Hoesley Digital Literacy Fellows Program
The Penn Libraries welcomes current juniors and seniors to apply for the Hoesley Digital Literacy Fellows Program. Partially funded by a generous gift from Board Member Jim Hoesley and his wife Sandee Hoesley, and conducted in collaboration with Career Services, the School of Arts and Sciences, and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF), this program encourages creative exploration of technologies commonly used in our rapidly evolving 21st century workplace and beyond. Throughout the experience, Fellows will receive hands-on training and support as they design and develop a digital project and curate their professional digital presence.
Who Should Apply?
Program Details
The program will select a cohort of up to 10 students no later than July. Students will meet as a cohort with library staff in September for an orientation to the program. In addition to their own work, Fellows will participate in hands-on workshops from staff members across Penn Libraries’ Education Commons and Vitale Digital Media Lab in a variety of technologies and digital tools in addition to workshops on career-related planning. Some of the workshop topics to be offered are:Â
- Digital Fabrication
- Project Management
- Presentation Skills
- Digital Media Production
- Digital Identity Management
The American Library Association (ALA) defines digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” Comfort with foundational digital literacy skills and experience with emerging technologies can provide a valuable edge in many job and internship searches. This process will be supported through the guidance of library staff members in bi-weekly meetings, co-working time in our makerspace, as well as one-on-one consultations offered by experts across the Penn community. By the end of the academic year, fellows will have a completed digital project and a personal professional website that will demonstrate mastery of their digital skills. Collaboration within the cohort and small-group work is expected. Each student will present their completed project at a culminating event and receive personalized feedback. Fellows will have the chance to explore additional emerging technologies and topics such as virtual and augmented reality, e-textiles, data literacy, and social media. Fellows will receive:
- Priority access to equipment and spaces
- Server space to build a professional website and digital project
- Up to $500 for project-related equipment, material, and/or software
- Support from expert staff across the library
- Meals will be provided at required meetings and workshops
