Abundance of hands-on research opportunities and applications draws student interest
November 2024 – Drew University has added a new minor in digital humanities to its growing list of programs.
In the last several years, the school has added majors in cybersecurity, statistics, finance, marketing, and accounting, and minors in accounting, finance, marketing, creative art and technology, environmental justice, musical theatre, teaching, and education and society.
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Effective this semester, the new minor grew from student interest in a number of programs, opportunities, and initiatives, many funded by a five-year Mellon Foundation grant and with ongoing support from the College of Liberal Arts.
These include, in part, the creation of the Digital Humanities Summer Institute (DHSI) and Center for Digital Humanities Scholarship and Pedagogy, the development of an Introduction to Digital Humanities course, a tech fellows program, and the integration of digital approaches and tools into existing courses.
Through these opportunities, Drew offers a number of projects for students to get hands-on experience in putting digital humanities skills and lessons into practical experience using approaches like digital storytelling, mapping, podcasting, 3D modeling, image analysis, data management and visualization, and digital exhibit building.
“Digital humanities allows for a blending of some of my favorite parts of the humanities, technology, and academia that makes for a really incredible and innovative experience,” said alice holway C’25, a DHSI participant. “I love the openness for experimentation that exists in this field. I think that some of the most important work in academia is going to happen here in the coming years.”
“Many of the conversations we are having with students with respect to digital humanities are centered on how to understand and assess the ethics and nuances of what digital technologies bring to bear on humanities research,” said Danielle Reay, digital initiatives manager, librarian, and co-director for the Center for Digital Humanities Research and Scholarship. “The minor provides a curricular home to continue these conversations and build on these practices.”
Last year, Drew added its creative arts and technology minor, which will share several courses with the new digital humanities minor, though the two programs will have distinct focuses on subjects and themes.
The interdisciplinary minor will draw from courses in fields like computer science, humanities, arts, and social sciences, and has already led to career outcomes.
“We’ve been thrilled to see alums of DHSI parlay their digital humanities experience and skills into exciting post-Drew jobs in digital curation, data analysis, and historical preservation in museums, galleries, historical societies, government agencies, non-profits, and universities,” said Wendy Kolmar, professor of English and women’s studies, and co-director of the Center for Digital Humanities Research and Scholarship. “Clearly, digital humanities is not only challenging our students while at Drew, it is preparing them well for professional careers after Drew.”
