The University of Delaware has received a $300,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation that will help build on and advance UD’s signature strengths in doctoral-level public humanities training and multidisciplinary African-American studies.

The effort seeks to diversify Ph.D. programs in art history, English and history through curriculum development in African-American studies and recruiting cohorts of students from a variety of disciplines who share common academic interests but may have different career goals.

It also seeks to maximize these students’ opportunities as they develop the public and digital humanities skills that would be sought after in a broader range of careers involving humanities research, education and advocacy.

“We are extremely proud to receive the Henry Luce Foundation grant to support our Next Generation Ph.D. training program,” said Provost Domenico Grasso. “The Luce Foundation support will enable us to better capitalize on emerging synergies between our humanities departments and UD Library initiatives related to digital scholarship and the integration of Special Collections and University Museums resources. We have been investing in and supporting this exciting institutional focus for some time and look forward to continuing this important work.”

The multidisciplinary initiative supported by the Luce grant has also received funding this year from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). UD was one of just three recipients of the inaugural NEH Next Generation Ph.D. Implementation grants that cover a period from September 2016 through August 2019.

“The Luce Foundation’s support for this initiative will lend further credibility and national visibility to this effort to re-imagine doctoral training in the humanities,” said Ann Ardis, senior vice provost for graduate and professional education and director of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Center.

The grant will provide a critical underpinning of support for student stipends, summer funding and professional development. It will also provide support for recruitment activities throughout the first five years of the initiative.

“We believe the five-year, 12-month training model piloted as part of this initiative holds great promise as a national model for best practices in 21st century humanities Ph.D. training,” Ardis said.

“We’re very pleased to support this innovative effort to reimagine doctoral education in the humanities,” said Luce Foundation vice president Sean Buffington. “It will not only empower the students who participate but also stands to reinvigorate the public voice and role of the humanities in our culture.”

The Henry Luce Foundation was established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Inc., to honor his parents who were missionary educators in China. The foundation seeks to bring important ideas to the center of American life, strengthen international understanding, and foster innovation and leadership in academic, policy, religious and art communities.