Digitization Indexing Project and Program Support and Historical Research Support

Student Volunteer Initiative

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. In office only. Number of positions: 10. Preferred term: Fall 2026.

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.

The government-wide "Semester of Service" Student Volunteer Program, as authorized under 5 U.S.C 31114 and 5 CFR Part 3085, enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid, project-based assignments of limited duration. These assignments are designed to align with each agency's strategic priorities, offering participants practical experience within Federal operations while supporting the advancement of targeted initiatives.