Center for the Humanities appoints first director
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu
Dr. Jennifer Borland has been named the first director of Oklahoma State University’s Center for the Humanities.
The Center for the Humanities, a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) initiative that formally launched in 2022, was created to increase the visibility of humanities research on campus and foster the production of new interdisciplinary projects. The center aims to increase advocacy and connections to expand the reach of the humanities.
“I am pleased to see Dr. Jennifer Borland step into this role,” said Dr. Keith Garbutt, CAS interim dean. “Dr. Borland will have a transformative impact on humanities research, and I am looking forward to witnessing the growth and engagement she will continue to promote.”
Prior to being named director, Borland served as the center’s interim director and has led several humanities-related initiatives. She will continue to teach as a professor of art history in the Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History.
“I am eager to work alongside campus partners such as those working in interdisciplinary programs,” Borland said. “We provide an inclusive and collaborative environment in which we want to foster dialogue and engage communities, demonstrating the powerful impact of the humanities to address problems and impact change.”
Outside of the daily tasks of operating the center, Borland will collaborate on outreach opportunities, maintain relationships with the team of faculty on the center’s advisory committee and grow the center’s initiatives.
One initiative Borland is especially excited to expand is the Research Group Fellowship program that was launched earlier this year.
“This flagship program provides support to facilitate collaborative interdisciplinary research in areas like medical humanities and environmental humanities,” Borland said. “Very few universities have this type of program to foster new research, and I can see OSU’s ambitious and unique model becoming one that is emulated by other institutions.”
Members of the center’s advisory committee are glad to have Borland’s vision guiding the future of the center.
“Dr. Borland is a creative, forward-thinking leader,” said Dr. Isabel Alvarez-Sancho, Center for the Humanities advisory committee member and associate professor of Spanish. “She fosters an environment where everyone’s voice counts, which is vital in fulfilling the center’s mission.
“Dr. Borland is the ideal person to continue steering the Center for the Humanities into directions that position OSU as a referent in humanities interdisciplinary research within the state and the nation.”
For more information about the Center for the Humanities and to get involved, visit the center’s website.
Story By: Erin Milek, CAS Communications Coordinator | erin.milek@okstate.edu