CCCC Wikipedia Graduate Fellowship Program

2022-23 Call for Applications

Are you interested in digital activism, knowledge equity, and public rhetorics? Make a real difference in public access to knowledge and explore your own research interests through the CCCC Wikipedia Graduate Fellowship Program.

Applications due: Monday, May 30, 2022

Fellowship period: July 2022–June 2023

Time commitment: 10 hours/week July–Aug; 5 hours/week Sept–June

Award: $1,500 USD

The Conference on College Composition and Communication Wikipedia Initiative (CCCCWI) is accepting applications for the 2022-23 CCCC Wikipedia Graduate Fellowship Program. Graduate students in writing studies and closely related fields are invited to apply. The fellowship is aimed at emerging scholars who are 1) invested in digital activism and knowledge equity, and 2) interested in hands-on experience with Wikipedia, Wikidata, and the digital public humanities.

Established in 2019, the CCCC Wikipedia Initiative proceeds from the conviction that public scholarship and knowledge equity on Wikipedia serve as fundamental groundwork for social justice. We are developing skills, cultivating inclusive community, and building structures of support and recognition for scholars of writing, rhetoric, literacy, and language studies who want to engage with Wikipedia as a form of global public scholarship.

2022-23 CCCC Wikipedia Graduate Fellows will each receive a $1,500 award in recognition of their one-year appointment to advance and expand the work of the CCCCWI. A pplications are due Monday, May 30, 2022. (See the application overview below for details.)

What do CCCC Wikipedia Grad Fellows do?

CCCC Wikipedia Graduate Fellows participate in Wikipedia and Wikidata training activities, collaborate on group projects, and lead individual projects that extend the work of the CCCCWI.

The 2022-23 cohort of fellows will work with CCCCWI leadership on shared projects aimed at highlighting writing studies related content gaps across different language Wikipedias and engaging editors with the support and resources they need to address knowledge inequities. Tasks include:

Improving the categorization of Wikipedia articles related to writing studies scholars and topics
Expanding bibliographies and resource lists to support citation equity
Developing Wikidata queries that showcase content gaps across language Wikipedias
Creating article worklists based on these queries to establish goals for WikiProject Writing
Revising and expanding help documentation and curriculum

Individual fellows will also take the lead in developing and executing a project aligned with the CCCCWI’s goal of engaging scholars in writing studies to edit Wikipedia within their field(s) of expertise. Project ideas will be refined in conversation with Dr. Melanie Kill (CCCCWI Chair), Savannah Cragin (CCCC Wikipedian-in-Residence), and the project mentor identified by the fellow. (See the project types overview below for details.)

Who should apply?

We welcome graduate students interested in digital activism, knowledge equity, and public rhetorics. If you meet the following criteria, we look forward to reading your application:

Currently enrolled in a graduate program in writing, rhetoric, composition, literacy, and/or language studies or a closely related field
Experience and investment in work supporting diversity and equity
Strong research, writing, and communication skills

All experience levels with Wikipedia or Wikidata are encouraged to apply. (See gaining experience on Wikipedia and Wikidata below if you’re interested in getting oriented with the Wikimedia movement.)

We are particularly interested in applicants who have one or more of the following:

Experience working in a community organizing, non-profit, or social justice role
Spoken and/or written language skills in a language other than English
Experience with Wikidata or data science (i.e., SPARQL)
Experience contributing to Wikipedia
Familiarity with the open knowledge movement
Experience with outreach via social media and graphic design communication skills

This is by no means a comprehensive list. If there is another skill set or experience not mentioned here that you believe would further the goals of the initiative, we highly recommend submitting an application that describes your project ideas and how you see yourself contributing.

What happens when?

May 30, 2022 – Deadline for application submission. This includes your cover letter, CV, and project ideas overview. Your project mentor’s letter of support should be received by Savannah Cragin (CCCC Wikipedian-in-Residence) at savannahcragin@berkeley.edu by this date.
June 6-12, 2022 – Selection committee will meet with finalists for brief, informal online interviews.
June 13-19, 2022 – Applicants will be notified.

If you have any questions or concerns about the application process, please email Savannah Cragin (CCCC Wikipedian-in-Residence) at savannahcragin@berkeley.edu.

