William D. Adams, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, presents a public address on the public role of the humanities Friday, December 4, 3:30 pm at the University of Washington wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House.
William D. Adams, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, presents a public address on the public role of the humanities Friday, December 4, 3:30 pm at the University of Washington wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House. A reception follows.
Adams was confirmed by the US Senate to lead the NEH in July 2014. Under his leadership, the NEH has launched Common Good, a new initiative to bring the humanities into the public square and foster innovative ways to make scholarship relevant to contemporary issues. He has also introduced Next Generation Humanities PhD, a program to inspire new models of doctoral education that incorporate broader career preparation; Standing Together, a program to support returning veterans and promote understanding of the military experience; and Humanities Initiatives at Community Colleges, a program to strengthen the teaching and study of the humanities at two-year institutions.
A native of Birmingham, Michigan, Adams holds a BA in Philosophy from Colorado College and a PhD from the History of Consciousness program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He studied in France as a Fulbright scholar before beginning his career in higher education with appointments to teach political philosophy at Santa Clara University in California and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Adams has served as president of Bucknell University and Colby College.