Programming Resources for Commonwealth Campuses

Proposals may be for lectures, workshops, conferences or similar events in 2024-2025 and beyond. See details by scrolling down.

Deadline: There are three rounds of application deadlines. (Support for proposals submitted in Spring 2024 will be dependent on the extent of resources remaining, following the previous deadlines.)

Fall 2023, for Spring 2024 or the 2024-2025 academic year: October 16, 2023

For applications regarding events in Spring 2024: January 15, 2024

Spring 2024, for events in the 2024-2025 academic year: March 4, 2024

PLEASE NOTE: Funding is still available for Spring 2024. Proposals are also welcome for 2024-2025 , though the renewal of this funding program is pending for Fall 2024 and beyond.

Proposals should be emailed to humanities@psu.edu with subject line Commonwealth Campus Initiative, by 5:00 p.m. on the application deadline date.

The purpose of this funding is to provide the opportunity for faculty to bring a visiting scholar to campus for a period that would include a public lecture as well as other activities, such as a workshop or seminar that would be of interest to a more specialized group, and/or participation in undergraduate/graduate classes.

We invite nominations for eminent scholars in any humanities field. The Humanities Lecture can concern the visitor’s research specialization, but we are especially interested in those whose work would appeal to a wide humanities audience.

The Humanities in the World funding will cover the equivalent cost of one lecture (i.e., travel costs/lodging/per diem, plus honorarium). We will consider requests of up to $5,000, but we expect faculty hosts to solicit other sources of funds to support the costs of the visit that go beyond that of a single lecture event.

Proposal Requirements: Up to 1500 words; submit as one document

* Briefly explain your interest in bringing the visitor to campus

* Explain the scholar’s fit for the criteria listed above

* Explain other events the scholar would participate in during their stay, if any

* Include an approximate budget of anticipated costs (travel, lodging, per diem, honorarium, etc.) as well as other sources of expected funding

* Include a brief statement of support from appropriate Department Heads in the overall document

FOR CONFERENCES:
Suggest a conference theme, with proposed speakers, schedule, partners, and budget. Applications that demonstrate coordinating collaboration between departments/fields will be given special consideration. We will prefer proposals with substantial planning in place, though openness to invite other faculty to participate is encouraged.

The purpose of this funding is to support the fruition of a modest conference (i.e., 7-10 planned speakers, or a call for papers with keynote). The HI will consider requests up to $10-15,000 to support the conference, but we expect faculty hosts will solicit additional funding from their home department and other sources to support the cost of the entire event.

Conference topics may be in any area of humanities research, including interdisciplinary collaborations with other fields. Specialized conference topics are welcome but special consideration will be given to those topics with broader community appeal.

Proposal Requirements: Up to 1500 words; submit as one document

* Briefly explain the conference theme and importance, both to specialized faculty and the broader humanities (and university) community

* Provide a general outline of the proposed schedule of events, possible speakers, intended audience, etc.

* Include an approximate budget of anticipated costs, as well as other possible sources of funding

Commonwealth Campus Humanities Board:

Penn State Harrisburg: Jeffrey Beck, Chair

Penn State Abington: Friederike Baer

Penn State Altoona: Brian C. Black

University College: Donald Bruckner 

Penn State Berks: Belén Rodríguez-Mourelo

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College: Craig Warren

University College: Margaret Christian