Appendix 1: Project Types Overview

These fellow-led projects will draw on each fellow’s particular skill sets, community investments, and academic interests to support knowledge equity and public scholarship on Wikipedia. Applicants must identify a project mentor to help support their project goals throughout the fellowship. The mentor may be a faculty advisor, a faculty member at another institution, and/or a Wikipedian or Wikidatan community member doing knowledge equity work. (If the project mentor is a faculty member, it is not necessary for them to have prior experience with Wikipedia or Wikidata). Potential projects could include:

Writing studies community engagement projects involving members of a defined academic community as co-creators, for example through Wikipedia article assessment and worklist curation. Deep relationships within and commitment from the community are important. (For example, you might collaborate with a CCCC SIG or standing group or an organization like DBLAC or Anti-Ableist Composition.)
Wikipedian community engagement projects, including organizing meetups, workshops, edit-a-thons, contests, or resources supporting public engagement with writing studies research and knowledge. The ability to translate expertise into a relevant format in a way that will genuinely engage the intended public is crucial, as are skills and connections that will bring the public to the programs. (For example, you might collaborate with WikiProject Women in Red or AfroCROWD.)
Creative outreach and audiovisual projects pertaining to writing studies and Wikipedia and/or Wikidata, including podcasts, social media campaigns, short films, or graphic design. The ability to frame a narrative and articulate complex ideas in a compelling way is crucial, as is expertise in the relevant design technology and in distribution. (For example, you might create work we can showcase on the CCCCWI website and/or the WikiProject Writing Twitter account).
Public or classroom curriculum projects that develop adaptable training resources, activities, and participatory projects for a specific audience. These projects take up the work of teacher training and create instructional materials that support writing teachers (at any level and in any context) to teach Wikipedia editing in ways informed by writing studies pedagogy. (For example, you might work on developing a unit or focus for an FYC course that encourages instructors to edit alongside their students or develop a continuing education course on writing for Wikipedia).
We welcome other innovative projects that create engaging pathways for writing studies scholars to contribute to Wikipedia. This can relate to any aspect of the initiative’s goals, including but not limited to unique collaborations, diversifying our outreach practices, and developing compelling storytelling and branding that aid in the goal of establishing a culture of writing studies scholars editing Wikipedia as a form of public scholarship.

Appendix 2: Application Overview

This appendix provides an overview of the application process. There are four documents to submit. The applicant will upload items 1-3 when they complete the online application. The applicant’s mentor will submit item 4 (the letter of support) via email.

Cover letter: Include a cover letter introducing yourself and highlighting academic and non-academic skills and experiences that make you an ideal CCCC Wikipedia Graduate Fellow. We’d love to know how your project ideas and this fellowship fit into your current work and future goals. Tell us about your diversity and equity work. Describe your language skills. Describe your experience with Wikipedia and/or Wikidata and include your username (even if you are just getting started).
Résumé/CV: Include a résumé/CV highlighting the work most relevant to your project ideas, as well as any previous public-engagement experience, if applicable.
Project ideas overview (1,000 words total / 2 project ideas): Include an overview describing two (2) project ideas you could develop and implement during the fellowship period. Once the fellowship period begins, these project ideas will be discussed and one of them developed and completed in collaboration with CCCCWI key stakeholders. When articulating your project ideas, keep in mind the complexities of the communities or landscapes you are engaging with. Clear and concise descriptions of project activities, outcomes, and plans to address anticipated challenges will give reviewers greater confidence. For each project idea, please complete steps (a-d) in fewer than 500 words:
1. Project title: Provide a descriptive title for your project idea
2. Project summary: Provide a compelling overview of a project you would like to complete as an organizer extending and expanding the work of the CCCCWI. Briefly summarize the project goals, including at least one key output (e.g., an activity or product). Projects that involve individual contributions to Wikipedia or Wikidata should do so with the aim of understanding a process or problem and developing the infrastructure for writing scholars to engage in similar work. Think of yourself as part of the organizing team for the CCCCWI rather than a participant.
3. Project alignment: Describe how each project idea aligns with the CCCCWI’s goals of engaging scholarly editors within writing studies fields to contribute to Wikipedia. Specifically, elaborate on how you will engage CCCCWI participants and/or specific scholarly communities. Additionally, describe how the project helps combat knowledge inequities within writing studies-related content on Wikipedia.
4. Project investment: Describe why you are the right person to lead this project. Please discuss your relationship to the communities you plan to collaborate with.
Project mentor letter of support: Ask your project mentor to email a brief letter of support to Savannah Cragin (CCCC Wikipedian-in-Residence) at savannahcragin@berkeley.edu. The letter should:
1. Briefly evaluate the value and significance of the applicant’s project ideas
2. Assess the applicant’s relevant skills and ability to carry out proposed project ideas
3. Indicate a commitment to support the fellow and their proposed project ideas

Appendix 3 – Gaining Experience on Wikipedia and Wikidata

We welcome applicants who are committed to learning how to edit or looking to expand their knowledge of Wikipedia and Wikidata’s editing culture. Below are some resources, initiatives, and events that we hope will pique your interest, get you started editing, and deepen your experience with Wikipedia.