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Humanities Works

Pairing Undergraduate Research Assistants with Graduate Student Researchers in the Humanities

For Undergraduate Students

Are you a work-study eligible undergraduate looking for additional on-campus employment opportunities? Are you also interested in supporting graduate students in the humanities with their research projects? If so, we encourage you to apply to the Kaplan Institute’s Humanities Works initiative.

Humanities Works connects undergraduate students with graduate researchers in the humanities, offering a hands-on opportunity to engage in a real research project. No prior research experience is required; however, applicants should be motivated, eager to learn, and able to work independently.

Kaplan will compensate work-study eligible students for their research hours in accordance with the Northwestern University Work Study program policies and regulations. Undergraduate research assistants who are not work-study eligible but eager to gain research experience may still participate by volunteering their research hours.

Students interested in applying should submit a resume and a brief email expressing their interest to Adam Syvertsen (adam.syvertsen@northwestern.edu).

For Graduate Students

Are you a current Northwestern graduate student working on a non-IRB humanities research project? Do you have a research task that could be completed by an undergraduate assistant? If so, we invite you to apply for research support through the Kaplan Institute’s Humanities Works program.

Humanities Works provides graduate students with undergraduate research assistance at no cost. Kaplan compensates undergraduates directly, allowing graduate researchers to focus on advancing their projects without financial burden.

Humanities Works awards are granted in blocks of 10 hours of undergraduate research assistant labor. Please note that this program does not provide direct funding for research expenses and is limited to compensating undergraduate research assistants for their time.

Graduate student participants are expected to train undergraduate research assistants in the proposed research tasks and to remain available to answer questions as needed. Graduate students are also asked to meet with their research assistants for a meal or coffee to discuss the project and build mentorship. Kaplan will reimburse graduate student researchers for this expense.

For more details, or to be considered for an undergraduate research assistant, please submit a letter of interest (maximum two pages) that includes the following:

  1. A one-paragraph summary of your research project
  2. A one-paragraph description of the work to be undertaken by the undergraduate research assistant
  3. A one-paragraph timeline outlining your project and when research assistance is needed
  4. The name of at least one current Northwestern faculty member who may serve as a reference (no letter will be requested)
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis during this pilot academic year (2025-2026). Kaplan will facilitate as many research partnerships as possible, subject to funding availability and other considerations.

Please send your letter of interest to Adam Syvertsen: adam.syvertsen@northwestern.edu.