Dr. Kalenda Eaton, associate professor of English, will improve the networking and research opportunities of Humanities faculty and students as the 2017 recipient of the Frank and Evelyn Steinbrucker Endowed Chair. Dr. Eaton was recognized during the Years of Service luncheon on May 24.

Dr. Eaton’s proposed project, “Beyond Meridians: Practicing Womanist Ideology in the New Humanities,” is a multifaceted program that brings together various Humanities departments at Arcadia University.

“Humanities projects aren’t always easy to collaborate on,” said Dr. Eaton, referencing how most faculty conduct research in their offices. “I’m trying to use the endowment to pull the Humanities—meaning music, religion, languages, literature, art, etc.—together to create a space where these programs can be enlivened.”

One facet of the project will be “Beyond Meridians,” a lecture series starting in fall 2017 that will bring speakers to campus to discuss innovative and unusual research and projects with faculty and students. A second part will be a Humanities research lab that will serve as a “basis for inquiry,” as Dr. Eaton calls it, for students and faculty to brainstorm and further their research in an environment conducive to collaborative work.

“I want to highlight innovative works being done that we don’t hear about,” Dr. Eaton said. “This project is something I would like to see go beyond the endowment.”

About the Steinbrucker Endowed Chair

The Frank and Evelyn Steinbrucker Endowed Chair is held for two years by a tenured, senior member of the Arcadia University faculty who has a distinguished record of teaching, professional achievements, and service to the University. Applicants must submit a major project that fulfills one or more elements of the University’s Mission Statement through the enhancement of curriculum, pedagogy, and/or student-faculty interaction.

Dr. Eaton is the ninth faculty member to be awarded the Chair. Previous recipients include Dr. Samer Abboud, Dr. Graciela Slesaransky-Poe, Dr. Shekhar Deshpande, Dr. Gail Hearn, Dr. Rosalie Lopopolo, Gregg Moore, Dr. Wayne Morra, and Judith Taylor.