Building Bridges between Academe and the Community: The McBride Center for Public Humanities

FAIN: CH-50995-12

Oklahoma Christian University (Edmond, OK 73013-5525)
R. Scott LaMascus (Project Director: May 2011 to December 2016)

Endowment for a variety of programs in the McBride Center for Public Humanities, including a visiting scholar program, lecture series, symposia, and programs for school students and teachers.

Oklahoma Christian University is seeking a $200,000 NEH Challenge Grant to grow endowment, catalyze giving, and expand programs within the McBride Center for Public Humanities. The McBride Center - through public symposia and programs in literary studies, history, drama studies, humanities training for teachers, and comparative religions - works to analyze, discuss, and explore the human condition in the context of modern and ancient faith communities. Currently, the Center's only endowed initiative is its annual public lecture series in the humanities, which brings in outstanding speakers such as Marilynne Robinson and Robert Pinsky for free public lectures and related symposia. This request to the NEH will drive the Center to reach its $1.1 million goal - endowing and bringing into collaboration five additional public humanities programs and fulfilling our vision of comprehensive public humanities outreach.