The AHA is seeking three graduate students to write two columns each on an aspect of their work as historians for online publication in Perspectives Daily. Selected summer columnists will work closely with the Perspectives editorial staff to refine their writing and prepare their pieces for publication. Columnists will also each receive a one-year AHA membership and an honorarium. If you are looking to hone your writing skills and share your work, apply today!

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To apply, current graduate students working on a historical project in any field, either in master’s or doctoral programs, should submit an application through Airtable by Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please note that students graduating in spring 2024 or enrolling in fall 2024 are not eligible.

Your application should consist of a single PDF file that includes:

• a one-page, single-spaced cover letter that introduces you and explains how your columns will enrich our readers
• a 500-word proposal, which should detail your two linked column ideas and follow our submission guidelines
• a standalone writing sample of no more than 1,000 words (this can be an excerpt from a longer piece)

The selected applicants’ proposals will be edited and published to introduce the columnists.

Interested? Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Op-eds are crucial in getting historical perspectives to larger audiences. Based on the expertise you’ve developed, what kind of contextual analysis or viewpoint could you provide on a current political, social, or cultural issue in an op-ed?
• Public history is another way historians can reach a wide audience. If you have participated in community-engagement efforts or worked in spaces such as museums, historic sites, or heritage institutions, how did this work help you think about what it means to be a historian?
• Teaching is one of the most important skills a historian has to develop, whether in the classroom or in public venues, but it’s often underexamined in graduate education. As a teacher, how have you learned to tackle difficult subjects and conversations? And how has teaching helped you think differently about research and the work you do as a historian?
• As digital tools and methods make inroads into research and teaching, it has become imperative for historians to become familiar with them. If you have experience using them, how have they helped you explore sources or communicate with wider audiences? How do students respond to them?
• And be sure to check out posts from previous summer columnists!

Questions? Contact Lizzy Meggyesy at lmeggyesy@historians.org.