McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive – Student Participant
Application Deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026 at 11:59 pm CDT.
Position Summary
The Art Institute of Chicago is excited to invite current undergraduate students to apply to our McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive program.
The McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive is a weeklong immersive program introducing undergraduate students to museum professions through workshops, behind-the-scenes tours, field trips, and networking events. This year’s program will run from June 8–13, 2026.
The 2026 program considers the theme of “Context.” The term “context” is often used to describe the kinds of information that museums provide about art, such as the historical and social conditions in which an artwork was made, or the process of its making. But there are a wide range of approaches to offering context and determining what kinds of information and how much of it is needed. Moreover, artists and artworks might resist certain forms of description. Do we need context? And if so, what kinds?
Through conversations with museum staff, we will see how the engagements, spaces, and narratives that museums offer can shape a person’s perspective on an artwork. We will ask ourselves: What do we need around us to understand what art is doing? What do we need to be told? How do museums negotiate the tension between an artwork’s original setting and our present moment? What assumptions do we make about an individual’s experience with art? And what other possibilities can we consider?
Students have the opportunity to meet with and learn from multiple museum departments and staff as well as develop a robust peer cohort. Summer Intensive participants also receive writing resources, training on presentation skills, and ongoing career advice and mentorship.
Alumni of our Summer Intensive remain connected with the museum through free events and receive guidance from the museum’s Academic Engagement and Research staff on emerging professional opportunities at the Art Institute and beyond.
Duration and Format of the Program:
Dates: Monday, June 8–Saturday, June 13, 2026
Times: 9:00am–5:00pm each day
Location: The Art Institute of Chicago
Format: In-Person
Summer Intensive Outcomes:
As a participant of the McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive, you will:
- Learn from museum staff about their roles as well as those of a diverse range of other art professionals
- Investigate conceptual questions that currently face the collecting, research, and art museum field more broadly
- Experience a behind-the-scenes look at hands-on museum work
- Explore different museum career paths
- Exercise research, writing, and presentation skills centered on art museum work
- Become part of a growing network of emerging scholars and professionals
Goals of the McMullan Family Foundation:
The McMullan Family Foundation’s primary objective is to support students who will encounter economic challenges if considering a career in the arts. Aligned with this goal, we aim to help shape a diverse group of leaders whose actions are informed by a wide range of perspectives, varying career paths, and values inspired by their own lived experiences.
Eligibility:
- Undergraduates who are currently enrolled at a university, college, or community college in the United States;
- Applicants who are able to attend the weeklong event in its entirety, from June 8–June 13, 2026;
- Applicants who are eligible to work in the United States (including individuals currently on student visas) and able to physically access the museum for the duration of the program;
- Students who are based or attending school in the greater Chicagoland area and the Midwest are prioritized.
Qualifications:
- Applicants who have an interest in learning more about museums and how museums work, art and art history, and the wide range of career paths in the museum field. Previous coursework or job experience in these fields is not required.
- Applicants who aim to support the goal of promoting inclusive museums that showcase a multiplicity of voices, perspectives, and identities, and who would benefit from the unique support and access that this opportunity provides.
Stipend and Housing:
Participants will be given a stipend the week before the program begins to assist them for the duration of the Summer Intensive.
All participants must stay in SAIC student housing that we provide as part of the program. Each participant will be given a single-person room. Student housing is walking distance to the museum and will enable participants to reach the museum in a timely manner each morning, while also allowing space to connect with their cohort and work on assignments together after hours.
Check in for SAIC student housing will occur the Sunday before the program begins, while check out will happen the Sunday after the program concludes.
Application Review and Selection Process:
We anticipate accepting 15 students into the 2026 program. Applicants will be notified whether or not they have been accepted by Monday, April 6, 2026 at 5:00 pm CDT.
Application Instructions
ALL of the following application materials, including the Google Form and Letter of Recommendation, must be submitted no later than Friday, February 27, 2026 at 11:59 pm CDT. You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.
1. PLEASE FILL OUT ALL FIELDS IN THIS GOOGLE FORM:
https://tinyurl.com/SummerIntensive2026
2. ONE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Applicants must have one confidential letter of recommendation. A letter of recommendation can be submitted by faculty at your college or university or by current or past employers who are familiar with your skills and abilities. We will only accept the recommendation letter submitted by the applicant’s designated recommender.
Recommenders are asked to explain how this program would help the applicant in their academic and career pursuits.
The letter of recommendation must be submitted via email to aerdept@artic.edu by Friday, February 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM CDT. The recommendation must come directly from the recommender’s institutional e-mail, it should be a pdf file, and the email subject line should state “[APPLICANT NAME]-2026 SUMMER INTENSIVE PROGRAM.”
Recommenders are welcome to address their letter to the Department of Academic Engagement and Research located at 111 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60603, however we will only accept emailed letters of recommendation for review.
3. APPLICATION DOCUMENT
IMPORTANT: You must upload all of the following materials into one pdf document and list your last name and “Summer Intensive” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_SummerIntensive.pdf.)
- Short Essay Questions
Instead of a traditional cover letter or personal statement, please respond to the following questions in three short essays (no more than 250 words per answer.) We encourage you to provide specific examples to support your answers or to illustrate your ideas:
- How does the McMullan Family Foundation Summer Intensive relate to your academic, career, or personal goals? Please be specific in your response.
- Based on an experience you had, what is one specific change you would like to see in art museums? Please be specific.
- Provide an example of an experience where you were able to offer your unique perspective to a project, discussion, or dialogue, and explain the impact you had.
B. Résumé
In your résumé, please include:
- Contact information (phone number, email, current mailing address, and permanent address)
- School and area of study/major
- Expected graduation date
- Relevant employment, volunteer, and/or extracurricular experiences
- Computer and language skills
- The exact name and email address of the person submitting your letter of recommendation.
C. Transcripts
We are interested to learn about your coursework and overall academic trajectories. Please provide unofficial transcripts for your entire undergraduate career, including the college or university you currently attend and any you may have previously attended.
Number of Openings: 15
