Fellowship Program
Promoting New Scholarship
Each year, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West offers a limited number of research stipends for promising and established visiting western scholars in our fellowship program. Scholars research, write, and develop ideas and manuscripts that expand the horizon of western studies and art history. Fellows work in the collections of the McCracken Research Library, or with one of our five museums.
If scholars wish to apply for more than one of our Fellowships, they must submit separate applications for each to [email protected], 307-578-4136.
2025 – 2026 A.P. Proctor Fellowship
The Center of the West is seeking proposals for the 2025 – 2026 Alexander Phimister Proctor Fellowship, generously funded by the Alexander Phimister Proctor Foundation. $5,000 is available, plus $1,000 for travel and/or housing. This fellowship is intended to fund research topics related to sculptor Alexander Phimister Proctor (1860 – 1950) and drawing on the Center of the West’s extensive collection of material related to the artist. Fellows will be able to conduct research among the artwork, archival, and library collections of the Whitney Western Art Museum and the McCracken Research Library.
As a direct result of the A.P. Proctor Fellowship award, Fellows are expected to prepare a professional presentation and/or publication crediting the support of BBCW. Informal discussions of research findings and active collaboration with BBCW staff and other Fellows are encouraged. Fellows will also be asked to submit a precis outlining sources researched, how those sources shaped their research findings, and how they will incorporate this information into their final product. Fellows are expected to credit the BBCW in subsequent publications and provide copies of their final publication or work that stems from their research.
Proposals for the 2025 – 2026 A.P. Proctor Fellowship Program should be no more than two single-spaced pages, and include: outline of a personal statement of purpose, the project parameters, a timeline outlining the plan of research, and specific reference to how museum staff expertise; archival, photographic, and physical collections; or other resources will significantly contribute to the ultimate success of the project. Please submit a vita and the names and contact information for three professional references.
Proposals will be awarded based on the following criteria:
- The candidate’s professional background and academic accomplishments.
- The extent to which the proposed project draws upon the museum’s collections, resources, and/or expertise.
- The potential for professional presentation and/or publication upon completion of the Fellow’s research.
Fellowships require at least one week of residency or more, dependent upon the parameters of the Fellow’s research needs. The period of residency will be completed between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Fellows are responsible for arranging their transportation, lodging, and meals during residency. (Note: Housing/lodging demands in Cody, Wyoming, are very high during June, July, and August. It is recommended that Fellows consider scheduling their research in the off-season, if possible).
Please submit all application materials electronically to Research Assistant/Fellowship Coordinator Nathan Bender at [email protected].
2025 – 2026 Peter K. Simpson Fellowship on the American West
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West (BBCW) in collaboration with the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center invites applications for the annual Peter K. Simpson Fellowship on the American West through March 31, 2025. The fellowship aims to support a 20-day stay divided between the BBCW and the AHC to research extensive collections on the American West in both repositories. Academic scholars at any level, from graduate students to tenured faculty, may apply. Fellowships will fund original research advancing knowledge, understanding, and passion about the history and myths of the American West.
BBCW archival materials housed in the McCracken Research Library and the collections held by the BBCW’s five museums support the Center’s mission of connecting people to the American West. Subject strengths include Plains Indian cultures, the history of Euro-American explorers and settlers, western artists, American firearms, and the life and legacy of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.
AHC archives on the American West include information on the lives of men and women who shaped the West. Strengths are Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West (including politics, settlement, and western trails) and the “Western image” as represented by writers, artists, historians, and others.
Qualifications
The applicant should have a record of publication in their field of study and show significant potential for publication. Emerging scholars, members of under-represented communities, and multi-disciplinary researchers are encouraged to apply. A selection committee composed of staff from both the AHC and BBCW will choose fellows on the basis of scholarly merit and consider the applicant’s ability to complete the research project in a timely fashion.
Features of the Fellowship
The fellowship includes an $8,000 stipend. Fellows will be in residence at the BBCW and the AHC for one month (20 business days) over a 15-month period after notification. Research visits can be non-contiguous, but Fellows must stay at least one week at each institution. For in-residence research of less than 20 days, the stipend will be pro-rated.
As a direct result of the Fellowship award, Fellows are expected to prepare a precis outlining sources consulted in each institution, how those sources shaped the research findings, and how the Fellow will incorporate this information into the final product. Credit the BBCW and the AHC in subsequent publications and provide copies to each institution of final publication or work.
Application
Proposals for the 2025 – 2026 Peter K. Simpson Fellowship Program (no more than two single-spaced pages) should include a personal statement of purpose, the project parameters, and specific reference to how the BBCW’s and the AHC’s collections or other resources will significantly contribute to the ultimate success of the proposed project. In an attachment to the proposal, please also include the applicant’s CV, a timeline outlining the plan of research and dates for anticipated products, and names and contact information of three references. Proposals will be awarded on the following criteria:
- A candidate’s professional background and academic accomplishments.
- The extent to which the proposed project draws upon the collections of both the BBCW and the AHC.
- The research project’s potential contribution to understanding of the history and culture of the American West and its timeless and global relevance.
- The potential for professional presentation and/or publication upon completion of the Fellow’s research.
Please submit all application materials electronically by March 31, 2025, to Research Assistant/Fellowship Coordinator Nathan Bender at [email protected]. Candidates will be selected in April and notified by e-mail.
