Preservation Scholars Program

Program Eligibility

If you’re interested in learning how you can apply your degree to historic preservation, the Preservation Scholars Program could be for you! It doesn’t matter if you study history, graphic design, economics, community and regional planning, or accounting.

This program is for you if you:

• Are a student from an underrepresented ethnic or cultural community; AND
• Attend a college in Texas, OR are a Texas resident attending school out of state, OR are a college senior or recent graduate who has been accepted into a graduate program (proof of application or acceptance to a graduate program will be required); AND
• Will have completed 50 or more credit hours upon starting the internship; AND
• Have a grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 system or a comparable GPA; AND
• Are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; AND
• Have not been a Preservation Scholar before.

Program Touchstones

The Preservation Scholars Program includes:

• A 10-week PAID internship at the Texas Historical Commission.
• Completion of a project of your choosing (selected from a list that will be provided during the application process).
• Working at the Austin headquarters or in the field at historic sites (select projects may allow remote participation).
• Multiple networking opportunities for the Preservation Scholars’ cohort.
• Weekly “Brown Bag Presentations” from national, state, and local preservation professionals or organizations outside of the THC.
• Opportunities for publication of work on the THC and the FTHC websites and/or publications.
• An interim progress report from the students.
• A final presentation by the students to the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission Board of Trustees.