Apply for a Pathways Fellowship

The AMIA Pathways Fellowship supports pathways into the audiovisual preservation field for people from those underrepresented in the profession at any level of their career.

The AMIA Pathways Fellowship supports paid internships in combination with mentorship and professional development training to forge pathways in the audiovisual preservation field for those historically underrepresented in the profession at any level of their career. Our goal is to acknowledge and support those who have historically faced barriers to entry and advancement in the profession.

The program enables fellows to engage in professional development through webinar training, mentorship, office hours with specialists in the field, paid internships, and an alumni program to support ongoing engagement.

 

PATHWAYS FELLOWSHIP UPDATE

The AMIA Pathways Fellowship is funded through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. On March 31, IMLS placed its entire staff on administrative leave. This followed the March 14 executive order shrinking seven federal agencies, including the IMLS. Since that time, we have received termination notices on our other IMLS grant but have heard nothing about the status of the AMIA Pathways Fellowship grant. Without any communication from IMLS we must assume that our grant has been or will soon be terminated.

While a donor has stepped forward to help fund the program, the loss of the grant funding will require us to reduce the number of Fellows in the 2025 cohort. As a result, the number of internships has also been greatly reduced.

We have extended the application deadlines for the other internships in order to allow time for applicants to apply to the other internships if you are interested and have not already applied.

The Application Process

To be accepted as a Pathways Fellow, you must complete two applications. While each institution offers a unique and important internship opportunity, it is only one part of the Fellowship program. The seven-month Fellowship also includes a five month mentorship, a 12 week curriculum program, and professional development including attendance at the AMIA annual conference.

The Pathways Fellowship Application. This application is reviewed for your interest in and commitment to the full seven-month Fellowship program by the Pathways Fellowship team. In addition to the Fellowship application review, you must also be accepted to a Fellowship internship at one of our host institutions.

We urge you to review the information about being a Pathways Fellow here.

Individual Internship Application. You may apply to multiple internship opportunities from our listed host institutions. Each institution requires an individual application that is reviewed by the host institution, based on the individual internship job description as well as the Fellowship guidelines.

Both applications must be received to be considered for the Pathways Fellowship Program.

 

 

Apply for the Fellowship
and an Internship at a Host Institution

As outlined above, to participate in the AMIA Pathways Fellowship, applicants must also  be accepted into a paid internship at one of our partner host sites. Acceptance into the Fellowship program is distinct from acceptance into any individual internship and will occur after internship selections have been made.

We strongly encourage you to review the information about being a Pathways Fellow (here) to have a full view of the program, information about each component, Fellowship calendar, and time commitment.

Fellowship events begin June 10, 2025 with an orientation, followed by the first three webinars that week. The program will continue weekly through August. Internship start dates are subject to the individual host site schedules. During the fellowship, in addition to the paid internship, fellows participate in weekly online professional development sessions for ten weeks (June – August), and are paired with professionals in the field in a remote mentorship program (July – December), Fellows also attend the annual AMIA conference (December 3-5 in Baltimore).

Please note that internship projects and criteria vary and are intended to offer a broad range of opportunities and, unless otherwise specified, are open to applicants at any level in their career.

Internships do not include funding for relocation.

  • This fellowship is meant to support individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities in the field of moving image archives and audiovisual preservation.Please refer to the 2020 Salary and Demographic Survey and our Community Values to inform your application.
  • Participants must be working as interns for their host sites during Summer 2025 when the majority of the program activities will take place.
  • Participants must commit to their participation in the Fellowship through the end of the mentorship period (December 2025).
  • Fellowship and internship applications must be submitted separately. We strongly recommend submitting them both on the internship deadline date.
  • Fellows will be selected in line with the timeline of each host site. See links below for more information on host site internships.
  • Fellows must be based in the US. We are hoping to expand the program to international applicants in coming years.

Below is information about each host site and the application for each internship. You must also fill out the Fellowship application and indicate which internship(s) you have applied to.

Please note that at least TWO applications are required – a Fellowship Application and an application for each internship you are applying to.

Applications for Internships have various opening and closing dates. Your Fellowship application must be received prior to the closing date of the internship you are applying to.

Step One: The Fellowship Application

To be accepted as a Pathways Fellow, you must complete two applications. While each institution offers a unique and important internship opportunity, it is only one part of the Fellowship program. The seven-month Fellowship also includes a five month mentorship, a 12 week curriculum program, and professional development including attendance at the AMIA annual conference.

