This page contains information about possible opportunities in folklore, including jobs and internships.

Folklore and Folklife internships are available at several institutions in the DC area. To get GMU credit for an undergraduate (ENGL 498) or graduate (ENGL 604) internship, contact Profs.Margaret Yocom or Debra Shutika. See a list of possible internship sites and registration instructions, below:

Internship Sites:

American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress
See “Internships and Awards.”

Arlington County: Dept of Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Internships in the Cultural Heritage division of Arts & Cultural Development.

National Council for the Traditional Arts
Internships with the National Folk Festival and other public programs.

Northern Virginia Folklife Archive, George Mason University
Internships in archiving skills, folklore program development.

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Internships with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Rounder Records, Folklife Archive, and more. See “Jobs & Research Opportunities” (includes Internships).

Smithsonian Institution
Internships at the National Museum of American History.

Southern Arts Federation
Internships in traditional arts administration.

Other options: You and your Internship Advisor may locate other sites that better fit your interests and needs. For example, graduate students have interned at the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia and with a professional storyteller.

How to register for an Internship in the GMU Folklore Program:

Toward the end of your first year in the Program, look at the sites listed above or imagine a site you would like. Check the due dates for internship applications.

By the first month of the semester before you want to intern, talk with either Dr. Shutika or Dr. Yocom about your interests and the site(s) where you would most like to intern. Decide on either Shutika or Yocom as your Internship Advisor.

Your Internship Advisor will contact the organiztion you're interested in to see if an internship is possible. Then, you'll contact the organization.

Fill out the ENGL 604 “Internship in Folklore”(PDF) form and discuss this draft with your Internship Advisor (either Yocom or Shutika). If you are an undergraduate, your course (and form) will be ENGL 498 Internship: Special Topics (Folklore).

Have your Internship Advisor get the Individualized Section form from the Department of English, fill it out, and submit it.

Examples of Past Internships:

Christina Bishop's final project is on the usefulness of teaching oral history in the classroom to grade school-aged students and the common ground between the disciplines of Education and Folklore. To see her article on her internship as a teacher and folklorist at Claremont Spanish Immersion Elementary school, please click here

Aaron Hibbard: International storytelling Collection at the Library of Congress Summer 2006. Aaron was involved with processing, cataloging, data entry and preservation work in the international storytelling collection of the american folklife center at the library of congress. He worked with several formats of materials such as manuscripts,sound recordings, graphic material, moving images, electronic media, and artifacts. He explored issues in long term preservation, ethics, and access.

Paulina Guerrero: "Las Americas, Nuestras Musicas" program of the 2009 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Paulian assisted in translations for the Smithsonian Folkways Records website, and interviewed musicians for the festival blog. She was also able to assist in production of stage concerts and other festival events, along with learning about Welsh stone architecture.

Jacquelynn R. Leggett: "Roots of Virginia Culture" program of the 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Lynn helped coordinate pre-festival events and special projects under the direction of her SMithsonian advisor, Dr. Betty Belanus. lynn worked all ten days of the festival setting up exhibits, working with artists, and dismantling the exhibits. Her research paper was, "Special considerations in producing a local program at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival." 

Erica Wilmore: Applied Storytelling in Community Contexts. Erica worked closely with professional storyteller Gail Rosen observing her at performances and workshops in such venues as hospice retreats, clergy conferences, and church and bereavement retreats. During storytelling coaching sessions, Erica learned to craft stories as well as how to manage a storytelling business. For her final project, Erica prepared and presented a program of stories for Bethany house. 

Storyteller by Judy Toya of the Towa Puebla of Jemez. Pottery. About 1987.

Mukluks made by Central Yup'ik woman artist from Unalakleet, AK. Seal, beaver skins and polyester. 1984. (Artist's name confidential).

GMU student dyes a folklore classmate's hand with henna, teaching a woman's artform associated with weddings. 1999. (Artist's name confidential). (Margaret Yocom Photo)

Students decorate the George Mason statue in the flags of many nations during International Week in April. 2000. (Margaret Yocom Photo)