Humanities Center Newsletter

Spring 2025

Sharon Ryan, PhD, Director, Humanities Center, WVU Libraries

The Humanities Center is back in business, and so is our newsletter!

I was hired to direct the WVU Humanities Center in January, after serving for a total of thirteen years as Chair of the WVU Philosophy Department. Directing the Humanities Center is a dream job for me, and I am incredibly grateful to West Virginia University for trusting me with this important leadership role.

We are living in perilous times where humanistic values, scholarship and exploration, artistic expression, and the free and respectful exchange of ideas are so deeply needed. I am determined to bring the humanities community together in support of WVU’s mission to make a positive and enduring impact on our University, the people of West Virginia, and the world...

Read the Director's Full Letter

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IN THIS ISSUE

Community Spotlight: Manal Al Natour

Manal Al Natour, PhD, Associate Professor of Arabic Studies at WVU, has been named Armand E. and Mary W. Singer Professor of Humanities. Learn more about Manal in our exclusive Q&A interview with her.

Community Spotlight: Nina Assimakopoulos

WVU Professor of Flute Nina Assimakopoulos is one of the recipients of a FY26 Humanities Center collaboration grant. The grant will support her team’s multimedia documentary film project.

Congratulations New Fellows and Grantees

The WVU Humanities Center is pleased to announce the recipients of its FY26 grants and fellowships, who's proposals were selected due to their showcasing the vital role of humanities scholarship and creativity in a thriving and just society.

Research Shout Out: Rose Casey

Dr. Rose Casey’s first book is coming out, focusing on the history of English law in Africa, Asia, and the Atlantic and the study of how literature is involved in producing legal change—all in one.

West Virginians in World War II: In Their Own Words

Corporal Hershel W. (Woody) Williams from Fairmont, W. Va.

Join the West Virginia & Regional History Center (WVRHC) as they open a new exhibit featuring the experiences of West Virginians during World War II through the archives. Bryan Casey, grandson of Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Woody Williams, will discuss Williams’ life and legacy.

June 20, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
WVU Downtown Library, Milano Reading Room

Find Event Details & RSVP

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