The National Endowment for the Humanities has approved a $5 million Transformative Citizenship Education Grant for the Chase Center – funds that will be applied toward four important initiatives.
This announcement brings the total funds raised by the Chase Center in grants and gifts to more than $11 million in its 1.5 years of operation, and supporters have invested a total of $28 million in the Chase Center.
“This most recent investment shows the breadth and depth of support the Chase Center has, with financial support coming from private and public, state and federal supporters,” said Executive Director Lee Strang. “This support is indicative of the need for invigorating civics in higher education, in K-12 schools, and for our nation.”
The grant was announced Jan. 15 by the NEH Division of Lifelong Learning.
According to Strang, the grant was requested to fund four key initiatives:
- Planning, launching, and refining three undergraduate academic programs that provide civics education: Civics, Law, and Leadership; Great Books; and Classical Education Teaching.
- Attracting, retaining, and supporting a multi-disciplinary faculty who are leading scholars and excellent teachers.
- Support the Center’s robust public-facing programming, thereby enriching The Ohio State University’s conversation by asking new questions and proposing additional answers to those questions.
- Growing the Chase Society student program, which promotes the Center’s student community and serves as a key mechanism to develop students as citizens.
Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda said this award indicates increasing awareness of the Chase Center’s mission tied to topics related to civics and a desire to increase education in areas that dovetail into career paths and post-graduate education opportunities.
“Since its inception, the Chase Center has focused on developing its civics curriculum, creating a community for students to nurture civic-mindedness, and also on promoting public discourse by convening esteemed intellectuals to explore topics germane to investigating all aspects of what it means to be a citizen,” Bellamkonda said. “We deeply appreciate the NEH’s generous grant in support of this important mission.”
Strang said these funds will support the Chase Center’s efforts to enhance higher education’s capacity to address the needs of civics education and leadership.
“We are imparting skills and a disposition of thought that will promote greater civic friendship and mutual respect in our currently polarized society,” Strang said. “The NEH’s financial support enables Chase to continue to grow our approach to citizenship education, one that aligns with Ohio State’s land-grant mission, forms American citizens, and prepares students with valuable skills for their future careers and post-graduate goals.”