At the Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere (CHPS), we believe that the humanities are not just disciplines; they are ways of connecting people, telling stories and making sense of our shared world.
Over the past year, we have seen that vision come to life in powerful and inspiring ways.
Thanks to the dedication of our faculty, students and community partners, CHPS supported more than 100 events – lectures, workshops, symposia, research showcases and community gatherings that sparked meaningful conversations on campus and beyond.
We also awarded more than $122,000 in grants, fellowships and co-sponsorships to support research, teaching and public engagement in the humanities. A highlight was the inaugural Alexander Grass Scholars Research Symposium, which invited 20 undergraduate students to turn their curiosity into research. With guidance from mentors and partners across Gainesville, students explored everything from special collections archives to local history. Their projects did more than build skills. They fostered relationships, opened doors and made a lasting impact on the communities involved.
Because the humanities thrive through rigorous and reflective scholarship, we continued to invest in the development of our graduate students and faculty. Our summer writing retreat, graduate institute, grant writing series and research fellowships created opportunities for professional growth, creativity and productivity. Looking ahead, we are excited to expand our digital humanities programming.
Digital humanities bring cutting-edge technology to the study of culture, history and the arts, inviting scholars to ask new questions, reveal hidden patterns and share knowledge in accessible, interactive ways. With the opening of our digital humanities lab in spring 2026, we are creating opportunities for collaboration, experimentation and public impact.
Thank you to everyone who made this past year so meaningful. The work we do at CHPS is only possible thanks to the passionate, curious and generous communities of which we are a part.
Warmly,
Jaime Ahlberg
Rothman Chair and Director
Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere
University of Florida
