Teacher Fellowship Programs

About the Fellowships

Teacher Fellowships will support the creation or dramatic transformation of curriculum materials, lesson plans, website content, interpretive tools, or other educational resources to support a 21st-century classroom’s needs. The subject of said materials must relate to teaching about George Washington and the founding era. The Reese Teacher Fellowship will be awarded to a teacher who connects high school students with 18th-century print and handwritten primary sources. Four to six fellowships are awarded annually.

Successful applications will demonstrate knowledge of curriculum connections to George Washington and the founding era; the ability to integrate the material with national and state-based models for student assessment and standards; and will make use of Mount Vernon’s existing online and onsite expertise and resources. The proposed project should show both creativity and practicality so that it pushes innovation and also can be adopted in a variety of classroom environments.  

Fellowships Details

Fellowships awarded are for one to three weeks of consecutive or non-consecutive study between June 2019 and August 2020.

Selected fellows will work with Mount Vernon staff to schedule dates for residency. Reimbursement for one round trip to the Washington Library, housing, and a $1000 stipend for each week of research at the Library are also included in the Fellowship. 

Applications will be reviewed blindly by a highly regarded panel of external scholars and educators assembled by Mount Vernon. 

These funded research opportunities are available to exceptional classroom teachers (grades K-12), curriculum specialists, media specialists, and to those engaged in university-level teacher training or non-profit educational resources development. 

The Facilities and Resources

The Fred W.Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington
The Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington Life Guard Teacher Fellows will enjoy unparalleled access to the extensive resources of the new 45,000 square‐foot Washington Library. Fellows also benefit from the support of specially trained Library staff members who can connect them with other invaluable resources for research. Located just outside the main entrance to the estate, the Library is designed to house and safeguard original Washington documents and other materials from the founding era, as well as contemporary research tools and resources.

George Washington's Mount Vernon 
By living and working on George Washington’s estate, fellows will also enjoy the opportunity to connect and collaborate with Mount Vernon’s onsite experts in early American history, preservation, archaeology and other relevant fields, as well as the scholars who frequently visit for lectures, research, educational programs, and other purposes.

DeVos House Scholars' Residence
As part of the award package, fellows will have the opportunity to reside in the DeVos House, a scholars’ residence located just 150 feet west of the Library entrance. The building has accommodations for eight scholars, a kitchen, and a living/dining area.