With more than 1,100 registrants and 600+ attendees, a Chronicle of Higher Education webinar spotlighted the vitality of the humanities in community colleges—and Dr. Emily Stacey from Rose State College helped lead the conversation.
The conversation featured experts and practitioners of discourse- and literature-based courses—an approach Rose State is advancing through its Teagle Foundation Cornerstone grant. Panelists explored why teaching students to analyze and read literature—and to think critically and articulate their ideas through civil discourse—is essential for learning, work, and citizenship.
Dr. Emily Stacey, Professor of Political Science at Rose State College, was one of four panelists, all from community colleges across the country. She was joined by Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr. (Austin Community College; Executive Director, Great Questions Foundation), Connie Kassor (Chair, Mandel Humanities Center, Cuyahoga Community College), and Brian Stipelman (Dean of Arts & Humanities, Frederick Community College; Board Member, Community College Humanities Association). The session was moderated by Chronicle editor Ian Wilhelm, with remarks from Andrew Delbanco, President of the Teagle Foundation.
What’s Happening at Rose State
Stacey highlighted Rose State’s distinctive student community—including many military families connected to nearby Tinker Air Force Base and international students living in the College’s on-campus apartments—and how that diversity enriches humanities learning.
She also shared progress on Rose State’s Cornerstone-supported redesign of general education courses. The new interdisciplinary course, Enduring Questions, shifts away from textbook-and-quiz formats to discussion-centered engagement with transformative texts. Early response has been enthusiastic, and the College plans to add an additional section in the spring.
“We’re remaking these perfunctory, required general education courses, from textbook and multiple-choice-based courses to discourse and literature-centered classes. And the students are responding in just incredible ways,” Stacey said.
Building Campus Buy-In—And Why It Matters
The panel discussed strategies for gaining buy-in across campus for humanities teaching. Stacey described Rose State’s collaborative approach with Student Affairs, the President’s Leadership Class, and Student Senate to elevate dialogue-driven learning. She emphasized that reading, writing, ethical reasoning, and civil discourse are foundational for every profession—from nursing to cybersecurity and AI.
“Civil discourse is the foundation of a civil society. And civil society is the foundation of a stable, healthy, robust democracy.”
Panelists also discussed practical strategies—aligning with workforce goals, using widely recognized career-readiness competencies, and capturing student outcomes—to demonstrate the humanities’ value to advisors, admissions teams, and administrators.
Visit The Chronicle of Higher Education to learn more and listen to the webinar.