About the Center

The Center for the Humanities was established in 1983 through the generosity of many donors and of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It exists to provide strength and vision to the humanities at Loyola University Maryland. To realize its goals, the Center sponsors a wide range of programs, some of which are ongoing, others representing one-time grants. Programs include lectures, lectures series, and fine arts performances; other forms of research support for both faculty and students; and various forms of support for teaching in the humanities. This website provides a comprehensive list of the Center's programs, application procedures, and guidelines.

The Center is led by a director who is a member of the faculty. The Center's activities are guided by a steering committee, chaired by the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and comprising the Center's director, the chairs of the humanities departments, the assistant to the academic vice president, the director of the Honors Program, and up to two other directors of major projects funded by the Center. The steering committee meets monthly during the academic year to review applications for funding and to conduct other Center business. It is responsible for overseeing the Center's annual operating budget of over $300,000 as well as its endowment which, enhanced through a second NEH challenge grant completed in 1998, now totals $10 million.

Although the Center exists to further education in the humanities, many of the programs are open to faculty, staff, and administrators throughout the University. Any faculty member or administrator may apply for a one-time grant. Only a handful of programs are restricted to humanities faculty. These include the program for enhancing classroom teaching effectiveness and the Nachbahr Award. Likewise, faculty development grants for team-taught courses require that one of the team members be from the humanities. The Center is especially interested in sponsoring programs that encourage student participation in research and reflection on topics in the humanities.