UCO Liberal Arts Reviews the Impact of $360k Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Liberal Arts News and Events
July 10, 2024
The UCO College of Liberal Arts (CLA) recently concluded a $360,029 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to fund programs and projects to advance diversity initiatives and provide opportunities to underserved communities in the Oklahoma City metro area. Central is one of two higher education institutions in the state to receive this grant.
The grant, part of the American Rescue Plan funding, is intended to assist cultural and educational institutions with recovery efforts from the economic impact of the pandemic, retain and rehire workers, and reopen sites, facilities and programs.
Experiential Learning and Community Connection
“The NEH Grant provided students with paid experiential learning opportunities that will help them in their future careers,” said Theresa Vaughan, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Central.
“Grant projects also helped students make connections with the wider community, essential to our metropolitan university mission. Students who have worked on these projects are justifiably proud of all they have accomplished, and their work will have a lasting impact on future UCO students. The equipment will be available to students going forward, and the educational and research materials made available by student work will benefit not just UCO students, but other researchers and community members.”
In addition to providing both jobs and hands-on education to a wide variety of CLA students, the grant brought faculty members together from nearly every CLA department and school to work cooperatively on projects, receive training, and help make plans moving forward to improve educational experiences for our students.
Project Highlights and Achievements
The grant allowed CLA to fund a number of projects. Some of the highlights include:
- Mass Communication Studio and Podcast Equipment:
A new studio set and podcast equipment were provided for Mass Comm, as well as funding for student workers. Students worked on podcasts and a documentary highlighting diverse communities in the OKC area, with the documentary focusing on Oklahoma’s history of Native American Boarding Schools. The NEH has expressed an interest in this project and has requested to see the final product. This project was led by Desiree Hill and Milos Ajdinovic. - Digitization of the Herland Archives:
This project involved the digitization of the Herland Archives, donated by the Herland Sisters, which pertain to LGBTQIA+ history and activism in Oklahoma City and beyond from the 1970s forward. The digitization has been a massive undertaking and is largely complete. The archive includes museum-quality photographs of artifacts and other items of interest. Many students have worked on this project, led by Dr. Lindsey Churchill, with assistance from Dr. Shun Kiang and Dr. Leeda Copley. This work has been done as part of the larger work by The Center and will make valuable information available to the UCO community and beyond. - Interdisciplinary Teaching Tools and Faculty Cohort:
The development of interdisciplinary teaching tools and the assembly of an interdisciplinary faculty cohort are now working with CETTL to expand information and collaboration on best practices in interdisciplinary education. This project is being led by Dr. Shun Kiang. - Graduate Student Mentoring Study:
Dr. Alyssa Provencio conducted a study on the potential for graduate student mentoring, particularly for underserved minorities. As a result of that research, a workshop and training were provided to a number of CLA faculty to better understand the challenges some of our graduate students face and help them become better mentors. - Support for Debate Team, Passport Program, and History Education B.A. Evaluation:
The grant also helped support the Debate team, the Passport program, and the evaluation of students in the History Education B.A. In all cases, many students were both employed and benefitted from these projects, at least a couple of which may lead to further grant possibilities.
Long-term Benefits and Future Prospects
One of the long-term benefits of having received a substantial grant like this one and having successfully fulfilled the terms and scope of the grant is that it makes us more attractive to grant agencies. We have shown that we can do well managing large projects and that the funds were used wisely and appropriately. The NEH has already expressed interest in at least one project that began with the grant. Hopefully, this will help us receive other grants in the future.
The NEH grant has been a catalyst for significant achievements and progress within the UCO College of Liberal Arts. By fostering student engagement, community connection, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the grant has laid a strong foundation for future projects and initiatives that will continue to benefit the UCO community and beyond.