DHRC Museum of Memory and Human Rights Fellowship, Santiago, Chile

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The Donia Human Rights Center (DHRC), in collaboration with the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS), is offering a fellowship to fund a summer internship with the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago, Chile. The fellowship seeks to support a U-M student with demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in human rights.

The successful applicant will spend eight weeks, between May and August 2026, working with the Museum of Memory and Human Rights team providing research support, educating audiences, and working to rescue the memory of women's social organizations and the Chilean feminist movement.

The fellowship provides a stipend of $5,000 to defray the costs of living for eight weeks. Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee from DHRC, LACS, and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. The fellowship will provide an additional $1,000 to reimburse travel expenses to and from Santiago, Chile.

Upon completion of this internship, fellows are expected to deliver a presentation of their internship projects and experiences and submit a written reflection to DHRC.

Internship Programs at the Museum

1. Collections and Research
   The Collections and Research group is responsible for safeguarding the collections housed by the museum and providing research support. Interns assist staff with archival documentation and diverse research projects using the Museum’s collections.
2. Education and Audiences
   Education and Audiences staff promote human rights and memory education using the Museum as a resource for learning, reflection, and dialogue regarding crimes committed during the dictatorship and present-day human rights issues and struggles. Interns assist staff with guided visits, training courses and workshops, creation of educational materials, and other activities, while ensuring the inclusion of audiences with diverse educational needs.
3. Memory and Feminism
   The Memory and Feminism sector works to recover the memory of women's social organizations and the feminist movement that confronted human rights violations between 1973 and 1990. Interns assist staff in archival management and research or educational outreach projects that seek to preserve historical memory while engaging with current feminist practices.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Notification: TBA

Eligibility Requirements

This fellowship is open to U-M undergraduates in the classes of 2027 and 2028, as well as U-M graduate students. Fellows must be proficient in Spanish and able to work in a Spanish-language environment, including reading, writing, and speaking.  Applicants should demonstrate excellent organizational and communication skills, appreciation of cultural diversity, and enthusiasm for working collaboratively as part of a team.

Application Procedure

To apply, submit the following documents to dhrc-fellowships@umich.edu:

Statement of interest (500 words maximum).  The statement should explain why you would like to participate in this internship program and indicate relevant academic or other experiences related to human rights, Latin America, International Studies, or Museum or Information Studies.  Please also indicate which of the internship programs listed above is of greatest interest to you as well as your flexibility regarding the options.

U-M transcript  

Please submit your current Michigan transcript.  If your transcript does not show advanced courses in Spanish, include proof of Spanish  proficiency as described above in the eligibility requirements.  This may be a short email to dhrc-fellowships@umich.edu from a U-M Spanish instructor who has taught or evaluated your Spanish proficiency.   Please note that finalists will be interviewed by the Museum staff in Spanish.  

One letter of recommendation should be submitted directly by the recommender

Contact Information: dhrc-fellowships@umich.edu

Desired Qualifications

We welcome applications from students from diverse backgrounds and academic programs. Basic knowledge of Latin American  history and politics and an understanding of the historical significance of museums and memory sites is preferred. Students should also be prepared to adapt to unfamiliar settings and the changing needs of the Museum. Applications will be evaluated on the quality of the statement of purpose and qualifications, the applicant’s record of achievement, and the relevance of their experience and goals to the internship position with the Museum of Memory and Human Rights.

About the Museum of Memory and Human Rights

The Museum of Memory and Human Rights (MMDH), located in Santiago, Chile, was created as a means of moral reparation for the victims of the Chilean civil-military dictatorship that occurred between 1973 and 1990. Its purpose is to foster reflection that transcends what happened in the past and serves new generations in building a future of unrestricted respect for life, human dignity, and human rights.

The creation of the Museum was announced on May 21, 2007 by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria, in her public address to the National Congress. On International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2008, the first stone of the future building was symbolically laid. The official donation of the archives and collections of the "Casa de la Memoria" (House of Memory) took place in June 2009. These holdings were declared part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Program and constitute a fundamental part of the Museum’s cultural assets. The MMDH possesses one of the world’s largest archival collections, housing a massive, specialized collection of oral and written testimonies, legal documents, letters, literature, press clippings, visual and audio materials including feature films, historical material, and documentary photos.

In December, 2009, construction of the building was completed, the museum’s exhibit was installed, and the Board of Directors was appointed. The Board is composed of representatives of human rights organizations, universities with human rights centers or institutes, and other individuals linked to their defense and promotion. Finally on January 11, 2010, President Bachelet hosted the official inauguration of this Bicentennial project.  The event convened nearly three thousand people, among them representatives of human rights organizations, figures from the political world, victims of the dictatorship and their families, and others.

Currently, the Museum depends on a private non-profit foundation and receives funding through the National Budget Law, which is discussed annually in Congress.

This brief historical contextualization of its emergence allows us to understand the meaning and mission of the museum.  The MMDH embodies forms of symbolic reparation, following the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Rettig Commission) and its 1991 Report. This report established that to restore dignity to the victims of the dictatorship, it was necessary to remember them with public landmarks. The MMDH also responds to the commission's recommendations regarding education for a culture respectful of human rights so that these events "Never Again" occur in Chile or elsewhere on the planet.

The MMDH’s mission is to make known the systematic human rights violations by the State of Chile between the years 1973-1990. Through ethical reflection on memory, solidarity, and the importance of human rights, it aims to strengthen the national will so that events affecting human dignity are Never Again repeated.

The museum was conceived as a place where testimonies and documents are preserved and exhibited, allowing a look at Chile's painful past to learn from that experience. The purpose is to contribute to making the culture of human rights and democratic values the shared ethical foundation of Chilean society. This allows for a perspective on recent history that also addresses current issues such as various forms of violence, discrimination, and the rights of indigenous peoples.

Donia Human Rights Center (DHRC)

The Donia Human Rights Center is a forum for intellectual exchange on issues around human rights among scholars, practitioners, students, and the broader public. Toward that end, we invite leading practitioners and scholars to share their insights and expertise on human rights gained through their experiences and research. We also offer internship and study-abroad opportunities to students that would enhance their understanding of contemporary human rights issues and equip them with the tools to tackle challenging human rights problems around the world.

Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies

The University of Michigan Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) is committed to promoting a broader and deeper understanding of the region--its histories, cultures, and peoples. The center provides a venue for faculty, students, and the community to learn and share knowledge and partners with a host of units across campus on projects of mutual interest.