Humanities Division Projects

Employing Humanities: Experiential Learning for Humanities Students Humanities

The Employing Humanities initiative is about more than preparing students for careers, it’s about affirming the deep value of a humanities education in shaping thoughtful, engaged citizens who will lead with empathy, curiosity, and purpose. At the heart of Employing Humanities are two transformational programs that offer paid, meaningful, real-world experiences for our students: Humanities EXCEL Internship Program and the Humanities EXPLORE Undergraduate Research Program 

By supporting this initiative, you help bridge the gap between what students learn in the classroom and the lives they dream of building after graduation.

The Deep Read

Are you passionate about books, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas? The Deep Read is an annual program of The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz that focuses on a contemporary book by an award-winning author and invites our community of curious readers to think deeply about important books and pressing issues. Support the Deep Read today and help The Humanities Institute provide this free, public program to a vibrant community of over 10,000 readers. Your gift will expand the Deep Read program to reach even more readers, fund future Deep Read community events, and provide books to interested students and community members. Give what you can—help our incredible community of readers continue to think and read deeply.

Minorities and Philosophy

The goal of Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) at UCSC is to increase diversity in philosophy, discussion and awareness of minoritized philosophers and develop a community space for graduate and undergraduate members. Our structure involves different members leading events: from graduate school workshops, philosophy of disability talks, study halls, movie nights, sharing program resources, and discussion groups. We hope to use the funds for this year to start a mentorship program and fund events and speakers that benefit all UCSC students.

Okinawa Memories Initiative

The Okinawa Memories Initiative (OMI) is an international public history project that has been based at UCSC for over a decade. OMI’s work focuses on advancing knowledge of Okinawa through building relationships with community partners and engaging in purposeful and participatory research. OMI is both interdisciplinary and multimedia, and through interactive exhibits, meticulous archiving, and oral history interviews, undergraduate members develop vital professional and academic skills through hands-on public humanities research. Donated funds will be used to fund experiential learning opportunities for students, aiming to provide students with paid opportunities as well as fund research trips to Okinawa. Research will be published in future exhibition team projects and Island Echoes, the OMI bulletin.

Ancient Studies Alive!

Money raised will go to support Ancient Studies students at UCSC.  We use these funds to support textbook reimbursement, tutoring, and maintenance of the Classics Library.  For the duration of the current budget crisis, we'll also use these funds to help hire lecturers to teach Ancient Greek and Latin language courses.

Saritaan: Filipino and Filipino American Stories of Ilocandia and the Pajaro Valley

Saritaan: Filipino and Filipino American Stories of Ilocandia and the Pajaro Valley is a community-engaged research project that documents stories of migration, agrarian life, and family. Titled after the Ilokano word for “talk story,” Saritaan (pronounced sah-ree-TAH-ahn) builds upon the Watsonville is in the Heart (WIITH) project, a public history initiative to preserve and uplift stories of Filipino migration and labor in the city of Watsonville and the greater Pajaro Valley. Saritaan expands WIITH’s scope by highlighting historical sending communities–people and families based in the Philippines who sent their kin to the U.S. at the start of twentieth century. Giving Day funds will support UCSC undergraduate researchers in order help them conduct work in the Philippines to collect oral histories and primary materials that will contribute a key, transnational dimension to the studies of historical Philippine migration.

Center for the Middle East and North Africa (CMENA)

The Center for the Middle East and North Africa (CMENA) at UC Santa Cruz is an internationally recognized research center and convener of public discussions. The Center promotes education and research about the histories, politics, and cultures of the people who live in the Middle East and North Africa. CMENA fosters a deeper understanding of this geopolitically crucial region and equips students to engage with pressing global issues.

Join us in elevating CMENA to global prominence as a leading research center where world-class scholarship meets transformative learning for students and the community.

The Science & Justice Research Center

Help us celebrate the 20 year anniversary of Science & Justice by supporting our graduate student researchers and Training Program (SJTP) through the Science & Justice campaign. Now more than ever the training offered by the SJTP is critical to addressing the problems of our times: ecological destruction; data justice; growing inequalities. These are problems that are not the domain of one discipline or area of practice. They require working across fields of knowledge and practice. The SJTP provides the space and transdisciplinary tools and thought needed for social science, humanities, engineering, physical and biological science, and art students to collaborate to respond to these core concerns of our times. Your support creates a vibrant future for science and justice researchers. With your help, we can provide: Travel for student field research and Summer research fellowships.

Dickens Day of Writing

The Dickens Day of Writing is a national program for junior and senior high school students that is part writing retreat and part competition. Students analyze Dickens's short essay "Night Walks" to understand the relevance of 19th-century texts to important 21st-century issues. 

The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.

To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy Statement for University of California Publications Regarding Student-Related Matters.