Oregon Humanities

Senate Approves President Obama's Nomination of James Leach as Chair of National Endowment for the Humanities

The fifteen-term Congressman from Iowa will serve as the next chair of the national agency.

13 August 2009 | Permalink

The United States Senate has approved President Obama’s nomination of James Leach, an Iowa Congressman and university professor with a long and distinguished career, as the next chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Oregon Humanities, an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the NEH, joins the NEH and the Federation of State Humanities Councils in celebrating this confirmation.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which voted on the confirmation, describes Leach as “a public servant of this first order. I’m appreciative that Iowa and our nation will continue to benefit from his leadership.”

Calling the confirmation “very welcome news to all... More

President Obama Nominates James Leach Chair of National Endowment for the Humanities

The fifteen-term Congressman from Iowa would head up the national agency.

09 June 2009 | Permalink

President Barack Obama has nominated James Leach, an Iowa Congressman and university professor with a long and distinguished career, as the next chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH), an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the NEH, joins the NEH and the Federation of State Humanities Councils in enthusiastically endorsing the president’s decision.

James Leach has served as Chair of the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services, a senior member of the House Committee on International Relations, and Chair of the Committee’s Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs. Since 2007, he has taught at Princeton University and served as the interim director of the... More

Oregonians meet with members of Congress at annual humanities meeting

Oregon Council for the Humanities goes to Washington, D.C., for Humanities on the Hill 2009

27 February 2009 | Permalink

At this year’s annual Humanities on the Hill in Washington, D.C., held on March 2 and 3, 2009, board and staff members of the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) will meet with Senators and members of Congress to lobby support for increases in funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), of which OCH is an independent, nonprofit affiliate.
Attendees include Cara Ungar-Gutierrez, OCH Executive Director, and OCH Board members Kathleen Davis of Medford, former Regional Development Director of the Oregon Community Foundation; Gretchen Schuette of Lincoln City, President Emeritus of Chemeketa Community College and former Commissioner of Oregon Community Colleges; and Win McCormack of Portland, Publisher of Tin House... More

Twelve Oregon High School Sophomores Receive $2,000 Humanities Grants

Oregon Council for the Humanities awards summer research grants to high school students from Beaverton, Corvallis, Central Point, Pleasant Hill, Portland, and Troutdale.

03 June 2007 | Permalink

Twelve Oregon high school sophomores have received Young Scholars Grants from the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH). Each will receive $2,000 to spend the sunny days of summer researching various humanities topics, including the rise of jazz music in Portland, the World War II Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the effects of Japanese, Korean, and American TV shows on teenagers from each culture.
OCH board and staff selected 12 scholars from an applicant pool of 26. This is the sixth year that OCH has awarded Young Scholar Grants, which provide a unique opportunity for teens to design their own humanities research project and to contribute to the cultural life of their community. Grant recipients work independently throughout the... More

Lawson Inada begins second year as state's poet laureate

Oregon Council for the Humanities will continue to oversee Oregon's recently revived poet laureate program.

14 March 2007 | Permalink

Oregon’s Poet Laureate Lawson Inada spent the first year of his two-year term making more than 70 public appearances. His travels have taken him to special events, libraries and schools across the state; to Salem where he addressed the Joint Session of the House in January; and even to Idaho where he spoke at an internment camp reunion.
Inada’s appearances have been organized and administered by the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) through a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust, an innovative, statewide private-public program raising significant new funds to support and protect Oregon’s arts, humanities and heritage. The Trust recently awarded an additional $20,000—$10,000 for Inada’s annual honorarium and $10,000 to cover... More

$2,000 humanities grants offered to Oregon high school sophomores

Oregon students have the chance to apply for 12 summer grants awarded by the Oregon Council of Humanities' Young Scholars program.

14 March 2007 | Permalink

While most of their peers spend the summer watching movies or going to camp, 12 Oregon teenagers will have the opportunity to work on a humanities project like exploring the heady Northwest grunge era or creating a documentary film about immigration.
For the sixth year in a row, the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) will award $2,000 Young Scholars grants to 12 Oregon sophomores. These grants will allow students to complete humanities research projects of their own design. Interested students can download application forms from the OCH website (http://www.oregonhum.org) or call (503) 241-0543 / (800) 735-0543 to receive a copy by mail. Applications are due April 20, 2007.
“It was hard, it was painful, it was time consuming.... More