With the assistance of a $300,000 grant from the Coca Cola Foundation, the Atlanta History Center has developed the nation's first museum training program for minority students. Rick Beard, the executive director of the Atlanta History Center, commented: "The lack of minority students entering the museum profession has been a long term concern for educators and museum leadership. We created the Museum Fellows Program as a step toward bringing greater cultural diversity to the field. Our hope is that the Museum Fellows Program will grow beyond Atlanta and be a model for cooperative efforts between universities and museums throughout the nation."

The first group of museum fellows entered the program in fall 1994. Fellows receive training in all aspects of museum operations and gain experience in dealing with the opportunities and challenges facing museums. They attend seminars and visit area museums during the fall and spring academic terms; during the summer, they select an area of interest and work as apprentices with staff at the Atlanta History Center. Each fellow receives a $6,000 stipend and academic credit.