Department of the Interior Grant for Student Career Development in NPS Collections Preservation

The objective of this Agreement between the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Anthropology (UAA) and the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) is for the purpose of providing collections management and preservation training opportunities to university students through their participation in processing the backlog of collections held at the Alaska Regional Curatorial Center (ARCC). Student participants will provide curatorial support to the NPS Alaska Regional Curatorial Center by assisting with the processing and preservation of collections from national parks across the state, including Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, the Western Arctic Parklands, Kenai Fjords National Park, and other park units. Students will be trained in all aspects of the curatorial work they will be conducting, providing them with a foundation of knowledge that may be utilized in other aspects of their studies or career trajectories.

This work influences the effectiveness and acceptability of agency goals. Programs carried out by this partnership will directly affect the preservation and enhancement of cultural resources maintained by the national parks in Alaska. It is anticipated that at least 60,000 items will be cataloged and rehoused to professional standards during the course of this project.