Library Research Scholars & Adobe Scholars Programs

Background

The Library Research Scholars Program, inaugurated in 2015, selects three undergraduate students each year to serve as Library Research Scholars. Students in the program participate in a unique, librarian faculty-mentored learning experience involving a deep and active engagement with the University of Miami Libraries’ research collections and service programs. Library Research Scholars will build upon their own interests, develop transferable skills, and create an intellectual product that is shareable with others. The program is jointly sponsored by the Dean of Undergraduate Affairs and the Dean of the Libraries.

The Adobe Scholars Program, inaugurated in 2018, provides two students each year an opportunity to serve as Adobe Scholars. They will receive specialized training from experts associated with the Creative Studio, create an audiovisual and/or multimedia intellectual project, and serve as creative consultants to help other UM students maximize the potential of Adobe Creative Cloud and other related tools and software. The program is sponsored through an endowment provided by Adobe Systems Inc.

Collection of Scholars’ Projects

Description

Students accepted into either the Library Research Scholars Program or Adobe Scholars Program will participate in a year-long research program that will culminate with an annotated bibliography and intellectual product.

Compensation: Library Research Scholars & Adobe Scholars will be paid a stipend of $3,000 for the academic year ($1,500 per semester) disbursed bi-weekly.

Orientation: Students will take part in a focused orientation program, meeting with key library faculty and staff in order to understand the nature of the organization’s work. The program may include introductions to many library departments, including Learning and Research Services, Special Collections, University Archives, Cuban Heritage Collection, Digital Library, Music Library, Architecture Research Center (ARC), and more. Adobe Scholars will receive additional specialized training in the Creative Studio.

Mentorship and Work Experience: All students will be matched with a librarian faculty member, who will serve as a mentor and supervisor. The programs require 5-10 hours of dedicated time per week in the University of Miami Libraries during the fall and spring semesters. Also, the cohort of scholars will periodically meet together throughout the year.

Project: In consultation with a librarian faculty mentor, each student will develop a project that results in an intellectual product. For Library Research Scholars, the focus of the project could be any topic of interest and can include analog projects, such as a scholarly paper or written creative work. Projects for Adobe Scholars are required to have an audiovisual and/or multimedia element. Both Library Research and Adobe Scholars will deposit their final project proposals and annotated bibliographies into Scholarship@Miami which is the scholarly repository of the University of Miami Libraries.

Celebration: At the conclusion of the academic year, a capstone event will be hosted at Richter Library in which each Library Research Scholar and Adobe Scholar will describe their experience and project. Scholars’ families and friends will be invited along with UM faculty, administrators and others.

Eligibility and Requirements

Any undergraduate student at the University of Miami with a SSN is welcome to apply to become either a Library Research Scholar or Adobe Scholar. For Adobe Scholars, proficiency in one or more Adobe applications, preferably Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, Illustrator, or Dreamweaver, is suggested, but not required. Scholars must commit to 5-10 hours per week of work during the academic year.

Project proposals are required on your application and any topic is welcome. The Library Research Scholars & Adobe Scholars program is particularly interested in projects that draw upon resources available in the Cuban Heritage Collection, Camner Family Music Collection, Black Studies (see the Africana Studies Research Guide), Special Collections, University Archives, and the Kislak Collection.

Apply

The application deadline has closed. Please check back in Spring 2026.

Questions?

Please contact Erica Newcome or Thilani Samarakoon for more information.