Program Description
The Lily McKee High School Fellowship is a joyful, deep, and rigorous experience for high school students from the greater Washington, DC area. From January to May 2026, McKee Fellows will engage deeply with research, scholarship, and performance to explore As You Like It, guided by the rich resources and vibrant community of the Folger Shakespeare Library. The McKee High School Fellowship will culminate in a multidimensional project where fellows will utilize a work from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s collection as a point of departure for their own creative and intellectual endeavors.
Areas of Exploration
Research: With guidance from McKee High School Fellowship faculty members, Shanta Bryant and Morgan Ellison, fellows will explore the Folger’s exceptional collection. This includes hands-on sessions in the Folger’s Reading Room, where they will conduct original research using rare books, manuscripts, and digital tools.
Scholarship: Fellows will participate in seminars and lectures led by scholars from the Folger and beyond. These sessions will provide fresh perspectives on Shakespeare and the Early Modern period and give fellows space to develop original ideas of their own.
Performance: Fellows will explore the principles and practices of performing Shakespeare. They will also attend a performance of Folger Theatre’s production of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
Community
McKee Fellowship is its cohort. Fellows will join a supportive, curious, and joyful group of students from across the DC area. They will learn from teachers and texts, and also from one another, forming friendships and intellectual connections that last beyond the fellowship.
Stipend
The McKee Fellowship requires a significant investment of time and effort. Each fellow will receive a $1,000 stipend in recognition of their work and upon completion of the program.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors attending public, private, parochial, charter, or home schools in the Washington, DC area. Sessions will take place at the Folger Shakespeare Library approximately 3 times a month from January to May. Applicants should have a strong interest in at least one of the following: literature, museums, libraries, history, drama, the humanities, or Shakespeare. Prior experience with Shakespeare is not required.
Application
Please complete the application below to be considered for this year’s Lily McKee High School Fellowship. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. The application deadline is Monday, December 2nd at 11:59 pm. If you have any questions about the application process, feel free to contact Liam Dempsey at ldempsey@folger.edu.
Lily McKee High School Fellowship Application