Binghamton University offers students $2k award to make 'Self-Guided Tour' of university's 'Queer History'
The opportunity is part of the Binghamton Library Research Scholars Program, which includes 'significant queer history' material.
Further research opportunities include ‘Celebrating Cultural Continuity’ and ‘Information Access and Correspondence Education for Incarcerated People.’
In Spring 2026, Binghamton University (BU) in Upstate New York will offer a paid research opportunity for undergraduate students to document the “queer history” of Binghamton through a self-guided tour.
“Local history of the LGBTQ+ community of Binghamton is not well-documented or widely accessible to researchers, due to intentional exclusion and safety risks for members of the community,” the university website says.
However, the BU Libraries’ Special Collections “have some significant queer history holdings,” which students will use to research “local history research on sites of significance for the LGBTQ+ community in Binghamton.”
The application page notes that “community organizations like the Binghamton Pride Coalition will be essential” for project completion, and that “[s]tudents who have a particular interest in [...] LGBTQ+ topics may align especially well with this project.”
Students will explore “ethical and practical considerations for conducting research and maintaining the records of members of marginalized communities.”
The opportunity is part of the Binghamton Library Research Scholars Program, in which students are expected to dedicate 8 hours of time per week for program-related work, as well as research towards the completion of “academic, public-facing intellectual product.”
Upon completion of the project, the student researcher will receive $2,000.
In 2024, Binghamton University Libraries was awarded the 2024 South Central Regional Library Council (SCRLC) Prism Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Accessibility (DEIJA).
“DEI is more than just important: It is the cornerstone to the mission of the Libraries,” said Nancy Abashian, senior director for public services and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility.
Additional paid Binghamton Library Research Scholars Program opportunities include Celebrating Cultural Continuity,’which focuses on the Native American Haudenosaunee Festival, and Information Access and Correspondence Education for Incarcerated People.
Campus Reform has reached out to Binghamton University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
