National Humanities Alliance

When a university's humanities programs are strong, as they are at UGA, we don't hear much about the threats to instruction and research in its many disciplines. But that humanites strength on our campus comes from a supportive community that fosters collaboration at critical junctures - both physical and in time - that makes innovative faculty and student initiatives a reality. In other words, we recognize the importance of having the Willson Center for the Humanities and Arts, and now the National Humanities Alliance Foundation recognizes the importance of the Willson Center at UGA as well:

[The Willson Center] has been profiled as a national model for fostering successful humanities communities as part of a new initiative by the National Humanities Alliance Foundation.

The Willson Center was selected to be the first organization profiled for the initiative after representatives of the NHAF visited UGA for the dedication of the Willson Center Digital Humanities Lab in April. The Willson Center-together with Georgia Humanities, the statewide affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities-will lead the working group for the state of Georgia, the first launched under the initiative.

"The humanities are flourishing at the University of Georgia, with the Willson Center paving the way toward the future," UGA President Jere W. Morehead said. "I am pleased that this pioneering academic center is being recognized as a national model for collaboration by the National Humanities Alliance Foundation."

The Humanities Working Groups for Community Impact Initiative is a national project supported by the Whiting Foundation, which issues grants to develop and refine programs to serve the humanities and literature that aim "to strengthen and expand support for the humanities by showcasing the impact that humanities organizations achieve at the local level," according to the NHAF.

A fantastic designation that is actually as least as important as the recognition itself. University campuses need to speak the language of community, to be able to relate to their locales as socially relevant. The humanities are the bridge to building, maintaining and expanding these crucial, local relationships. Wherever they are in good stead, so too will be university humanities disciplines. Congratulations Willson Center and the many Franklin faculty whose work and reach make it such a model organization.