New Voices Scholarship
This scholarship supports an attendee with an underrepresented background or lived experience, or a unique pathway into the museum or visitor studies sector. We especially encourage candidates in areas of study beyond museums and evaluation, those with diverse cultural or ethnic backgrounds and experiences, and other identities that have historically been minimized or excluded from the museum and/or visitor studies fields.
Requirements:
- Must be a new attendee to the in-person VSA conference. Past virtual attendance is fine!
- Must be able to draw a meaningful connection to the visitor studies field, through professional, academic, or lived experiences.
- Applicants are eligible regardless of whether they are current students, museum professionals, or working outside of the museum or informal learning field. We will prioritize candidates who do not have a traditional museum background and/or are challenging the status quo within their programs or institutions.
You are a good fit for the New Voices Scholarship if:
- You are interested in impacting and broadening the field of visitor studies in a positive way.
- You would like to build a more in-depth relationship with the visitor studies community.
We are looking for candidates that will:
- Engage in conference events and sessions with curiosity and enthusiasm.
- Bring new perspectives and thoughtful dialogue to the conference.
- Engage with the VSA community beyond the conference and stay involved.
- Provide feedback and reflection following the conference to help us continue to improve the scholarship experience
The New Voices Scholarship provides:
- Registration to the VSA conference, including evening events
- Compensation for ground or air travel to and from the conference, up to $600
- A reserved room in the conference hotel for up to 4 nights
- Per diem to cover meals and incidentals for each day of the conference
- A one-year membership to VSA
- Public acknowledgement prior to the conference on VSA’s website and social media, and during the conference opening and closing events
- Mentorship, camaraderie, and support during the conference via interactions with the Conference Planning Committee, VSA Board, and VSA membership at large
Click here to view a copy of the written application and requirements.
Application and Review Process:
The extended deadline is now March 9, 2026.
Written applications are reviewed by VSA volunteers. Based on reviews, the top 2-3 candidates for each scholarship type will be invited to an interview with members of the VSA Scholarships team to make a final selection. All candidates will be notified of final decisions in April.