Research
History faculty frequently serve as research mentors to students beyond the classroom. Together they have achieved impressive accomplishments and received high accolades.
The History Department offers its own fellowship, the Waco F. Childers Jr. Research Fellowship, which is granted to one or more students each year. Faculty-student research teams frequently receive Summer Research Fellowships through the Office of Undergraduate Research.
If you would like to participate in a mentored research project, check out the links below, and go talk to history faculty member.
- The Waco F. Childers Jr. Research Fellowship in History: The Waco Childers Research Fellowship in History is an annual grant of up to $5,000 awarded to one or more students each year in Spring term who will be mentored by a History faculty member. The students do not have to be History majors. It is a generously flexible award that allows students to think expansively about a research agenda. Guidelines for the Waco Childers Fellowship (application can be found within the guidelines page).
- Huff Center for Piedmont History: The Huff Center for Piedmont History serves as a platform for engaged learning in the History Department at Furman University. Today, the Center largely serves as a funding source for (1) student, faculty, or collaborative research projects during the academic year or summer on local or South Carolina history; (2) supports in-house scholarly work and public history projects by our faculty on local or South Carolina history; and (3) sponsors Cultural Life Program (CLP) lectures or other events that promote local or South Carolina history to the general public, the Furman community, and our majors. To read more about the Center and to apply for funding, visit the Huff Center for Piedmont History.
- Research Fellowships Through the Office of Undergraduate Research: The Office of Undergraduate Research provides support for student-faculty research teams through its Summer Research Fellowship program. History faculty frequently take on Summer Research Fellows through this program. For more information on the program, please go the Undergraduate Research website.
- Examples of Research Projects in History: See some of the great accomplishments by student-faculty research teams in History: Published an academic sourcebook; received Fulbright grant funding for ongoing research; presented at a world-class scholarly conference typically not open to undergraduates; curated a museum exhibit; and transcribed the covert letters of Princess Amelia of England.
Internships
Internships are often the gateway to the professional world. At Furman, it is not unusual for organizations to offer full-time jobs to students who have served as interns. Many History students complete a paid or unpaid internship in their area of interest, and Furman offers one of the few programs in the country that directly funds student internships, offering competitive fellowships for students who would otherwise receive little or no payment. The Internship Fellowship program is run through the Internship Office in the Center for Engaged Learning.
History majors are well prepared for the world of business with finely honed critical thinking, analysis, and communication skills. Hiring managers look for interns who can communicate professionally, understand nuance, and notice important details–hallmarks of a history major.