Central College received an $18,630 grant from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in support of a project titled “Middle Ground.”
The project will introduce the public to the craft of oral history and storytelling through a podcast, website and accompanying launch events. “Middle Ground” is a podcast that will explore the history and identity of Iowa and the Midwest through the lives and stories of individual people.
The project is directed by Joshua Dolezal, professor of English, and Brian Campbell, director of sustainability education.
“We believe our project will enrich the lives of Iowans by celebrating their heritage and encouraging them to reflect on how Midwestern identity is shaped by both local and national cultures,” Dolezal and Campbell wrote in the project’s application to Humanities Iowa.
The pair has completed interviews for the first four episodes of Season One with more planned. The first season is expected to debut in October.
The mission of Humanities Iowa is to promote understanding and appreciation of the people, culture and stories of importance to Iowa and the nation. The foundation provides grants and partnerships to other nonprofit organizations that further the humanities in the state and conducts its own programs to support the humanities across Iowa.