The Pathways Fellowship Application. This application is reviewed for your interest in and commitment to the full seven-month Fellowship program. In addition to the Fellowship application review, you must also be accepted to a Fellowship internship at one of our host institutions.

You need only submit one Pathways Fellowship Application, but but you must apply for each internship independently.

Applications for Internships have various opening and closing dates. Your Fellowship application must be received prior to the closing date of the internship you are applying to.

Step 2: Internship Application(s)

Below is information about each host site and the application for each internship. You must also fill out the Fellowship application.

Each internship opportunity requires a separate application.  Please note that internship projects and criteria vary and are intended to offer a broad range of opportunities.

Application due dates vary. It is important that you complete the Fellowship Application AND the internship application by the due date.

 

ROSELANI MEDIA PRESERVATION INTERNSHIP: ‘ULU‘ULU MOVING IMAGE ARCHIVE (In Person or Hybrid)

ʻUluʻulu is Hawaiʻi’s official state archive for moving images. Located on the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu campus, the archive aims to perpetuate and share the rich moving image heritage of Hawai‘i through the preservation of film and videotape related to the history and culture of Native Hawaiians and the people of Hawai‘i. ‘Uluʻulu is a Hawaiian word meaning collections, assembly, or gathering. Our archive is not just a collection of moving image items, but also an assembly of voices, communities, and stories; a gathering place for people to share Hawaiʻi’s culture, traditions and collective memory. Intern may choose an in-person, remote or hybrid schedule

Applications will close April 25, 2025.

TEXAS ARCHIVE OF THE MOVING IMAGE (Austin, TX – In Person or Remote)

Founded in 2002, the Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization working to discover, preserve, provide access to, and educate the community about Texas’ film heritage. TAMI partners with the Office of the Governor’s Texas Film Commission to administer the Texas Film Round-Up program, which provides free digitization for Texas-related films and videotapes, online access to a selection of the contributed materials, and statewide public programming, as well as creates educator resources using these newly digitized Texas media in the classroom. You can view TAMI’s collections at TexasArchive.org.

Please note: The internship is currently accepting applications, but its availability in 2025 is dependent on funding being confirmed by April 25.

Applications will close April 25, 2025.

CALIFORNIA REVEALED (Hybrid – Sacrament, CA)

In partnership with over 450 libraries, archives and museums (and growing), California Revealed is a statewide program that helps public libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other heritage groups digitize, preserve, and provide online access to materials documenting the state’s history, art, and cultures. We also provide free access and preservation services for existing digital collections, including technical advice and guidance, for partner organizations with in-house digitization programs.

California Revealed gathers best archival practices for digitization and digital preservation, establishes low-cost, practical standards, and then manages digitization, online access, and digital preservation activities on behalf of partner organizations. Free public access is provided for teaching, study, and enjoyment. In addition, records are shared with Calisphere, WorldCat, the Digital Public Library of America, and the Home Movie Registry. More information about partner services and opportunities is available here.

California Revealed is grant-funded by the California State Library. Project operations are located at the California Revealed office in Midtown Sacramento.

Please note: The internship is currently accepting applications, but its availability in 2025 is dependent on funding being confirmed by April 25.

Applications close April 25, 2025

MEDIA BURN (In Person – Chicago, IL)

Media Burn was founded in 2003 to preserve and create awareness of the history of video art and documentary. Our curatorial philosophy focuses on resurrecting a history of media that has been little seen and little discussed, even by media historians. Its emphasis is on artists working during the first two decades of the videotape era, roughly from from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. This movement was often called Guerrilla Television, because it emphasized videos from artists whose perspectives had not been included in the dominant mainstream media or culture.

Over the past 20 years, we have collected more than 10,000 such videos, and steadily worked to digitize them so they can all be available online to watch for free at mediaburn.org. A remarkable audience of roughly one million people watch our videos every year.

Application closes April 25, 2025

AUDIO MECHANICS (In Person – Burbank, CA)

Founded in 1991, Audio Mechanics is one of the most respected audio service providers for film studios, music labels, content owners, collections and archives, with a reputation for aesthetic integrity and unparalleled technical proficiency.

The Audio Mechanics staff of audio engineers are masters of the technical tools (both old and new) needed to for the very highest quality in audio design, capture, preservation, transfer, restoration, mixing, re-mastering and audio enhancement.

Application closes April 25, 2025.

Application Checklist

Acceptance into the Fellowship program is distinct from acceptance into any individual internship.

  • Complete the AMIA Pathways Fellowship application
  • Complete a separate application for each internship you would like to be considered for

 

The AMIA Pathways Fellowship is made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [RE-254879-OLS-23].