Description
The William L. Thompson Collections Fellowship for Emerging Museum Professionals and Graduate Students is a short-term residential fellowship with The Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation that is designed for emerging museum professionals* and graduate students with an interest in a career focusing on collections and material culture within historic house museums.
This fellowship opportunity will take place at Millford (Sumter County, SC) from May 3-8, 2026
Up to four positions will be funded for Spring 2026.
This fellowship is a program of the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation (formerly Classical American Homes Preservation Trust). Applicants who are emerging museum professionals are expected to be currently working in a collections-related museum position. Graduate student applicants will typically be completing a degree in art history, American studies, material culture, museum studies, public history, or a related field and should have completed at least one year of graduate study. Up to four positions will be funded for the Spring 2025 opportunity.
Fellows will participate in a week-long residency at Millford, located in rural Sumter County,South Carolina. Considered one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in North America, Millford contains a significant collection of original furnishings that were commissioned from New York cabinetmakers Duncan Phyfe & Son between 1839 and 1842.
While at Millford, Fellows will work with the Jenrette Foundation’s Curator & Director of Collections, Grant Quertermous, and other members of the professional staff on a variety of projects, including the documentation and care of collection objects, installation of additional objects and works of art. Fellowship participants will also undertake an individual project related to their own professional or research interests utilizing Millford’s significant collection. Additional benefits of the Fellowship will include workshops, professional mentoring opportunities, and visits to other historic sites in the region.
The Thompson Fellowship includes a stipend of $2,000 as well as financial support to reimburse costs associated with travel to and from Millford and meals during the week. On-site lodging will be provided. The Thompson Fellowship also provides travel support to attend several Jenrette Foundation events held in New York City during Americana Week in late January 2027 .
This fellowship is named in memory of William L. Thompson (1928-2013), the longtime partner of CAHPT’s founder, Richard H. Jenrette. Thompson was instrumental in the restoration, furnishing, and landscaping of each of the CAHPT properties, and he played an important role in building our significant collection of American decorative arts and fine art.
Requirements
This Fellowship opportunity is limited to emerging museum professionals and graduate students. For this fellowship, an emerging museum professional is someone who has completed a degree within the last five years and is currently working in a collections-related museum position. Graduate student applicants will typically be completing a degree in art history, American studies, material culture, museum studies, public history, or a related field and should have completed at least one year of graduate study.
Participants will be expected to travel to Sumter County, South Carolina and be on-site at Millford from May 3-8, 2026.
Tasks during the course of the Fellowship will include assisting with installations of works of art or collections objects, exhibition planning, evaluating the condition of objects, updating collections records, undertaking research on an object, or photographing objects on display in the house. Time will also be allotted each day for Fellows to complete work on their individual projects. A brief report (no longer than 10 pgs) summarizing the project will be due one week following the completion of the Fellowship experience.
