extensive archival collection, and special projects and programs on cultural heritage, preservation, presentation, and sustainability.
The intern projects may center on production assistance during the last week of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and follow-up with program participants and documentation; sales, marketing, and licensing support with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings; work with archival processing of collections; or assistance with educational outreach and research projects.
AAA activities will include the following:
