Chair's Welcome

Mary L. Volcansek, Ph.D.
Chair, Board of Directors, Humanities Texas

In difficult times such as these, people’s concerns turn to economic, commercial, and financial interests, particularly as prices rise, unemployment persists, and retirement funds totter. Yet in times of such challenges, the importance of the humanities should be rising. After all, the humanities are about what it means to be human, to be a part of the human enterprise, and to care for our fellow human beings. Understanding history can lead us to solutions for current crises. Philosophy allows us to reflect knowledgeably upon our challenges and those of our larger community. Literature permits us to explore human nature and understand not only how greed and other human failings led us into the so-called “Great Recession,” but also how our basic humanity can enable us to cope.

Indeed, our times call for a renewed emphasis on the humanities, in both our schools and our communities. Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, aims to bring the enrichment that the humanities offer to classrooms, to teachers, and to communities around the state. Humanities Texas conducts free institutes throughout the year offering teachers new insights and new approaches to teaching the humanities. We also reward excellence in classroom teaching through our Outstanding Teaching Awards program.

Humanities Texas provides grants to organizations conducting public humanities projects around the state and facilitates community initiatives seeking to preserve local heritage and culture. Our traveling exhibitions permit Texas schools, libraries, and museums to display resources on the historical events and prominent leaders who have shaped our world. Most recently, Humanities Texas has launched Texas Originals, a series of short radio pieces on famous Texans that can make even the commute to work an educational experience.

The twenty-first century should be a time when we again embrace the humanities and encourage exploration of the human experience. Science, technology, finance, and commerce introduce constant change and flux into our lives. The humanities enable us to remain focused on how to use those tools to enhance our own experiences and those of the larger human community.

Mary L. Volcansek, Ph.D.