Why a Humanities Initative The Humanities Imitative is

Why a Humanities Initative?

§ The Humanities Imitative is a faculty-led. § Emerged from faculty concerned about attracting more Humanities students. Background § The Humanities Initiative is dean-supported. § The dean was receptive to our concerns and encouraged us to pursue this project

Who We Are § Members § Maria Johnson (Theology) § Andrew La. Zella (Philosophy) § Aiala Levy (History) § Susan Mendez (English & Theatre) § Matthew Meyer (Philosophy) § Adam Pratt (History) § Yamile Silva (World Languages & Cultures) § Hank Willenbrink (English & Theatre)

§ Raise the profile and advance the study of the Humanities at The University of Scranton. § Define the Humanities broadly, as endeavors that inquire into the human experience. § Provide a meeting ground for fostering Mission interdisciplinary inquiry, increasing student engagement with the Humanities, enhancing student formation, and collaborating with the community. § This Initiative builds upon what we already do at The University of Scranton and showcases the Humanities as dynamic and connective forces within our changing world.

§ Increase Student Enrollment in the Humanities at The University of Scranton § Enrich the Culture of the Humanities at The University of Scranton Goals § Promote Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Research among Faculty § Foster Civic Engagement and Collaboration with the larger Community

What might a year with the Humanities Initiative look like?

Thematic Focus Unite programming through a common theme, e. g. “The Future of the Humanities”

§ Collaboratively coordinated by faculty Speaker Series: The Humanities Forum § Possible speakers 1. Dan Cohen (Founding Executive Director of the Digital Public Library of America) 2. Rob Rieman (founded Nexus Institute, To Fight Against This Age: On Fascism and Humanism) 3. Gülgün Kayim (City of Minneapolis Director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy)

Scholar in Residence Visiting Humanists § 1 semester § teaches 1 course § public scholarship presentation § contributes to faculty development groups and humanities programming Artist in Residence § similar to scholar or more concentrated time period § meets with classes, students, faculty, and staff § public exhibition of work § e. g. Erik Ehn

§ Linked First-Year Seminars § Special Topics courses that address H. I. theme Curriculum § Interdisciplinary course collaboration o guest teaching (e. g. History professor guest lectures on history of eugenics for English class on Colson Whitehead’s Underground Railroad) o team teaching o other possibilities…?

§ Reading Groups o Clavius o informal groups Faculty Development § Writing Groups § Faculty Show-Off o e. g. English department colloquia o invite students and colleagues to present, comment, attend

Pool our collective resources to highlight the Humanities at the University of Scranton: § Different Paradigms for Recruiting: faculty collaboration with Admissions Recruiting o Preview Day o marketing materials § Community Outreach: offer opportunities for local high school students to augment their education

How do we put the humanities into practice? § Work with local organizations o potential partners: Neighbor. Works, UNC, Scranton Area Foundation, PA Humanities Council, Scranton Fringe Festival, Lackawanna County Historical Society The Humanities All Around Us o existing models: Latinx Scranton oral history project, Scranton Reads o humanities at Volunteer and Service Fair § Alumni panels (Humanities at Work) § Student Development Database: internship and research opportunities § Schemel Forum: Coordinate to bring educational opportunites to the community

§ Encouraging on-campus student research in the humanities. § Applying for grants to keep these Ongoing Projects programs sustainable, develop new areas, and to help us think toward the future. § Working toward the establishment of a Humanities Center in St. Thomas.

§ Long-term project that will require coordination with Development to fundraise and write grants. Humanities Center § The idea is to create a centralized yet flexible space that will allow for pedagogical experimentation, interdisciplinary seminars and work space, gathering places, and a focal point for current and prospective students.

§ Interdisciplinary Humanities Center Examples of Centers and Programming at UC-Santa Barbara § Humanities Center at the University of Rochester

Admissions/Promotion Committee

§ Designed to increase current yield by major § Years 2015 -2017: Admissions/ Promotion Committee Major Accepted Deposit % English 190 20 10 History 164 14 8 World Languages 179 15 8 Philosophy 32 3 9 Theater 34 2 6 Theology 24 2 8 CAS 11, 956 1, 380 12 Total 22, 265 2, 897 13

Curriculum Committee

§ Designed to suggest and/or find pairings of courses to enhance student learning experience. § For example, coordinate the offerings of the Curriculum Committee following existing courses: o HIST 284: Native American History and ENLT 238: Imagining Native Americans o HIST 216: Race in American History and ENLT 255: African-American Literature o HIST 317: History of United States Immigration and ENLT 250: Multi-Ethnic American Literature

§ Designed also to (in the future) suggest/encourage Special Topics courses that can support HI’s possible year-long themes. § Theme: Impact of the Humanities on the Ignatian Tradition Curriculum Committee o PHIL 284: The Philosophy of St. Ignatius o T/RS 284: The Spiritual Exercises in non-Christian Faiths § Theme: Immigration/Migration o ENLT 284: Narratives of Migrants/Immigrants o T/RS 284: Welcoming the Stranger-Exiles and Migrants o PS 284: Politics of Migration/Immigration in the Americas

Student Development Committee

Goal: work with Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Center for Career Development, and departments to connect students to research and professionalization opportunities Student Development Committee § Student Development Database: internships, grants, fellowships, presentations § Foster humanities student research o independent work: Celebration of Student Scholars, Research as High-Impact Practice o faculty-student work: Research Fair / Faculty Student Research Program, faculty workshops o publicize existing projects § Alumni panels (Humanities at Work)

Grants and Sustainable Funding

Any grants, etc. need University buy-in. We need to work with the school to fund our projects. Beyond this, we can also look toward additional opportunities. § Large-Scale: o NEH funding Sustainable Funding o Pennsylvania Humanities Council o Finding collaborators to work with on campus & community-wide projects (i. e. West Side Park initiative) § Cultivating Relationships o Foundations who match our mission (i. e. Lilly Fellows Program) o Looking toward the non-profit sector and corporate giving

Moving Forward § Questions § Want to join?