Building Bridges for Scholars

 Contributed by Geoff Giglierano, MHC Executive Director

Before I became Executive Director of the Missouri Humanities Council, I spoke with an old friend of mine, Dr. Gale Peterson, who at that time was Director of the Ohio Humanities Council (he has since retired after many years of service in that position).  I asked Gale what he enjoyed most about the work, and he replied that he derived a great deal of satisfaction from the process of helping to “bridge the gap between humanities scholars and the public.”

After more than a year and a half of working for MHC, I understand and appreciate what he meant.  One of the most important goals for this organization and the other humanities councils around the country is to facilitate opportunities for experts and scholars to connect with audiences that they traditionally might not interact with.  And it’s not just important; it also is rewarding and enjoyable.  It is a genuine pleasure meeting and working with the variety of researchers, authors, educators, and experts from diverse fields who we engage with in the course of our efforts to promote the humanities throughout Missouri. Just in the last two months, I’ve had the chance to spend time in Springfield, Warrensburg, Ste. Genevieve, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Jefferson City, meeting with staff members of museums and libraries, and faculty and administrators from colleges and universities, learning about what they do and discussing opportunities for us to collaborate in helping them to connect with new and more diverse audiences. Furthermore, in October, we had our first annual joint conference with the Missouri Association of Museums and Archives.  It was a productive and positive experience and I know we are looking forward to continuing to work with the board and members of MAMA in the future.

I am continually impressed not just by the quality and diversity of the humanities-based organizations and educational institutions that are spread all over this state, but also by the knowledge and deep commitment of the people who work in these places. Missouri is blessed with an abundance of great schools, museums, libraries, historic sites, and agencies, with great people, doing wonderful work. In addition, there are many people from Missouri who are not academics or scholars in the traditional sense, but who are nonetheless experts including storytellers and musicians, living history practitioners, independent scholars, researchers, authors, who do significant work and have a great deal to offer.

Helping these people to connect with the public is a very high priority for MHC.   That is why when you look at the guidelines for MHC grant applications you will note that we ask our applicants to think very carefully about the inclusion of appropriate scholars and experts in their projects and programs, whether they are acting just as consultants or actually presenting humanities content.  It is why we are reestablishing a speakers bureau in collaboration with the State Historical Society of Missouri–such programs are one of the most direct and pragmatic ways to bring scholars together with public audiences. In fact, the concept of bridging the gap between scholars and the public permeates all of our programs at some level, as you will see in some of the various examples that are featured in this issue of  MOPassages.

The idea of facilitating these connections also shapes our thinking as we look at new directions for MHC to go in extending the reach and impact of its programs.  Possibilities such as the use of new technology including virtual worlds, participating in public humanities festivals, and supporting new publication and media projects are ultimately about reaching larger and more diverse audiences in cost-effective and meaningful ways. Doing so is vital in order for this organization to be relevant.  It’s also an immensely rewarding experience for all of us who are involved in making it happen.

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