Smart Museum of Art 2021-2022 Smart Scholars Program for Undergraduate Students (USA)

Proposals are invited for the Smart Scholars Program 2021. The Smart Museum of Art supports excellence in undergraduate education at the University of Chicago by expanding opportunities for object-centered inquiry.

The Smart Scholars Program is designed to foster an expanded range of scholarly and creative expressions for undergraduate researchers interested in the visual arts. This program supports research opportunities at the Smart Museum of Art resulting in an original creative work (such as visual art, music, dance, writing, etc.), program, or scholarly essay. Students propose their own projects grounded in academic research into one or more objects in the Museum’s collection. For example, this research can propose utilizing library, database, archive, conservation, materials science laboratory, or another museum’s resources to pursue the realization of the proposed project.

• Table of Content
• About Smart Museum of Art
• SMA Smart Scholars Program
• Aim and Benefits of SMA Smart Scholars Program
• Requirements for SMA Smart Scholars Program Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for SMA Smart Scholars Program
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Smart Museum of Art

The Museum is named in honor of brothers David (1892–1952) and Alfred (1894–1951) Smart, who built an innovative publishing business in Chicago. The brothers launched the sophisticated men’s fashion magazine Esquire in the heart of the Great Depression and followed it up with Coronet, a pocket-sized magazine with the slogan “infinite riches in a little room,” and Verve, an oversize avant-garde quarterly that featured original art by Matisse, Chagall, and Picasso. In the postwar years, they also produced short instructional movies throug...... continue reading

SMA Smart Scholars Program

Aim and Benefits of SMA Smart Scholars Program

Successful proposals will be awarded a $4,500 stipend distributed over the course of the academic year

Requirements for SMA Smart Scholars Program Qualification

• Open to undergraduate student in good standing at the University of Chicago in any major;
• Must have already completed at least one full year of undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago;
• Must be a registered student at the University of Chicago for the current academic year

Interview date, Process and Venue for SMA Smart Scholars Program

• Monday, July 26: Call for proposals announced
• Tuesday, August 3, 4–5 pm Central: Q&A session/proposal workshop #1 | Zoom registration
• Friday, August 6, 9–10 am Central: Q&A session/proposal workshop #2 | Zoom registration
• Sunday, August 29, 11:59 pm Central: Proposal submission deadline
• September: Interviews
• Monday, September 27: Fall Quarter starts and selected Smart Scholars begin their projects

Documents Required for Application

•  Resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae)
•  350-word project proposal, including: (a) Identification of one or more focal works from the Smart Museum of Art’s collection  (b) Description of work to result from research: creative work (such as visual art, music, dance, writing), program, scholarly essay, etc.(c) Identification and description of any resources needed to complete research and resulting project, if applicable
•  Unofficial transcript (please download an unofficial copy from the Registrar’s office; do not submit a screen shot of your myuchicago page)

Application Deadline

How to Apply

E-mail your completed application packet (items listed above in the “Application requirements” section) as a single PDF document to Aaron Wilder, Academic Engagement Coordinator, [email protected]. 

For more details,visit Smart Scholars Program