09/22/2026
As we celebrate 25 years of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, we're looking back at the milestones that shaped CURF—and the generations of Penn students whose paths it has helped launch.
In 2004, CURF partnered with the College of Arts and Sciences to launch the Summer Humanities Internship Program (SHIP), creating new pathways for students to gain hands-on experience in the humanities and social sciences. In its inaugural year, just 12 College students spent the summer immersed in full-time, funded internships at cultural, historical, and archival organizations throughout Philadelphia—experiences designed to connect classroom learning with the work of museums, libraries, archives, public history, and the arts.
More than two decades later, SHIP has grown into one of CURF's signature experiential learning programs. Each year, approximately 25 students receive funding for 10-week internships at organizations across the region, with long-standing partners like the Penn Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art joined by an ever-expanding network of museums, archives, cultural organizations, media outlets, and community partners.
As we celebrate 25 years of CURF, we're proud to see how SHIP has helped generations of Penn students explore careers, build professional skills, and bring the humanities to life through meaningful, hands-on experiences.
Learn more about SHIP at the link in our bio. The Summer 2027 application will open at the beginning of the spring semester.
