News

Norrell Edwards, Ph.D., assistant professor of English and the 75th Anniversary Endowed Professor of Humanities, has been awarded a $60,000 federal grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) under the Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education program.

The two-year grant represents the maximum award possible under this highly competitive program; in this round of competition, the NEH received nearly 100 applications and funded only 22 projects, with the Le Moyne grant one of only two NEH-funded Spotlight projects in New York state.

Titled “Publishing Today: Reconnecting the Humanities Ecosystem and Uplifting Contemporary Stories and Literature from Marginalized Communities,” Edwards’ project will develop a new course for English majors that will showcase contemporary literature, media and criticism, expected to be offered at Le Moyne starting in spring 2025.  The two-year project also involves student internship experiences, and will include guest speakers from across the publishing industry such as The Feminist Press, LA Review of Books, The Paris Review and Syracuse's independent bookseller Parthenon Books. The project will also collaborate with Le Moyne’s Upward Bound Program and will culminate in a community book/literary festival.

The Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education program supports the exploration and development of small projects that would benefit underserved populations through the teaching and study of the humanities at small and medium-sized colleges and universities. Under this program, the NEH accepts applications from two- and four-year institutions of higher education, as well as from nonprofit organizations and state, local or Native American Tribal governments aiming to advance the humanities at these institutions.

The program supports activities including but not limited to curricular or program development, expert consultations, speakers’ series, student research, creation of teaching resources, and community engagement. Projects may benefit students, faculty, the institution or organization, and/or the community.