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About Us

Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities

Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities' Vision Statement:
 
"Through inspiring public programming, informed discussion, and partnerships with other cultural organizations, the Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities seeks to enrich the cultural and intellectual life of West Michigan by applying the insights of the humanities to the issues and choices we face as individuals and as a community."

 
 The Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities was founded in 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebrations of the city of Grand Rapids, MI. For over 30 years we have served the greater Grand Rapids area with innovative programs and projects that connect people and ideas.

We currently offer two book discussion series, Life Journey with Books and Biography.  These programs
bring together area scholars, exceptional literature and our greater community for thoughtful facilitated discussion.  They have remained one of our most popular programs through the years.   We are also collaborating with Calvin College this year to produce an oral history documentary, "Eating in Place: Growing a Local Food Movement."

Some past projects we've produced
is a documentary film called Landmarks of Grand Rapids: A Look at Sacred Heart Church parish, Heritage Hill, and Eastown completed in 2007; and in 2003 we published the book Heart and Soul: The Story of Grand Rapids Neighborhoods.
 

We are pleased to welcome Nurya Love Parish as our Executive Director and Kelly Gest as our Program Manager.

 


Board of Directors

President: Dr. Jennifer Holberg, Professor of English at Calvin College
Past President: Ms. Sheila Frank, Writer
Treasurer: Mr. Daniel Carter, CPA, MST,  Shareholder at Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols & Carter, PC
Secretary: Ms. Sue Thoms, Book Editor, The Grand Rapids Press
Members at Large:
Dr. Kenneth Bratt, Professor of Classics, Director of Honors Program at Calvin College
Dr. Oliver Evans, President of Kendall College of Art and Design
Mrs. Gwen Hibbard, Past President and Past Director of GRACH
Ms. Heidi Holst, Curator of Arts Education, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
Ms. Shellie Jeffries, Co-Director, Haustein Library at Aquinas College
Mr. Hank Meijer, CoChairman, Meijer, Inc.
Dr. Rick Olsen, Dean for the School of Arts and Sciences at Grand Rapids Community College
Mrs. Sue Poll, Retired Media Director, East Grand Rapids High School
Mr. Tim Smith, Store Manager, Schuler Books
Dr. Gary Stark, Professor of History and Assoc. Dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at GVSU
Mr. Stephen Waterbury, Partner Warner, Norcross & Judd, LLP
Dr. Wendy Wenner, Dean for College of Interdisciplinary Studies at GVSU
 Ex-Officio Member: Ms. Nurya Love Parish, Executive Director of GRACH

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Grand Rapids Area Council for the Humanities
PO Box 230262
Grand Rapids, MI 49523
616.774.1776

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