For the first time in its history, West Chester University (WCU) has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation. The grant is part of the Mellon Foundation’s Affirming Multivocal Humanities initiative, which has allocated more than $18 million to support humanities-based learning at public colleges and universities nationwide.

WCU’s grant will fund the creation of the Women’s and Gender Studies Collection. This innovative open educational resource aims to publish and provide free and reliable information on race, gender, and sexuality.

The Women’s and Gender Studies Collection is the brainchild of Lisa Huebner, a WCU Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies. In May 2023, Huebner learned about the Mellon Foundation’s call for proposals from her Department Chair, Professor Joan Woolfrey, and quickly applied. The grant was awarded at the end of July 2023.

Huebner said the Women’s and Gender Studies Collection will serve students, faculty, and staff in the discipline of women’s and gender studies, as well as educators, families, and individuals beyond higher education. The collection will feature a wide range of formats, including written, artistic, and audio/video materials, that focus on the dissemination of free, trustworthy, and valid information about race, gender, and sexuality.

Receiving the Mellon Foundation grant is a dream come true for Huebner. She has spent her career, including several years in nonprofit work before joining WCU in 2007, making knowledge about race, gender, and sexuality free, accessible, and applicable to all.

“This project represents something I’ve tried to do throughout my entire professional life: bridging the gap between academic discourse and real-world application,” she said. This site will be scholarly and offer content that’s accessible and engaging. Families, teachers, and even teenagers will be able to use it.”

The Mellon Foundation grant has already supported a series of free, open-to-the-public events that brought internationally renowned scholars, activists, and writers to WCU. It has also allowed students to be involved in designing the logo, researching content, and creating submission guidelines and review processes.

Jen Bacon, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, said the project, which is expected to launch in October, will elevate the discipline of women’s and gender studies and strengthen WCU’s commitment to inclusivity in education.

“Securing this grant from the Mellon Foundation is a triumph for our Women’s and Gender Studies Department, the College of Arts and Humanities, and the University,” Bacon said. “Launching the Women’s and Gender Studies Collection will be a significant step toward broadening access to critical knowledge on race, gender, and sexuality.”

The inspiration for the collection is rooted in a conviction that providing accurate information about race, gender, and sexuality is crucial, especially in the current political and social climate, Huebner said. She has tapped several WCU departments and colleagues to collaborate on the project, including the Teaching and Learning Center and the Center for Women and Gender Equity.

“I am so excited that I have this opportunity to work with so many amazing people within my University to make this knowledge accessible to everyone — for free,” Huebner said.

The Collection is already seeking submissions and welcomes a diverse range of contributions. Submissions can include teaching materials, creative works like videos and visual art, scholarly papers, and more if they are grounded in the discipline of women’s and gender studies. For written contributions, consistent formatting and citation styles are required, while audio and visual submissions should be in standard digital formats, captioned, and accompanied by a brief statement file. Interested contributors should email their work to Huebner by May 31 and include their name, affiliation, contact information, and a brief biography.

Learn more about West Chester University (WCU), the largest member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, which comprises 10 state-owned universities within the Commonwealth. West Chester University is a comprehensive public institution offering a diverse range of more than 180 academic opportunities in 40 fields of study across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.