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Brown Teacher Fellowship
The Anne & Ryland Brown Teacher Research Fellowship provides Virginia educators the opportunity to research and study a specific aspect of Virginia history and produce educational resources to support the Library of Virginia’s ongoing exhibition and education programs. The award includes a generous stipend as well as an allocation to cover registration fees and travel for conference presentations.
Over the course of the summer, the Brown Fellows work with staff members of the Library of Virginia—including consultation with reference and archival staff members—to pursue research on the selected topic for the year. Brown Fellows will be asked to create a set of documents to be added to the online primary resource collection Document Bank of Virginia (DBVa), the Library of Virginia’s initiative to get primary sources into classrooms. The Brown Fellows are also required to make a presentation at the Brown Teacher Institute or a conference of their choice.
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2026 Anne & Ryland Brown Teacher Fellowship
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the Library of Virginia invites educators to reflect on the nation’s founding ideals and the ongoing struggle to realize them. We are looking for two Brown Teacher Fellows to explore how archival sources illuminate the diverse voices and experiences that have shaped American democracy. By engaging with primary documents preserved at the Library of Virginia, fellows will investigate how individuals and communities — including those historically marginalized — have pursued the promises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The fellowship application deadline for 2026 has closed.
How to Apply
- Teachers of grades 4 through 12 and who are residents of Virginia.
- Have a minimum of 3 years of teaching experience in history and/or social science.
- Exhibit the use of creative and engaging teaching techniques in the classroom.
- Demonstrate a commitment to the use of primary sources as a part of classroom instruction.
- Open to Virginia 4th–12th Grade History and Social Science Educators.
- Be available to complete 80 hours of research between June and September 2026, with at least part of the hours in attendance at the Library of Virginia.
Please include the following with your application:
- A résumé.
- Statement of interest in 500 words or fewer outlining your reasons for applying for the Fellowship; teaching philosophy; and what you hope to gain from the experience.
- Letter of support from an immediate supervisor.
- A sample lesson plan and/or narrative description demonstrating creative uses of primary sources, along with examples of student work based on the lesson, if available.
Submit your application materials to education@lva.virginia.gov
Fellowship Applications will open in spring 2027. Fellowship recipients are typically notified within three weeks of the deadline.
Please contact Catherine Fitzgerald Wyatt, Education and Outreach manager at 804.692.3999 or Catherine.Fitzgeraldwyatt@lva.virginia.gov
FAQs
What characteristics are most desirable in an applicant for the fellowship?
We are looking for educators (1) with a demonstrated passion for teaching history, (2) who incorporate primary source documents into their lessons, and (3) demonstrate creativity in their approach to classroom instruction.
How are the Brown Fellows selected?
The Library has an internal selection committee that screens and reviews the applications each year. Once the committee decides on its finalists, they are invited for an interview before the final selection is made.
When will I be notified of the Library’s selection for the Fellowship?
Selections are typically made within three weeks of the application deadline.
What takes place during the research period?
Brown Fellows work with the Education & Outreach team to discuss their projects, and suggest primary and secondary sources to consult during their research. The fellows will have access to the Library research databases, archival materials, and other reference resources during the course of their stays. Fellows are also introduced to members of the archival and library reference staff who will aid in their research. Periodically, the fellows will meet with the Education & Outreach team and other staff members to discuss the project of their research and ask any questions they may have.
When must the research take place?
We are typically pretty flexible when it comes to scheduling research dates. Once the Brown Fellows are selected, we work with them to schedule the time(s) they are able to come in and conduct research. We require a minimum of 40 hours of research on-site at the Library anytime between June and September. The fellows may choose to come in for an entire week at a time, or a few days a week over several weeks. We require an additional 40 hours of research and writing that may be completed either on-site or off-site.
Will the Educational Services staff dictate the theme or topic of the research?
It depends. Some years we have specific projects on the horizon that we ask Brown Fellows to support. Sometimes we ask applicants to propose a project based on their own areas of interest, but they should take into consideration the Virginia Standards of Learning and the nature of the primary sources available at the Library of Virginia, which will be the basis of any lesson plans or activities created by the fellows.
How much is the stipend?
$3,000 that is paid in installments as work is completed
Will selected Fellows be provided with a work space?
Yes. Fellows will have their own work space with a computer and access to the internet, a copier, and a printer.
If selected, what can I do for housing?
The Brown Fellowship does not cover lodging, but recipients may use their award to cover those costs.
What does the Library of Virginia get out of it?
Brown Fellows are asked to develop a series of lesson plans, activities, or resource packets based on primary source documents from the Library of Virginia’s collections for our classroom resource Document Bank of Virginia. We ask that the lessons be submitted no later than two (2) months after the conclusion of the fellow’s summer research visit.
Ellen and Orran Brown endowed the Anne & Ryland Brown Teacher Enrichment Fund in 2009 in honor of his parents as a legacy to their lifelong belief in the power of education to improve an individual’s well being and that of his or her family. The Fund supports the Brown Teacher Institute and the Brown Teacher Fellowship programs.
