Digitization, Indexing, Project and Program Support, and Historical Research Support

Work Schedule and Flexibilities: Student volunteers will serve 8-20 hours per week on a part-time basis for a minimum of 90 days, aligned with academic term calendars. Anticipated summer term participation is May through August, with flexibility based on institutional schedules. Positions will be offered in a hybrid format. In-person participation at AIRR (Lenexa, Kansas) is required for digitization activities and indexing and while research components may be performed remotely where appropriate. Project Description: The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) proposes a structured, project-based student volunteer initiative within the Digital Center of Excellence (DCE) located at the American Indian Records Repository (AIRR). This initiative directly supports agency priorities related to historical preservation and records modernization by advancing digitization, indexing, and research efforts associated with Indian Affairs records. Student volunteers will contribute to clearly defined, outcome-driven projects, including the digitization of archival materials, enhancement of indexing accuracy and metadata quality, and targeted research to improve contextual understanding and accessibility of historical records. These efforts address a legitimate agency need to increase the usability, discoverability, and long-term preservation of records while supporting broader federal data and records management objectives. The project is designed to align with student learning objectives by providing hands-on experience in archival science, digital records management, data stewardship, and historical research, while strengthening technical, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Work will be scoped for completion within a single academic term and will include structured milestones such as onboarding and training, midpoint progress reviews, and final deliverables. Deliverables may include digitized record sets meeting quality standards, enhanced indexing and metadata outputs, research summaries, and process documentation that can be operationalized by BTFA staff. Participation may be performed in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid format depending on project needs and access requirements. All work is designed to ensure compliance with the Semester of Service Program framework by avoiding clerical-only assignments, excluding inherently governmental functions, and ensuring that student contributions supplement-rather than replicate or replace-the work of Federal employees.