The Rutgers/PRAC Graduate Student Summer Internship Program offers participants unparalleled access to archival collections, as well as invaluable interactions with the esteemed staff at the Archivo General de Puerto Rico (AGPR), the Colección Puertorriqueña (CPR) at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and other participating host sites. Over the course of eight or nine weeks, interns will engage in a multifaceted experience, combining hands-on work at their host institution with dedicated time for personal research endeavors. The program supports graduate students from both the US and Puerto Rico.
Past graduate summer interns at Archivo General de Puerto Rico organized archival collections, including a massive Fomento Industrial collection, now available to researchers, and materials from Fortaleza (20th C. Governors), Junta de Planificación, Sugar Commission records, etc. Participants worked with archivists Pedro Roig and Juan Román sorting, cleaning, re-boxing, labeling, and listing/inventorying documents.
Besides working on organizing and digitizing 19th or 20th-century documents, this summer’s interns may be assigned to other specialized collections at the Archivo General, including the Audiovisual Collection, the Music Collection, and the Preservation area. Similar assignments at UPR and other collections are possible.
Internship Activities:
Graduate summer interns will spend three days (Tuesday through Thursday) each week at their assigned archival site (typically the General Archive of Puerto Rico (AGPR) or the Colección Puertorriqueña of the UPR Library), contributing to the organization, cataloging, and/or digitizing of archival materials. Under the guidance of experienced archivists, interns will undertake tasks ranging from sorting and cleaning to re-boxing, creating inventories, and digitizing documents.
Interns will spend the other two days a week pursuing their own research work. PRAC director and faculty supporters in Puerto Rico will facilitate connections with relevant collections and provide support and mentorship to help interns develop their projects.
Benefits of Participation:
- Participants will gain firsthand exposure to Puerto Rico’s rich historical legacy through access to extensive collections spanning centuries of history.
- Students will have the opportunity to develop their own research projects based on their interests.
- Interns will receive support from seasoned scholars and institutions within the Puerto Rican academic community to develop their own projects.
- Interns will benefit from mentoring, personalized guidance, and networking opportunities.
- Participants will create and publish a blog about their internship work and/or personal research.
- Interns will receive a stipend to cover travel and living costs. The stipend will be paid in two installments. One payment of 75% of the stipend will be arranged for around arrival time. The final payment will be sent after receiving the blog.
Application Details:
- The 2025 summer program’s calendar will be from June 30 to August 24. Other dates may be arranged only by self-funding or locally-based graduate students.
- Reading and verbal skills in Spanish are essential for all applicants. We encourage Puerto Rican diaspora applicants who might hesitate to apply because of their language skills.
- Professor Aldo Lauria Santiago and PRAC faculty supporters will conduct an orientation on research resources in Puerto Rico. They will be available for individual consultations to discuss goals and research interests.
- Before the program’s conclusion, interns must produce a blog detailing their internship experiences. See examples on our website.
Financial Considerations:
While participants are encouraged to seek financial support from their institutions, those without funding may apply for support from the PRAC. The Mellon Foundation has generously provided funds for this purpose. A budget of at least $3500 is recommended to cover travel and living costs for the duration of the program. PRAC Mellon grants provide $4,000 for an 8-week internship and travel costs. Participants are responsible for arranging their housing and transportation in the San Juan metro area.
How to Apply:
The application for summer 2025 is open. Please apply by filling out this form depending on your status:
Make sure to join our email list.
Selection criteria will include:
- Match of applicant goals, skills and, interests with archival site projects and work.
- Timing and maturity of applicant’s work and application.
Applications will be reviewed by a committee drawn from our advisory committee.
Self-funding students may write to PRAC Director Aldo Lauria Santiago (