Virginia Humanities and UVA Wise announce new partnership
Wise—Today, Virginia Humanities and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA Wise) announced a new regional humanities center in Southwest Virginia headquartered at the College.
Named “Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise,” this new partnership will amplify stories from across Southwest Virginia and illustrate the ways the humanities bring communities together to foster dialogue and understanding.
Throughout the last five decades, Virginia Humanities has supported efforts to document, preserve and amplify Virginia’s history, heritage and cultural traditions. “Since our founding, our mission has been to support and bring the humanities to all Virginians,” said Virginia Humanities’ executive director Matthew Gibson.
“We are thrilled about our new partnership with Virginia Humanities,” said Jinny Turman, who serves as co-director of the College’s Center for Appalachian Studies (CAS) and associate professor of history at UVA Wise. “This collaboration will enable us to expand our work and reach even further into communities in Southwest Virginia in ways that preserve and protect the unique culture in the region.”
UVA Wise was founded in 1954 and is today a member of the prestigious Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. The College is currently experiencing consecutive years of enrollment growth.
UVA Wise's Center for Appalachian Studies (CAS) was founded in 2013 for the study of the region’s history, culture, economy, environment, and health, with an eye toward protection, preservation and progress.
Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise is the second of several new regional humanities centers being launched as Virginia Humanities celebrates its 50th anniversary. It follows a center that opened in Norfolk at WHRO Public Media in July. Each center will be headquartered within an existing regional organization, in either a cultural nonprofit, two-year, or four-year college. Virginia Humanities will provide expertise and funds for regranting to other local nonprofit organizations. In turn, each center will be able to support humanities programs and conversations about local topics their residents care about most.
Gibson said the regional centers are critical for the future of Virginia Humanities’ mission to center the humanities in public life. “This network of humanities centers stretching across the state will expand our work and our capacity to honor the vibrant voices and cultures that define Virginia,” said Gibson.
Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise officially opens on December 2, 2024. More centers will follow as Virginia Humanities celebrates its 50th anniversary through the end of 2025.
Named “Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise,” this new partnership will amplify stories from across Southwest Virginia and illustrate the ways the humanities bring communities together to foster dialogue and understanding.
Throughout the last five decades, Virginia Humanities has supported efforts to document, preserve and amplify Virginia’s history, heritage and cultural traditions. “Since our founding, our mission has been to support and bring the humanities to all Virginians,” said Virginia Humanities’ executive director Matthew Gibson.
“We are thrilled about our new partnership with Virginia Humanities,” said Jinny Turman, who serves as co-director of the College’s Center for Appalachian Studies (CAS) and associate professor of history at UVA Wise. “This collaboration will enable us to expand our work and reach even further into communities in Southwest Virginia in ways that preserve and protect the unique culture in the region.”
UVA Wise was founded in 1954 and is today a member of the prestigious Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. The College is currently experiencing consecutive years of enrollment growth.
UVA Wise's Center for Appalachian Studies (CAS) was founded in 2013 for the study of the region’s history, culture, economy, environment, and health, with an eye toward protection, preservation and progress.
Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise is the second of several new regional humanities centers being launched as Virginia Humanities celebrates its 50th anniversary. It follows a center that opened in Norfolk at WHRO Public Media in July. Each center will be headquartered within an existing regional organization, in either a cultural nonprofit, two-year, or four-year college. Virginia Humanities will provide expertise and funds for regranting to other local nonprofit organizations. In turn, each center will be able to support humanities programs and conversations about local topics their residents care about most.
Gibson said the regional centers are critical for the future of Virginia Humanities’ mission to center the humanities in public life. “This network of humanities centers stretching across the state will expand our work and our capacity to honor the vibrant voices and cultures that define Virginia,” said Gibson.
Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise officially opens on December 2, 2024. More centers will follow as Virginia Humanities celebrates its 50th anniversary through the end of 2025.
###
About Virginia Humanities
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council. We’re headquartered in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia, but we serve the entire state. We aim to share the stories of all Virginians—or, better yet, find ways for people to share their own stories. We want Virginians to connect with their history and culture and, in doing that, we hope we’ll all get to know each other a little better. Founded in 1974, we are one of fifty-six humanities councils created by Congress with money and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities to make the humanities available to all Americans. To learn more, visit VirginiaHumanities.org.
About the University of Virginia's College at Wise
A member of the prestigious Council for Public Liberal Arts Colleges, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise is an inspiring place to teach, lead, learn and call home. With a student faculty ratio of 13:1 and approximately 2,200 students, UVA Wise is committed to excellence in teaching, personalized attention, and individual growth, as well as to the advancement of our region through economic development.
The only college of the University of Virginia located outside of Charlottesville, UVA Wise has a beautiful campus that is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Here, students learn from faculty who are encouraged to engage in scholarship and service that complements their teaching, and our environment is ideal for the task. In addition to Appalachian arts and culture, on-campus wetlands and impressive geography, and a region full of opportunities for study and outdoor adventure, there are many opportunities to build partnerships with organizations, agencies, and businesses in the area and beyond. Professional staff and a dedicated senior leadership team are driven by the vital mission of ensuring access and affordability to this robust, quality higher education.
The College is proud to offer access to an affordable higher education that is characterized by challenging academic work in the liberal arts tradition. The result is well-rounded graduates who earn fulfilling work at leading organizations and pursue graduate study at prestigious universities, as evidenced recently when U.S. News & World Report and Washington Monthly regularly rank UVA Wise as promoting upward social mobility.
About Virginia Humanities
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council. We’re headquartered in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia, but we serve the entire state. We aim to share the stories of all Virginians—or, better yet, find ways for people to share their own stories. We want Virginians to connect with their history and culture and, in doing that, we hope we’ll all get to know each other a little better. Founded in 1974, we are one of fifty-six humanities councils created by Congress with money and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities to make the humanities available to all Americans. To learn more, visit VirginiaHumanities.org.
About the University of Virginia's College at Wise
A member of the prestigious Council for Public Liberal Arts Colleges, the University of Virginia’s College at Wise is an inspiring place to teach, lead, learn and call home. With a student faculty ratio of 13:1 and approximately 2,200 students, UVA Wise is committed to excellence in teaching, personalized attention, and individual growth, as well as to the advancement of our region through economic development.
The only college of the University of Virginia located outside of Charlottesville, UVA Wise has a beautiful campus that is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Here, students learn from faculty who are encouraged to engage in scholarship and service that complements their teaching, and our environment is ideal for the task. In addition to Appalachian arts and culture, on-campus wetlands and impressive geography, and a region full of opportunities for study and outdoor adventure, there are many opportunities to build partnerships with organizations, agencies, and businesses in the area and beyond. Professional staff and a dedicated senior leadership team are driven by the vital mission of ensuring access and affordability to this robust, quality higher education.
The College is proud to offer access to an affordable higher education that is characterized by challenging academic work in the liberal arts tradition. The result is well-rounded graduates who earn fulfilling work at leading organizations and pursue graduate study at prestigious universities, as evidenced recently when U.S. News & World Report and Washington Monthly regularly rank UVA Wise as promoting upward social mobility.