Professors Rusty Jones and Ben Watson went to Washington DC to advocate for the humanities and language education this past week. They met with elected officials from Oklahoma and staffers in both the US House and Senate to highlight the value of humanistic, civic, and linguistic education. Over $17M in federal investment and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities has benefited Oklahomans in all 77 counties over the past decade. “We want the public and our leaders to understand the meaningful, community-engaging, and durable value of this public investment and to advocate for its ongoing support,” Watson said. “It's more than just a way to extend cultural preservation and appreciation. It's also a catalyst for private and international investment, economic development, and improved educational outcomes at all levels."
This outreach effort was supported by the OU Arts and Humanities Forum, and the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, and coordinated by the National Humanities Alliance and Joint National Committee for Languages. Jones is the Chair of the Shyam Dev Patwardhan Department of Philosophy, and Watson is the Chair of the Department of Classics and Letters and Vice Chair-elect of the National Committee for Latin and Greek.
