The Prairie Landscape

THE ILLINOIS HUMANITIES COUNCIL LAUNCHES COMMUNITY SCHOLAR PROGRAM

04/16/2001

Illinois Students Bring Humanities to Community-Based Organizations

CHICAGO – The Illinois Humanities Council has awarded nine scholarships of up to $6,000 to students majoring in humanities disciplines at state-supported institutions of higher learning in Illinois. Recipients will volunteer at least 30 hours during the term of the award at a community-based organization. These “community scholars” will connect their areas of study and the needs of a community-based organization. (See a list of recipients and their projects below.)

Illinois Humanities Council Executive Director Kristina Valaitis explains that “by providing incentives for recipients to find ways to share their knowledge of the humanities through/with community-based organizations, we know the IHC’s initial investment becomes one that also enriches civic life.”

Please find below a complete listing of the 2001 Illinois Humanities Council Community Scholars, their projects, the schools they attend, and the community-based organizations they will work with.

  • Joe Carrier (University of Illinois, Springfield)
    Partner Organization: Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area
    Project Description: Develop a literature curriculum, interpretive guides, and written materials for self-guided tours of new prairie trails in Panther Creek. Also, design and implement a plan for public education that uses wildlife interpretation, the practice of combining literature, writing, and a base of knowledge of natural resources.
    Scholarship Amount: $4,000
  • Ian Crelling (University of Illinois, Urbana/ Champaign)
    Partner Organization: Illinois Natural History Survey
    Project Description: A historical study of the impact of urban sprawl on communities and the environment, especially prairie lands, grasslands, timber stands, and species of animals. Findings will be posted on the web and presentations will be made to faculty, students, and a general audience at the University of Illinois. After further honing, a presentation of research will be presented in four selected communities.
    Size of Scholarship: $5,500
  • Mahnaz Ganji (University of Illinois, Springfield)
    Partner Organization: Friends of Refugees of Springfield
    Project Description: A study of the refugee experience in the Sabirabad refugee camp in Azerbaijan, including their literature, community, culture, and values. Upon return to Illinois, research will be presented at various organizations in Springfield and Chicago.
    Size of Scholarship: $5,500
  • Robin Kearton (University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign)
    Partner Organization: Champaign Park District
    Project Description: A series of presentations on the influence of culture on the creation of musical genres. Discussions of the way music is created and performed will lead to an understanding of musical form and the development of genres as they move from one generation to another. Presentations will be tailored to a variety of types of audiences and will include live performances.
    Size of Scholarship: $5,500
  • Jane Lingle (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale)
    Partner Organization: Southern Illinois Art Gallery
    Project Description: A search for and collection of art objects tied thematically to upcoming exhibits leading to the collection of those objects. This curation will be followed by an interpretation of the exhibit and the mounting of this interpretive text. In addition, the scholarship recipient will serve as a docent for the shows and lead related discussions.
    Scholarship Amount: $4,000
  • Monica Posgay (Governor’s State University)
    Partner Organization: Chicago Public Library
    Project Description: Research on the use of Irish traditional and folk music at international public venues and as a means of expressing Irish nationalism. Findings from research will be presented through organizations such as the Chicago Public Library, Sister Cities International, Chicago Cultural Center, and the Chicago Celtic Fest.
    Scholarship Amount: $4,000
  • Desande R (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale)
    Partner Organization: Carbondale Community Arts
    Project Description: Research on the relationship between Rembrandt’s art and the African American struggle for identity. This research will be presented at forums coordinated by Carbondale Community Arts.
    Scholarship Amount: $5,000
  • Tori Sellars (University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign)
    Partner Organization: Spurlock History Museum
    Project Description: Research, create, and present programs, develop supplemental resources/materials, and assist in research leading to long-term projects in collaboration with other community educational institutions on the behalf of the Spurlock History Museum.
    Scholarship Amount: $4,000
  • Eric Smith (University of Illinois, Chicago)
    Partner Organization: Newberry Library
    Project Description: Assist the editorial team of the Encyclopedia of Chicago History with final preparations of articles. In addition, design a curriculum to integrate labor histories into middle and high school curricula and develop a workshop for educators on class history, pedagogical approaches, and lesson plans.
    Scholarship Amount: $6,000

For more information on the Community Scholars Program, call 312-422-5585 x225; write the IHC at 203 North Wabash, Suite 2020, Chicago, IL 60601-2417; or access the IHC website at www.prairie.org.

The Illinois Humanities Council is a nonprofit educational organization [501 (c) 3] dedicated to fostering a culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities. Organized more than 25 years ago as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the IHC promotes greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the humanities by the citizens of Illinois, regardless of their economic resources, cultural background, or geographic location. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and private funds.

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